Search These Records
Albert Walker
SRoH. Private Albert Walker. Home: Gatehouse.
Enlisted in King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Served in Dardanelles. Wounded 30th June 1915.
SRoH. Sergeant Albert Walker. Home: Gatehouse. Mobilised 4th August 1914, 1/5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Served at the Dardanelles, Egypt & Palestine. Wounded at the Dardanelles.
Killed in Palestine 13th November 1917.
Almost definitely a double-entry in the SRoH.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : Albert Walker Sergt. K.O.S.B.
Girthon & Anwoth Free Church : Albert Walker Sergt. K.O.S.B.
Castle Douglas Post Office Roll of Honour : Serg. A. Walker K.O.S.B. [had worked as an Auxilliary for the Post Office].
CWGC : Serjeant Albert Walker 240317 K.O.S.B. 1/5th . Died 13th November 1917 (aged 21).
Buried Ramleh Cemetery, Palestine Grave: O.20.
Parents : Mr & Mrs William Walker, High St, Gatehouse of Fleet.
Scottish War Memorial website: Albert Walker born 1896 at Tongland, Kirkcudbrightshire, son of William Walker and Janet Ireland.
Soldiers Who Died in Great War : Albert Walker, born Tongland, lived in Gatehouse. Died 13th Nov. 1917. He was Acting Sergeant 240317 with 1/5th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
Medal Index Card : A/Sgt Albert Walker (240317) 1/5 KOSB Enlisted Gatehouse. Born Tongland. Home Gatehouse. Killed in action 13th November 1917 Egypt.
Register of Soldiers Effects: A/Sgt (Cpl) 240317 Albert Walker 1/5th K.O.S.B.
Death - 13/11/1917 (in) Action at Mughar, Palestine (Battle of Mughar Ridge).
1/07/1918 - the following monies were distributed to his family:
Father William £6-9-9
Brothers William £1–6 & Robert J. £1-5-11
Sisters Margaret, Florence & Louisa £1-5-11 each.
22/11/1918 father William received a further 12/-
28/11/1919 father William received a War Gratuity of £18.
1901 Girthon Census, High Street : Albert Walker (4, born c.1896, Tongland) with father William (43, baker) and mother Janet + 7 siblings.
1911 Girthon Census, High Street : Albert Walker (14, born Tongland) with father William (54, baker) and mother Janet (54) + 7 siblings.
Gatehouse link : Born at Tongland and raised in Gatehouse.
Andrew Rome Walker
SRoH. Private Andrew R.Walker Home: Barrow-on-Furness. Born Gatehouse. Enlisted December 1915 in 6th King’s Own Royal Lancasters. Transferred to 6th Special Service Battalion, East Lancashires.
Served in Mesopotamia.
Anwoth Gravestone : Andrew was the eldest son of Roger Walker & Janet Rome. He died in Barrow in Furnace in 1948.
1891 Anwoth Census, Garden Street : Andrew R. Walker (9, born Anwoth) with father Roger (51, basket manufacturer) and mother Jessie (34) + 2 brothers and 3 sisters.
1901 Anwoth Census, Garden Street : Andrew R. Walker (19, tailor, born Gatehouse) with father Roger (61, wood & coal merchant) and mother Jessie (45) + 3 siblings.
1911 Girthon Census, High Street : Andrew's parents Roger (bobbin manufacturer) and Jessie + children Roger, George and Jessie Roam.
1911 Barrow on Furnace Census, 54 John St.: Andrew Rome Walker was a boarder. He was 29, single, employed as a tailor and born Gatehouse of Fleet.
Andrew and his brother George were both soldiers.
Gatehouse link : Born and raised in Gatehouse.
George Walker
SRoH. Private George Walker. Home: Barrow-on-Furness.
Born in Gatehouse. Enlisted December 1915, 3rd Battalion Border Regiment.
Transferred to 1st Battalion Border Regiment. Served at Western Front.
Wounded once on Somme, near Transloy.
Anwoth Gravestone : George was the 3rd son of Roger Walker & Janet Rome. He died in Barrow in Furnace on 04/06/1972.
1891 Anwoth Census, Garden Street : George Walker (4, born Anwoth) with father Roger (51, basket manufacturer) and mother Jessie (34) + 2 brothers and 3 sisters.
