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Andrew Straiton
SRoH. Corporal Andrew Straiton. Home: Barlay Cottage, Gatehouse.
Enlisted December 1915, 3rd Battalion Black Watch. Transferred to Machine Gun Corps.
Served on Western Front (Somme, Cambrai, Givenchy, Festubert). Wounded once. Awarded Military Medal.
Military Records : Attested 1st December 1915. Mobilised 21st January 1916.
Private No. 28441, 124 Machine Gun Company (previously No. S/12515)
Gamekeeper. Next of Kin – Andrew Straiton, father, Barlay Cottage, Gatehouse .
Wounded in action 11th August 1918, rejoined 3rd September 1918
Awarded Military Medal 29th August 1918.
Appointed Lance-Corporal 18th Jan 1918, Corporal 25th Mar 1918. Discharged 12th Dec 1918.
1891 Girthon Census, Kirk Cottage : Andrew’s parents Andrew (30, gamekeeper, born Girthon) and Annie N Straiton (26, born Penninghame) + 2 of Andrew junior’s siblings.
1901 Girthon Census, Barlay Cottage : Andrew’s parents Andrew & Annie Straiton with 5 of Andrew junior’s siblings.
1901 Girthon Census, Catherine Street : Andrew Straiton (7, born Gatehouse) with widowed grandfather Thomas Straiton (53, rabbit catcher).
1911 Girthon Census, Barlay Cottage : Andrew Straiton (17, gamekeeper born Girthon) with father Andrew N. Straiton (50, gamekeeper) and mother Agnes N.(46), + 4 siblings.
1921 Unveiling of War Memorial : “Gatehouse and District Gold Medal for Gallantry”
Girthon Banns: Andrew’s parents Andrew Neilson Straiton of Girthon and Annie Neilson Ford from New Abbey married in 1885.
Andrew Straiton possibly re-enlisted as a Corporal 28th July 1921.
Thomas, Andrew & James Straiton were brothers.
Gatehouse link : Born and raised in Girthon.
James Kerr Straiton
SRoH. Private James Kerr Straiton. Home: Barlay Cottage, Gatehouse.
Mobilised 4th August 1914, 1/5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
Served in Gallipoli, Egypt and Palestine. Wounded 3 times. Awarded 1914-1915 Star.
Castle Douglas and District Roll of Honour to Post Office Staff : J. Straiton, postman Mossdale, K.O.S.B.
Girthon Gravestone : James Kerr Straiton married Edith Beatrice Gordon Murray. James Kerr died in 1973 (aged 77) – therefore he was born c.1896.
Medal Index card : Pte. James K Straiton (1135 & 240133) 1/5 KOSB Sent to Balkans 6th June 1915. Demobbed 16th February 1919. Awarded Victory, British and 15 Star medals.
1891 Girthon Census, Kirk Cottage : James’s parents Andrew (30, gamekeeper, born Girthon) and Annie N Straiton (26, born Penninghame) + 2 of James’s siblings inc. Thomas.
1901 Girthon Census, Barlay Cottage : James Straiton (5, born Gatehouse) with parents Andrew (40) & Annie Straiton (36) with 4 siblings inc. Thomas.
1911 Girthon Census, Barlay Cottage : James Straiton (15, born Girthon) with father Andrew N. Straiton (50, gamekeeper) and mother Agnes N.(46), + 4 siblings inc. Andrew.
Edinburgh Gazette 7th July 1914 mentions James Kerr Straiton as a postman from Castle Douglas.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 28th January 1916: Information came to Mr A. Straiton, Barlay Cottage, Gatehouse, last week, that his son Private James Straiton, of the K.O.S.B., has been wounded. Private Straiton is with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
Kirkcudbright Advertiser 11th May 1917: Private James Straiton K.O.S.B. has been wounded. His parents are Mr & Mrs Straiton of Barlay Cottage.
Girthon Banns : 1885 marriage of James’ parents Andrew Neilson Straiton of Girthon and Annie Neilson Ford from New Abbey.
Girthon Banns : 01/01/1922 marriage of James Kerr Straiton (postman), and Edith Beatrice Gordon Murray.
Thomas, Andrew & James Straiton were brothers.
Gatehouse link : Born and raised in Girthon.
Thomas Straiton
SRoH. Lance-Corporal Thomas Straiton. Home: Barlay Cottage, Gatehouse.
Enlisted September 1914, 7th Battalion Cameron Highlanders.
Transferred to 3rd King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Served on Western Front (Arras). Wounded once.
Girthon Gravestone : Thomas Straiton died 09/08/1941 (aged 53) – therefore he was born c.1888. His wife was Helen Campbell.
1891 Girthon Census, Kirk Cottage : Thomas Straiton (2, born Girthon) with parents Andrew (30, gamekeeper, born Girthon) and Annie N Straiton (26, born Penninghame) + 1 sister.
1901 Girthon Census, Barlay Cottage : Thomas Straiton (12, born Gatehouse) with parents Andrew (40) & Annie Straiton (36) with 4 siblings inc. James.
