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John James Tait
SRoH. Corporal John James Tait. Home: High Street, Gatehouse.
Enlisted June 1916, in Mechanical Transport of Desert Mounted Corps.
Served in Palestine & Syria.
One of the survivors of the ‘Transylvania’, when it was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 4th May 1917. Served in Galloway Rifle Corps 1905 to 1908.
Girthon Gravestone : John’s parents. Elizabeth Hannah Tait (died 23rd January 1930) and her husband Robert Little Tait (died 29th May 1952).
1891 Girthon Census, High Street : John James Tait (3, born Gatehouse) with parents Robert L Tait (31, painter, born Gatehouse) and Elizabeth A Tait (28, born England) + brother Thomas H (1, born Gatehouse).
1901 Girthon Census, High Street : John J. Tait (13, born Gatehouse) with father Robert L. (41, house painter, born Gatehouse) and mother Elizabeth A. (38, born England) + siblings Thomas (11) & Evelyn (6), both born Gatehouse.
1911 Girthon Census, High Street : John’s parents Robert Little Tait (51, painter) and mother Elizabeth Hannah Tait (47) + siblings Thomas Henry Tait (21) & Evelyn Stewart Tait (16).
1911 Girthon & Anwoth Censuses : No John Tait.
Ex grandson Donald Tait : Known as Jack. Served in the Palestine Campaign 1917-18. The troopship that was taking him to Egypt was torpedoed by the Germans. He was rescued by a Japanese destroyer but many people drowned.
Letters home written by Jack Tait can be found at these Oxford University websites:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa/item/5709 and
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa/item/5710
ScotlandsPeople Index : 1927 marriage of John James Tait to Annie McMorrin at Kelton.
Jack Tait’s brother Tom was also a soldier in the war and his sister Evelyn was a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment).nurse.
Gatehouse link : Born and grew up in Gatehouse.
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Peter Tait
SRoH. Private Peter Tait. Home: Millmark, Gatehouse.
Enlisted January 1915, 11th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.
Served on Western Front (Vermelles & Somme).
Wounded once. Awarded Distinguished Conduct Medal ‘for conspicuous gallantry in action. When two gun teams were buried, and both its C.O.’s in charge killed, Private Tait set to work, under heavy shell fire, and successfully dug out three of his comrades, undoubtedly saving their lives’
Anwoth Gravestone : Peter Tait DCM died 01/01/1980 (aged 90). Wife Jane Crosbie Telfer died in 1958.
Distinguished Conduct Medal awarded in 1916 ‘for conspicuous gallantry in action.
When two gun teams were buried, and both the C.O.’s in charge were killed, Private Tait set to work, under heavy shell fire, and successfully dug out three of his comrades, undoubtedly saving their lives’
1891 Girthon Census, at Quarterland : Peter Tait, (1, born Girthon) with father John (shepherd) and mother Ann.
1901 Dalry (Kirkcudbrightshire) Census : Peter Tait (11, born Girthon) with father John (shepherd) and mother Ann + 5 siblings inc. James (7, born Kells).
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 3rd April 1916 : From a letter written by a comrade, it appears that Private Peter Tait, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, son of Mr Tait, shepherd, Knocksting, Dalry, has been recommended for a D.C.M.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser May 4th 1917: Report that Pte. Peter Tait, son of Mr Tait, Knocksting, Dalry was severely wounded on 20th January when his right hand was blown off. He is now in a hospital in Newcastle. Pte. Tait recently won the D.C.M. Prior to enlistment he worked as a shepherd at Ballinie, Moniaive. He was home on leave at the New Year, left to return to duty on Thursday 11th January, arrived at the Front the next Thursday and on the Saturday he was wounded.
Dumfries & Galloway Family History Society Magazine (Nov. 2013) has an article written by Malcolm Tait from Vancouver, Canada, about Peter Tait D.C.M.
Peter's parents were John Tait and Ann Clark who had married at Murrayton, Girthon in 1890. Peter was born there in 1891.The family moved to Quarterland, Girthon and in about 1895 they moved to Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire. Peter's younger brother James was born at Dukieston, (Kells) just before the family moved to Knocksting, Dalry. The family lived at Knocksting until after WW1. Peter worked as a shepherd at Ballinnie Farm near Moniaive and James at the neighbouring farm of Knockaughley. (Both farms were part of the Craigdarroch Estate, Moniaive.)
Peter and James both enlisted with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in January 1915 and were sent to France in October 1915.
On November 14th 1916 Peter was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his bravery.
In November 1916, while on leave, he visited his family at Knocksting. He returned to fight in France in January 1917. Two days later one of his hands was blown off. An unconfirmed report says it was caused by the delayed detonation of one of his own mortars. Peter was sent home, first to a hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne, and later to his parents' home. Later his missing hand was replaced with a hook and he was known locally as 'The Pirate' or 'Captain Hook'.
On 13th June 1919 Peter married Jane Crosbie Telfer at the Glen Farm, Skyreburn and they set up home in the nearby Millmark Farm, Skyreburn. Peter and Jane lived there all their married lives.
Note: The Glen Farm is in Kirkmabreck parish, Millmark is in Anwoth Parish.
ScotlandsPeople Index : Marriage in 1919 at Kirkmabreck of Peter Tait and Jane Crosbie Telfer.
Gatehouse link : Born Girthon, and after the War lived at Skyreburn.
Peter's brother James Tait was killed on November 25th 1915 by a rifle grenade near Loos. His name is on the Loos Memorial.
