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James Hay Fraser
SRoH. No mention in The Stewartry Roll of Honour.
Identified from Military Records on Ancestry.co.uk after searching for ‘Gatehouse’.
Military Records : Private. No.118239 Royal Army Medical Corps. (E Coy) Home: Fleet Street, Gatehouse.
Born 1889, Aberlour, Banffshire. Married. Presbyterian. Lame in left leg (thigh injury) & had false teeth. Grocer by trade.
Enlisted in Dumfries 09/02/1916. In Reserves at first, mobilised March 1916 & joined RAMC in May 1917. Served in Salonika 49th Station (a batman in Sisters (?) Quarters). Hospitalized on hospital ship with a stomach ulcer June 1918. Sent to Malta on HMHS Braemar Castle June 1918, transferred to HS Dundee Castle Aug. 1918 & sent home. Remained in hospital until March 1919, then posted to Aldershot before demobilisation on 15/10/1919. Next of Kin (wife) J. H. Fraser, Fleet St., Gatehouse. (Note the middle letter of his wife's name looks like a badly written 'H' but could be an 'M')
1891 Aberlour Census, Servant’s Cottage at Benrinnes Distillery : James Hay Fraser (1, born Aberlour) with father John Fraser (33, stillman) and mother Elizabeth (28) + 6 siblings.
1901 Aberlour Census, Brick Cottages : James Hay Fraser (11, born Aberlour) with father John Fraser (43, stonemason) and mother Elizabeth (38) + 7 siblings.
1911 Edinburgh Census in St George's : James H. Fraser aged 20. (ex Scotlands People Index)
Marriage :1911 James H Fraser married Jennie Campbell Milroy at St Giles, Edinburgh (ex Scotlands People Index).
1920 Anwoth Valuation Roll : James Fraser, proprietor / occupier of a house in Fleet Street.
Gatehouse link : Lived in Fleet Street.
Joseph Frost
SRoH. Private Joseph Frost. Home: Rusko, Gatehouse.
Enlisted December 1916, 1/5 King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
Transferred to 2nd Highland Light Infantry.
Served on Eastern Front, (Arras, Guivenchy & Cambrai). (N.B. these are actually Western Front). Reported missing 24th March 1918
Previously supposed to have been taken prisoner when acting guide to a Brig.-General and Party, now officially presumed to have died on above date.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : J. Frost H.L.I.
Anwoth Church Memorial : Joseph Frost H.L.I.
CWGC : Private Joseph Frost 37827 Highland Light Infantry ‘C’ Coy. 2nd Battalion
Died 24/03/1918 (aged 36). On Arras Memorial (Bay 8) Pas de Calais, France
Parents: William & Mary Frost, Wadworth, Doncaster
Wife: Mary (née Wilson) Fleet Street, Gatehouse of Fleet
1891 Doncaster Census, at Wadworth : Joseph Frost (8, born Wadworth) with father Walter John Frost (mason's labourer) and mother Mary + 1 brother + 3 sisters.
1901 Wetherby Census, at Wighill Park : Joseph Frost (20, born Wadworth) was 2nd footman to Lord & Lady Hawke.
1911 Anwoth Census, at Rusko House : Joseph Frost (25, butler, born England). Employer was Anne Eliza Murray Stewart.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser : 12th April 1918 : A letter has been received by Mrs J. Frost, Rusko Cottage, Gatehouse from a Second Lieutenant of H.L.I. stating that her husband Pte. Joseph Frost had been taken prisoner by the Germans in their late big offensive, and when last seen he was unwounded. Private Frost is well known in the Gatehouse district, and had been for a long time in the service of Mrs Murray Stewart of Rusko.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 12th August 1921: Unveiling of Gatehouse War Memorial. Wreath laid: ‘In loving memory, M.E. Frost, Emily and Annie.’
Birth : 1883 Q2 Wadworth, Doncaster, Yorkshire, son of Walter Frost and Mary Garritt. (ex G.R.O.)
Marriage : Joseph Frost married Mary Elizabeth Wilson of Hinton, Anwoth near Gatehouse on 28/08/1912. He was a butler at Rusko House, near Gatehouse.
Birth of Children : 22nd July 1913 Emily Mary Frost at The Nook, Rusko, Anwoth. Father Joseph Frost (butler). Mother Mary Elizabeth Frost ms Wilson. Parents married 28th August 1912 at Girthon Church, Gatehouse.
ScotlandsPeople Index has births of Emily Frost in 1913 and Annie Frost in 1915, both at Anwoth.
Gatehouse link : Lived and worked at Rusko, Gatehouse.
William Gilchrist
SRoH. Gunner William Gilchrist. Home: Cullendoch, Gatehouse.
Enlisted September 1914, Kirkcudbrightshire Battery, Royal Field Artillery.
Transferred to 261 Brigade. Served in Egypt & Palestine.
This soldier may have a double entry in the SRoH which could be caused by a typing mistake - there is a soldier with surname Gillespie who is given no christian name. He was a gunner with the 2nd Lowland Reserve Batallion of the Royal Field Artillery. It is likely that both entries refer to the same person.
Girthon Gravestone : William died in 1972 aged 80 (i.e. was born c.1892 )
Military records : William Gilchrist born Balmaghie, Castle Douglas in 1892.
Driver 655733 with 2nd Lowland Reserve Battalion RFA
Prior to enlistment he was employed as a shepherd by John McCutcheon at Murrayton farm.
His home given as Cullendoch, Gatehouse of Fleet. His father John Gilchrist was next of kin (later changed to his mother). 5' 8" tall fit with normal vision. Sobriety good. Reliable & intelligent. Unmarried.
Service Record :
29/09/1914 Gunner with Kirkcudbright Battery AC.