1911 Girthon Census, Barlay Cottage : Thomas Straiton’s parents Andrew N. Straiton (50, gamekeeper) and Agnes N.(46) + 5 of Thomas’s siblings inc. Andrew & James.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser, 13th July 1917 : Lance-Corporal Thomas Straiton, eldest son of Mr & Mrs Andrew Straiton, Barlay Mill Cottage, Gatehouse-of-Fleet has been wounded in the head, arm and leg.
Girthon Banns : 1885 marriage of Thomas’ parents Andrew Neilson Straiton and Annie Neilson Ford from New Abbey.
Girthon Banns : 29/05/1921 Thomas Straiton (gamekeeper) married Helen Currie Campbell of High Street, Gatehouse.
Thomas, Andrew & James Straiton were brothers.
Gatehouse link : Born and raised in Girthon.
Charles Edward Stuart
SRoH. Rifleman C. E. Stuart. Home: Gatehouse.
Enlisted London Rifle Brigade. Served on Western Front.
Died of wounds 17th February 1917.
CWGC : Rifleman C. E. Stuart 304358 London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade).
Died 18/02/1917. Buried La Gorgou Communal Cemetery, Nord, France Grave III.B.4.
Soldiers who Died in Great War : Charles E. Stuart, rifleman. 304358 5th (City of London) Battalion (London Rifles) Died of wounds 18/02/1917 in France/Flanders. Enlisted at Hornsey. Home: Harringay. Formerly 4723 7th Middlesex Regiment.
Medal Index Card : Charles E. Stuart, Middx. S. London 4723 (previous numbers 304358, 304338 & 10994) MIC says that he served in Egypt from 01/09/1915. No mention of France.
1891 London Census, 96 Grafton Street, Pancras: Charles Stuart (7) with parents Charles E Stuart (27, born London, St Pancras, dairyman) and Janet (34, born Scotland) + brothers Herbert C. (5), Robert E (3) and Alec H (1) all born St Pancras.
1901 St Pancras, London Census at 2A Carleton Road: Charles E. Stewart (19, clerk, born St Pancras) with father Charles E Stewart (37, dairyman, born St Pancras), mother Janet (44, born Scotland) and brothers Herbert C. (15), Robert E. (13), Henry (11) and John W. (9) all born St Pancras, London.
(note wrong spelling of surname).
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser March 16th 1917: Death of Private C.E. Stuart on 17th February 1917 in France from wounds. He was the eldest son of Mr & Mrs C. E. Stuart, 22 Ulysses Road, West Hampsteadheath, London and grandson of Mr James Carson, High Street, Gatehouse. A letter to his parents from Corporal Crews said that ‘He died a true British soldier’s death being severely wounded in No Man’s Land’
FreeBMD : Marriage June 1883 : Charles Edward Stuart to Janet Carson at Pancras, London. (Charles' parent's).
FreeBMD : Birth Q4 1883 Charles Edward Stuart at Pancras, London
1884 Girthon Valuation Roll : a property in High Street owned by Mrs Janet Stuart, wife of Charles Edward Stuart, milk dealer, 96 Grafton road, Kentish Town, London. House let to Mrs Elizabeth Carson. (Janet Stuart is soldier Charles Stuart's mother, Elizabeth Carson is his grandmother. Note reference to grandson of James Carson, High St Gatehouse in Kirkcudbright Advertiser article.
Gatehouse link : Home given as Gatehouse. Grandfather lived in High Street.
Evelyn Stewart Tait
SRoH. Nurse Evelyn Stewart Tait. (Voluntary Aid Detachment).
Home: High Street, Gatehouse. Enlisted January 1917.
Served in Hope Auxiliary Military Hospital, Salford, Manchester.
Girthon Gravestone : Evelyn Stewart Tait died 5th December 1965 (aged 70). Her husband was Christopher Crosbie who died 6th June 1971 (aged 76).
Girthon Gravestone : Evelyn’s parents. Elizabeth Hannah Tait (died 23rd January 1930) and her husband Robert Little Tait (died 29th May 1952).
1901 Girthon Census, High Street : Evelyn S. Tait (6, born Gatehouse) with father Robert L. (41, house painter, born Gatehouse) and mother Elizabeth A. (38, born England) + brothers John (13) & Thomas (11), both born Gatehouse.
1911 Girthon Census, High Street : Evelyn Stewart Tait (16, born Gatehouse) with parents Robert Little Tait (51, painter) and mother Elizabeth Hannah Tait (47) + brother Thomas Henry Tait (21).
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 5th January 1917: Evelyn Tait, organist at Girthon Church has been appointed to the staff of nurses at the Hope Auxilliary Hospital, Salford.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 17th August 1917 : Miss Evelyn Tait, has resigned as organist at Girthon Parish Church. She has taken up a post a Manchester Royal Infirmary.
Girthon Banns: Evelyn Stewart Tait married Christopher Crosbie at Girthon Church in June 1926.
Evelyn's brothers Thomas and John Tait were soldiers in the war, as was her future husband Christopher Crosbie.
Gatehouse link : Born and grew up in Gatehouse.
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