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William McDairmant
SRoH. Private William McDiarmant. Home: Laggan Mullen, Gatehouse.
Enlisted January 1916, 3rd King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
Transferred to King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.
Served on Western Front. Wounded on the Somme. Killed 1st October 1916.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse, inscription : Wm. McDairmant K.O.Y.L I.
Anwoth Church Memorial : William McDairmant K.O.S.B.
CWGC : Private William McDairmant 38369 King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (8th Battalion) Killed 01/10/1916. On Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France
Soldiers Who Died in Great War : William McDairmant, Private 38369 King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. (K.O.Y.L.I.). Formerly 22652 King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Killed in action 01/10/1916 France & Flanders
Birthplace Kirkmabrick, Dumfries (actually Kirkmabreck, Kirkcudbrightshire).
1901 Kirkmabreck Census, at Kirkmuir : William McDairmont (5, born Kirkmabreck) with grandparents William and Sarah Scott + possibly his brother Peter (4) and sister Sarah (2).
1901Anwoth Census, at Laggan Mullen : John McDairmant (married, ploughman). The rest of his family were not at home.
1911Anwoth Census, at Laggan Mullen : John McDairmant (ploughman), wife Jane + daughters Sarah (born c.1899 Anwoth) and Isabella.
William was not at home (Laggan Mullen) in either 1901 or 1911 censuses.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 1st December 1916 : On the 1st October, killed in action, Private Willliam M'Dairmant, elder son of John McDairmant, Laggan Mullin, Parish of Anwoth and grandson of William Scott, Kirkmuir, Creetown.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 12th January 1917: poem dedicated to the memory of Pte. William McDairmant of Laggan Mullen, Gatehouse.
From Vicki Rowstron (great niece) : William McDairmant's date of birth was 20/11/1895. Parents John McDairmant and Jane Scott.
Ancestry.co.uk - Family Tree: William McDairmant born 20/11/1895 at Kirkmabreck, Kirkcudbrightshire. Father - John Robert McDairmant. Mother- Jane Scott.
ScotlandsPeople: Born in 1895 at Kirkmabreck, Wigtownshire. Father : John McDairmant Mother : Janet Scott.
Also had a brother James McDairmant. The family lived at Laggan Mullen Farm, near Gatehouse.
Gatehouse link : Lived at Laggan Mullen, Anwoth.
Peter McDairmid
SRoH. No known records in Roll of Honour.
Identified from Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, and also from Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser “First Instalment of Stewartry Roll of Honour” 25th December 1914.
Private Peter McDairmont 5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse, inscription : Peter McDairmid Sergt. K.O.S.B.
Anwoth Church Memorial : Serg. Peter McDairmid K.O.S.B.
CWGC : Serjeant P. McDairmid 42676 Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) 19th Battalion. Died 28/01/1918 (aged 22).
Buried Red Cross Corner Cemetery, Beugny, Pas de Calais, France.
Soldiers Who Died in Great War : Originally 1639 K.O.S.B.. Serving with Machine Gun Corps (Infantry Battalion) when killed in action 28th Jan. 1918.
Scottish War Memorial website: Peter is thought to be the son of Peter McDairmid and Isabella Ritchie. They married in Luss, Dunbartonshire in 1894. Peter McDermid was born at Aberfoyle, Perthshire in 1895.
War Dead Records: Peter McDairmid, born Aberfoyle, Perthshire, lived in Gatehouse.
1901 Aberfoyle Census at [Hennedip] Buildings: Peter McDairmid (6, born Aberfoyle) with father Peter (44, general labourer), mother Isabella (36) and siblings Lawrence (4) and Helen (2).
Gatehouse link : Not living in Girthon or Anwoth in 1901 & 1911 censuses, but War Dead Records suggest that Peter McDairmid lived in Gatehouse prior to enlistment with K.O.S.B.
Robert Cecil McDill
SRoH. Private Robert Cecil McDill. Home : Edinburgh.
Parents natives of the Stewartry. Enlisted March 1916, Seaforth Highlanders.
Served on Western Front. Killed at Martinpuich September 1916.
