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James Docherty
SRoH. In The Stewartry Roll of Honour but no known records.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : James Docherty G.H.
CWGC : Private J. Docherty S/14495 Gordon Highlanders (1st Battalion).
Died 14th July 1917.
Buried Grevillers British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave: VI.D.14.
Soldiers Who Died in Great War : Private James Docherty was born in Greenock and enlisted at Maryhill, Glasgow, and had the same date of death and roll number as CWGC.
Gatehouse link : Not certain, but he is on the War Memorial and is named in the Roll of Honour.
James Henderson Doig
SRoH. No details in Stewartry Roll of Honour.
Identified by a research colleague who had found James Doig on the following website:
http://www.baronyoffulwood.com/Heroes%20Memorial.htm
Stow War Memorial, Midlothian : Pte. Jas. H. Doig Canadians
CWGC : Private James Henderson Doig, (859249) 43rd Battalion Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment) Died 02/02/1917 (aged 33) native of Stow, Midlothian.
Parents : William & Jane Doig of Kirkclaugh, near Gatehouse.
Buried in Ecoivres Military Cememtery, Mont-St. Eloi, Pas de Calais, France Grave: IV.C.10.
Canadian Great War Project : Pte. James Henderson Doig (85924) 43rd Battalion Canadian Infantry. Date of birth: 10/06/1884. Next of kin William Doig (Caldarvin, Dumbartonshire). 5’ 9’’ tall. Presbytarian. Male Caucasian. Single. Carpenter. Enlisted Winnipeg. Had prior military experience. Killed in action 2nd February 1917 (aged 32).
FindAGrave.com : Pte James Henderson Doig. Birth - 10 June 1884. Death 2 Feb. 1917 (32). Buried Ecoivres Military Cemetery, Nord Pas de Calais, France. Plot IV.C.10
1891 Stow Census : Midlothian at Torsance gardener’s Lodge, James (born c.1884 Stow) was with his father William (domestic gardener), mother Jane and 2 sisters.
1901 Stow Census : Midlothian at North Torsance Lodge, James (born c.1884 Stow) was with his father William (gardener), mother Jane and 2 sisters. James was a joiner’s apprentice.
1911 Kilmaronock Census, Dunbartonshire : William (57), Jane (55) & Elizabeth (18).
Montana Recruit Killed in Action. Pt. J. H. Doig. Private Doig No.859249 Cameron Highlanders has been killed in action. Private information places his death as having occured Feb. 5. He came up from Montana and enlisted in Winnipeg. He stayed with William Helm at 1823 Ross Avenue and enlisted in the Cameron Highlanders. His relatives are in Scotland.
ScotlandsPeople Index 1881 - James’ parents William Doig and Jane Henderson married at Straiton, Ayrshire.
William Doig was a gardener at Kirkclaugh House near Kirkdale.
Valuation Roll : 1915 & 1920 William Doig inhabitant / occupier of house at Kirkclaugh, Anwoth.
Gatehouse link : Parents lived at Kirkclaugh, where William was gardener.
Albert Douce
SRoH. Not in Stewartry Roll of Honour. Identified as a soldier from Anwoth or Girthon ex Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser “First Instalment of Stewartry Roll of Honour” 25th December 1914.
Private Albert Douce Cameron Highlanders.
Medal Index Card : Private Albert Douce Cameron Highlanders (S/10985). Awarded Victory, British and 15 star medals Served in France - arrived 10th January 1915.
Medal Index Roll - Cameron Highlanders, 1920 : A/Cpl. (Acting Corporal) Albert Douce, S/10985 1st Cam. Hdrs.
1891 Warwickshire Census, at Mancetter Bridge : Richard A Douce (2, born Mancetter) with father John A Douce (33, hatter, born Witherley) and mother Eliza (31, born Freasley) + siblings Mary E and John A.
1901 Mancetter Census, at Charity Farm : Albert Douce (12, born Mancetter) with father Alfred (44, farm bailiff , born Witherley) and mother Eliza (42, born Freasley), grandfather John Clempson + 2 brothers (including Alfred) + 2 sisters.
1911 Barrow on Soar Census, boarding house in Barsley, Leics. : Albert Douce (22, domestic groom, single, born Mancetter).
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 30th July 1915: marriage on 22nd inst, at Cairn, Gatehouse of Fleet by Rev. Mr. Stewart, Girthon, L/Cp Albert Douce 1st Cameron Highlanders, 2nd son of Alfred Douce, Charity Farm, Mancetter, Atherstone, Warwickshire to Elizabeth (Bessie) 4th daughter of William Thomson, Cairn, Gatehouse of Fleet.
Free BMD Marriage : Albert's parents Alfred Douce & Eliza Clempson married in 1882 at Atherstone, Warwickshire.
FreeBMD Birth : Richard Alfred Douce 1888 Q3 Atherstone District, Warwickshire.