James is also named on the following local memorials:
Dalry War Memorial (Kirkcudbrightshire) : Pte. James Tait
Moniaive Roll of Honour, Glencairn Memorial Institute : Pte. James Tait. The Glencairn Institute is also known as the Moniaive Institute.
The Glencairn Memorial Book compiled by Alexander Hall & Anthony Murray-Flutter (published 2007) mentions James Tait (S/7621) 11th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and gives details of the battles he was involved in when he was killed on 25/11/1915. It also mentions that 4 of the 5 Tait brothers were soldiers. James and Peter as mentioned above. Also David Douglas (1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders) and Robert (3rd Battalion K.O.S.B.)
Gatehouse link : No obvious Gatehouse connection, other than that his parents lived at Quarterland and Millmark, before James was born.
Thomas Henry Tait
SRoH. Trooper Thomas Henry Tait. Home: Fleet Street, Gatehouse.
Enlisted November 1914, Ayrshire Yeomanry. Transferred to 7th Battalion Royal Berks.
Served on Dorian and Vardar Fronts (Petit Couronne and final offensive).
Girthon Gravestone : Thomas Henry Tait (1889-1965) and his wife Mary Annie Clarkston Telfer (1886–1966).
Girthon Gravestone : Thomas’ parents’ Elizabeth Hannah Tait (died 23/01/1930) and her husband Robert Little Tait (died 29/05/1952).
1891 Girthon Census, High Street : Thomas H Tait (1, born Gatehouse) with parents Robert L Tait (31, painter, born Gatehouse) and Elizabeth A Tait (28, born England) + brother John James (3, born Gatehouse).
1901 Girthon Census, High Street : Thomas H Tait (11, born Gatehouse) with father Robert L. (41, house painter, born Gatehouse) and mother Elizabeth A. (38, born England) + siblings John J (13) & Evelyn (6), both born Gatehouse.
1911 Girthon Census, High Street : Thomas Henry Tait (21, painter, born Gatehouse) with parents Robert Little Tait (51, painter) and mother Elizabeth Hannah Tait (47) + sister Evelyn Stewart Tait (16).
Tom Tait’s brother John was also a soldier in the war and his sister Evelyn was a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) nurse.
Gatehouse link : Born and grew up in Gatehouse.
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Douglas James Thompson
SRoH. Sergeant Douglas Thompson. Home: Gatehouse. Serving with the Royal London Fusiliers in India when war broke out and proceeded to Egypt. Killed in action at the Dardanelles May 1915.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse : Douglas Thompson R.F.S. Lond. Regt.
Soldiers Who Died in Great War : Douglas Thompson, Royal Fusiliers (City of London regiment) no. L/13239. Enlisted at Hounslow, but birthplace and residence was Gatehouse. Killed at Gallipoli 25th May 1915.
1881 Dailly Census, Ayrshire : (before Douglas was born) Father, John Thomson (35), was a domestic gardener. He was from Fife and his 5 children were born in Kirkcudbrightshire, Fife, Edinburgh and Perth. Wife Marion (28) was from St Quivox, Ayrshire.
1901 Lambeth, Census, 58 Glenelg Road : Douglas J Thomson (8, born Scotland) with mother Marion M (50) + 2 sisters. All the family were born in Scotland. Father not at home.
1911 English Census : Douglas Thompson, Private with 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers in India. Age 21, born Girthon, Kirkcudbrightshire and was single.
Birth Certificate: Douglas James Thomson born 17/06/1892 Cally Gardens, Gatehouse. Father John MacKie Thomson (gardener) mother Marion Merry. Parents married Stewarton July 1871.
ScotlandsPeople : Marriage of Douglas’ parents John Thompson and Marion Merry or Murray 1869 Stewarton, Ayrshire.
Gatehouse link : Born and lived in Gatehouse, but father moved around as a domestic gardener.
William Thompson
SRoH. No known records in Roll of Honour.
Identified on Ancestry.com after searching for Gatehouse.
Military Records : Home: Garden Street, Gatehouse.
Enlisted 15th August 1917 (aged 18 years) with Training Reserve Brigade (52 nd)
5’7’’ tall, Presbyterian, ploughman. (One record says Mill worker)
Next of kin: Father William Thompson, Garden St, Gatehouse.(Actually William was his grandfather – see censuses below)
Transferred to 4th Highland Light Infantry 7th Dec 1917 (No. 55029) as a Private.
Served in France. Reprimanded for several minor misdemeanours & confined to barracks without pay.
Transferred to 5th K.O.S.B. 31st August 1918. (No. 42290) Commended as ‘a first class shot’ in 1918.
1918 : attended Scottish General Hospital in Edinburgh with meningitis.
Demobbed October 1919. Address : 69 Front Row, Dunaskin, Ayrshire in Jan.1921
1901 Anwoth Census, Fleet Street : William Thompson (age 1, born Anwoth) with grandparents William & Margaret Thompson.
1911 Anwoth Census in Fleet Street : William Thomson (11, born Gatehouse) with grandparents William & Margaret Thompson and various relations. Grandfather William was a roadman.
Birth Certificate : Born 28/06/1899 at Fleet Street, Gatehouse (Anwoth), Illegitimate. Mother : Mary Margaret Thompson, domestic servant.
Correction to birth certificate : 14/07/1899. John McKie, farm servant of Barlae, Gatehouse named as father of William.
Gatehouse link : Born and lived in Gatehouse..
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