He was at home until 08/06/1915
09/06/1915 to 23/03/1917 with Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
06/05/1916 Transferred to 261st Brigade. RFA
24/03/1917 to 22/01/1919 Palestine
23/01/1919 to 06/02/1919 en-route home
12/03/1919 Demobbed
Certificate of Identity gave his home as Cullendoch, Gatehouse of Fleet. He was sick & wounded when demobbed in 1919, having debility and anaemia. References to Sherlock Street Aux. Hospital, Liverpool where he was probably a patient.
1901 Anwoth Census, at Fleetbank : William (7, born Balmaghie), was a boarder in a lodging house with his brother James. James and William lived at the Cullendoch but attended school in Gatehouse.
1901 Girthon Census, at Cullendoch : John Gilchrist (shepherd) with wife Jessie Agnes and daughter Agnes.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser : William Gilchrist from Cullendoch married Annie Skirving in 1922.
Galloway News 1972 : After the War he worked for 33 years as a railway platelayer firstly with Portpatrick & Wigtownshire Railway, later LMS.
Anwoth Banns : 6th January 1922 Marriage of William Gilchrist, surfaceman of Cullendoch, Girthon to Annie Fortune Skirving, Upper Rusko Cottage, Anwoth.
Brothers James & William boarded in Gatehouse during the week and walked home every weekend. This has been confirmed by a member of the family.
Gatehouse link : Grew up at Cullendoch, Gatehouse.
? Gillespie
SRoH. Not in Stewartry Roll of Honour. Identified as a soldier from Anwoth and Girthon ex Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser “First Instalment of Stewartry Roll of Honour” 25th December 1914.
? Gillespie 2nd Lowland Brigade Royal Field Artillery.
The surname may be a typing error in the provisional SRoH - tWilliam Gilchrist was also
a gunner with the 2nd Lowland Reserve Batallion of the Royal Field Artillery.
Alexander (b.1877) Gillone
SRoH. Private Alexander Gillone. Boatgreen, Gatehouse.
Enlisted June 1916, King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Transferred to Army Medical Corps. Served on Eastern Front (Egypt & Palestine).
Military Records: Alexander Gillone, Kirkandrews, Borgue.
Enlisted at Dumfries 11th December 1915. 5'11 tall. Aged 38 years 7 months. Married. Employed as an estate worker – painter by James Brown Esq. JP, Knockbrex.
Wife: Florence Maddox. Married 11th September 1909 Mosside.
Children: Frank Alexander Gillone born Gatehouse 11th October 1910, James Gillone born 7th January 1912, Gatehouse and Mary Sha..(Shannon ?) Annie Gillone born 6th February 1914 at Borgue.
Joined 5th KOSB 22nd June 1916 at Berwick on Tweed.
Home duties 19th June 1916 to 20th December 1916
21st December 1916 joined EEF (Egyptian Expeditionary Force).
27th September 1917 transferred to Northumberland Fusiliers. Transferred to Labour Corps
9th February 1918 transferred to RAMC (145580) to 24th Stat. Hospital
(Each Division had 2 Stationary Hospitals. Sometimes they were local hospitals or other buildings which were requisitioned by the army)
Trade Profession Certificate says that he was stationed at Ruption Station (?) and also Kantara E. (Kantara is on the east side of the Suez Canal)
Qualified as a painter (3rd class) i.e. an 'improver' from the AOD Workshop.
Pension Details 27th August 1919: Pte Alexander Gillone, (RAMC 145580) born 1877.
At Wharncliffe War Hospital Sheffield - 14/04/1919 sick and wounded.
Transferred to home (Kirkandrews) 23/05/1919 suffering from debility. Aged 42.
Pension of 5/6 from 24/05/1919 to be reviewed in 52 weeks. Allowance for 2 children 3/2.
Medal Index Card : Private Alexander Gillone. Served with the following units - KOSB (5322), Northumberland Fusiliers (241613), Labour Corps (361299) and RAMC (145580)
Claimed his British Medal and Victory Medal 25th April 1922.
This soldier survived the war and came back to live in Gatehouse.
1881 Girthon Census, Back Street (now Catherine Street) : Alexr Gillone (4, born Girthon) with widowed grandmother Mary Gillone + 2 of her sons.
1891 Girthon Census, Catherine Street : Alexander Gillone (13, apprentice cabinet maker, born Girthon ) with widowed grandmother Mary Gillone.
1901 Edinburgh Census : the only Alexander Gillone in Scotland with a Gatehouse connection was Alexander Gillone (23, printer’s warehouseman, born Gatehouse) lodging in Edinburgh.
1911 Girthon Census, at Neilson Square : Alexander Gillone (33, painter, born Gatehouse) with wife Florence (28, born in Manchester) and son Frank Alexander (1, born Gatehouse).
All these census records probably relate to the same Alexander Gillone.
ScotlandsPeople website: Birth Alexander Gillone in 2nd May 1877 at Back Street, Gatehouse. He was the illegitimate son of Agnes Gillone.
Girthon Parish Banns: Alexander Gillone married Florence Maddox at St James', Mosside, Manchester 5th September 1910.
Although there is a 20 year age difference, this Alexander Gillone and the next soldier (with the same name) were cousins. This Alexander’s mother Agnes was a sister of the younger Alexander’s father James. In the 1861 Girthon census Agnes and James were both living at Barlay Mill, Gatehouse, with James' widowed mother Mary (born c.1830 Tongland). Further research from gravestones at Twynholm shows that Mary’s maiden name was Shannon and that her husband Alexander Gillone was the miller at Barlay Mill who died in 1860.
Alexander Gillone, the miller, and Mary Shannon were the grandparents of both the soldiers named Alexander Gillone.
Gatehouse link : Born and grew up in Gatehouse.
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