1901 Anwoth Census, Garden Street : George Walker (14, born Gatehouse) with father Roger (61, wood & coal merchant) and mother Jessie (45) + 3 siblings.
1911 Girthon Census, High Street : George Walker, (24, bobbin turner, born Gatehouse) with father Roger (71, bobbin manufacturer) and mother Jessie (54) + brother Roger and sister Jessie Roam Walker.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 9th Februray 1917: Mrs R. Walker, High Street, Gatehouse received a letter from the Army Chaplain stating that her son George Walker (Border Regiment) had been wounded in the arm on 27th January 1917. He was well. George was the son of the late Roger Walker, wood merchant, Gatehouse.
George and his brother Andrew were both soldiers.
Gatehouse link : Born at Tongland and raised in Gatehouse.
Andrew Welsh
SRoH. Private Andrew Welsh. Home: Bargrennan.
Enlisted King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Served on Eastern & Western Fronts.
Killed in action in France, 21st July 1916.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : Andrew Welsh K.O.S.B.
CWGC : Private Andrew Welsh 16261 K.O.S.B. (6th Battalion)
Died 21st July 1916. On Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier & face 4A & 4D
Military Records : Register of Soldiers Effects: Pte. 16261 Andrew Welsh 6th K.O.S.B. Death in Action 21/07/1916.
Sister Grace was the sole legatee receiving :
13/10/1916 - £5-19-7
20/10/1916 - 1/6
25/09/1919 War Gratuity of £8.
1891 Minnigaff Census, at Cleckmalloch : Benjamin (shepherd) and his wife Elizabeth Jane Welsh. These are Andrew’s parents, before Andrew was born.
1901 Minnigaff Census, at Cleckmalloch : Andrew Welsh, (3, born Bargrennan, Kirkcudbrightshire) with mother Elizabeth (shepherd’s wife) and 4 siblings including sister Grace (aged 23). Father Benjamin Welsh was not at home on census night, he (50, shepherd) was a visitor at Altercannoch, Barrhill, Ayrshire with a Welsh family - (probably his brother John).
1911 Anwoth or Girthon Census : no Andrew Welsh.
Gatehouse link : Andrew Welsh is on the Gatehouse War Memorial and the Roll of Honour. CWGC records and Scottish National War Memorials websites indicate that he was born at Newton Stewart. The only Andrew Welsh found in censuses is this one born Bargrennan, who was the son of a shepherd who lived at Cleckmalloch. Bargrennan is 9 miles north west of Newton Stewart and about 27 miles from Gatehouse. This Andrew Welsh was a Private (16261) with K.O.S.B. and was born in Newton Stewart. He is on the Bargrennan Church memorial which is now outside the church in the graveyard (Andrew Welsh, King’s Own Sco. Borderers) and also the Penninghame war memorial in Dashwood Square Newton Stewart (Pte.Andrew Welsh)
Perhaps he or his parents lived and/or worked in Gatehouse before the war started.
Alexander Whan
SRoH. Not in Stewartry Roll of Honour. Identified as a soldier from Gatehouse ex Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser “First Instalment of Stewartry Roll of Honour” 25th December 1914.
Private Alexander Whan Cameron Highlanders
Military records: Private Alexander Whan (141110) ‘C’ Company, Cameron Highlanders. Enlisted at Greenock 7th November 1914 Born Girthon, Gatehouse of Fleet. Aged 22 years 210 days. Occupation: gardener. 5' 5¼''.
Statement of Disability: Alexander Whan (14110) 6th Battalion Q.O. Cameron Highlanders Condition A1
Certificate of Identity, 23rd June 1919 : Alexander Whan (14110) pte 6th Battalion Cameron Highlanders. Born 1892. Fought in France. Conduct Sheet clean.
Demobbed from 6th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders aged 27, probably 1919, permanent address Logan Gardens, Old Cumnock.
Acknowledged receiving medals, 15th February 1921 : 15 Star (page torn - rest illegible).
1901 Girthon Census, Back Neilson Square : Alexander Whan (9, born Girthon) with father George (47, estate forester) and mother Agnes (47) + 5 siblings (inc. John).
Gatehouse link : When he enlisted he gave his place of birth as Gatehouse of Fleet in 1892. Alexander is a brother of John Whan, a fact confirmed by great nephew Brian Peters.
Key to Sources