Kirkmabreck War Memorial, Creetown inscription : M’Dill Robert Cecil Seaforths
CWGC : Private. (S/12591) 8th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. Died 15th September 1916. Named on Thiepal Memorial, Somme, France. Son of William & Robina McDill of Ravenshall Cottages, Gatehouse.
Medal Index Card : Pte. Robert C. McDill Seaforths (S/12591)
1901 Edinburgh Census, 30 Watson Street : Robert McDill (aged 4) with father William (cabman) and mother Robina + 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Both parents born in Kirkcudbrightshire.
D&G Standard 7th Oct 1916 : Employed by Boots the Chemist, Shandwick Place, Edinburgh when he enlisted in March 1916.
Scotlands People : Born 1897 Edinburgh. Father William McDill, mother Robina Haining.
Gatehouse link : Parents born in Kirkcudbrighshire, lived at Ravenshall Cottages.
William McDonald
SRoH. Private William McDonald. Home: Cally, Gatehouse.
Enlisted London Scottish. Served on Eastern Front. Wounded January 1918.
Military Records : Private. No. 512271 Home: Girthon Kirk Clachan, Gatehouse. Enlisted 8th December 1915, 2/4th Battalion London Regiment (London Scottish). Born 1891. (24yrs 8m. when enlisted) He was 5’ 6’’ tall.
Wife: Alice Louise Burton. Married: Barhill, Ayrshire 05/11/1913
Served in France (1916 & 1918), Salonika (1916), Egypt (1917) & Palestine.
Wounded 27th Dec 1917: gunshot wound to hand & face.
February 1919 moved to 4th Scottish General Hospital, Glasgow, suffering from dysentery & optic atrophy.
Discharged 14th March 1919 & awarded pension (22/- a week + 8/- for wife)
Wife Alice moved from 32 Godolphin Rd, Shephard’s Bush, London to Girthon Kirk in 1919. In 1920 they lived at The Stable House, Lanfine, New Milns, Ayrshire. Awarded British War Medal & Victory Medal in August 1921.
1911 Girthon & Anwoth Censuses : William would have been about 20 in 1911 and there is no William of that age in Girthon or Anwoth.
Gatehouse link : Military records say William lived at Girthon Kirk.
Alexander McGarva
SRoH. Gunner Alexander McGarva. Home: Drawbridge Cottage, Gatehouse.
Enlisted June 1915, 2nd Battery Kirkcudbrightshire Royal Field Artillery.
Served on Western Front. Died on way home after demobilisation.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : A. McGarva London F.A.
Anwoth Church Memorial : Gunner Alexander McGarva R.F.A.
Girthon Gravestone : … Alexander, who died at Glasgow on his way home from France, 13th Feby 1919, aged 22 years. Father: Alexander McGarva, Mother Jemima Bryden.
CWGC : Gunner Alexander McGarva 936008 Royal Field Artillery 35th Division Ammunition Col. Died 13/02/1919 Buried Girthon Cemetery
Alexander was born in Borgue, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Parents: Alexander & Jemina McGarva, Birtwhistle, Street, Gatehouse of Fleet
Medal Index Card : Alex. McGarva 3010/936008 RFA. Awarded Victory and British medals.
1901 Borgue census, at Meikle Isle : Alexander (4, born Borgue) with father Alexander (farm labourer) and mother Jemima + 5 siblings inc. Hugh, James & William.
1911 Borgue census, at Gledpark : Alexander McGarva (14, scholar) with parents.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 12th August 1921: Unveiling of Gatehouse War Memorial. Wreath laid: ‘From Mr and Mrs M. McGarva, Ivy Cottage, in kind remembrance.’
ScotlandsPeople: Birth Index - Alexander McGarva born 1896 Borgue Parish, Kirkcudbrightshire.
ScotlandsPeople: Death certificate Alexander McGarva died of influenza and pneumonia on 13/02/1919 at 1011 Duke Street, Camlachie, Glasgow. Father Alexander McGarva Mother Jemima Bryden.
Brothers Alexander, Hugh and Willian McGarva all fought in the war. Only William survived.
Gatehouse link : Born in Borgue, parents later moved to Drawbridge Cottage, Gatehouse.
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