Ancestry.co.uk , Baptism : Richard Albert Douce baptised 28th October 1888 at Mancetter, Warwickshire. Father John Alfred Douce (hatter), mother Eliza.
Albert does not appear to have used his first name Richard after 1891.
Marriage Certificate: 22nd July 1915 Albert Douce L/Cpl Cameron Highlanders, aged 27 (address Ivybank, Nairn) Father Alfred Douce, farmer. Mother Eliza Clempston. Married Elizabeth Thomson (27), domestic servant at Cairn (Farm), Girthon. Albert Douce was 27 in 1915 indicating that he was born c.1888. His address was Ivybank, Nairn,
http://www.morayandnairnfhs.co.uk : Ivybank Auxilliary Hospital, Nairn was established in 1914 and run by Voluntary Aid Detachment nurses for 'other ranks' -(not officers) to recuperate. Most patients came from Aberdeen and Inverness General Hospitals.
L/Cpl Albert Douce (10985) 1st Cameron Highlanders was admitted 1st July 1915 suffering from rheumatism. Released 17th July 1915, married 22nd July 1915.
Presumably the hospital at Ivybank, Nairn was Albert's last fixed address prior to his wedding.
Notes from grand-daughter Lesley Wells : Bert had 6 siblings; brother Fred (John Alfred), sister Catherine Harriet (Kitty), brother William Henry (Bill) and sister Mary Elizabeth (Lizzie). The two youngest were Helen and Herbert, probably twins born in 1892 but both died in 1894.
The Douce family home was Charity Farm, (Mancetter Bridge, Warwickshire), which disappeared in the 1960s/70s and was replaced by a housing estate. The story was that Bert was groom to Lady Theresa Cross who came to visit Cally Palace, Gatehouse when it was a private house. Bert came with her as groom for a couple of weeks. Whilst there he met Bessie and he never went back home. His father was taken ill and Bert & Bessie bought a horse drawn caravan and took their 3 children down to Warwickshire in it. Bert lived in Scotland for 60 years but never lost his Leicestershire accent. At one time he had a milk round in Eastriggs, first with a horse and cart and then with the first motor lorry in the town. He also spent some time as a tenant farmer at Auchenwrath, Kirkmahoe, Dumfries and worked at a nursery in Dumfries (Terregles ?) run by a Mr Will Cuthbert.
The Cross family were tenants of Cally House between 1913 and 1919.
Gatehouse link : Albert Douce was married at The Cairn (farm in Girthon) and is known to have been “Master of the Gatehouse Hunt”.
Henry Dougan
SRoH. Private Harry Dougan. Home: Gatehouse.
Enlisted Canadian Mounted Rifles. Served on Western Front. Reported missing 15th September 1916 and presumed killed.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : Henry Dougan Canadians.
Penpont War Memorial : Henry Dougan
Anwoth Church Memorial : Pte Harry Dougan Canadians
Kelwood Memorial, Manitoba, Canada : Harry Dougan
CWGC : Private Harry Dougan 152363 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles. Died 15/09/1916 (aged 25). Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Parents: James & Mary Dougan, Clonhie Cottage, Thornhill, Dumfriesshire.
Canadian Great War Project on internet:
Private Harry Dougan 152363 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles
Born 19/05/1891 Parents: James & Mary Dougan, Clonhie Cottage, Thornhill.
Died 15/09/1916 (aged 25) Cause unknown.
Canadian Attestation : 6th Nov. 1915, Brandon (Manitoba), Canada. Dougan, Henry 152363. Home - Brandon. Born Gatehouse, Scotland. Next of kin (father) James Dougan, Dalgown, Dumfries. Date of birth - May 19th 1891. Trade - farm labourer. Unmarried. Aged 24 & 5 months, height 5' 6¾. Ruddy complexion, grey eyes, light brown hair. Stamped 79th Overseas Battalion.
Sons of Galloway : Harry was born as Henry Dougan in 1891 at Minnigaff to James Dougan and Mary Dorian.
Harry emigrated to Manitoba, Canada, enlisted in November 1915, and served on the Western Front as Private 152363, 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles.
Killed in action 15/09/1916 (aged 25).
On Vimy Memorial and both Gatehouse and Penpont War Memorials.
His parents lived at Cauldside, Skyreburn, Gatehouse and then Clonhie Cottage, Penpont, Dumfriesshire.
1901 Anwoth Census, Calside, Skyreburn : Henry Dougan, (age 7, born Minnigaff), with father James (shepherd), and mother Mary + 6 sisters.
1911 Anwoth Census, Callside: Harry's parents James and Mary and 4 of his sisters. Harry was not at home.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 20th July 1917: Private Harry Dougan of the Canadian Mounted Rifles died 15/09/1916. He was the 2nd son of Mr & Mrs James Dougan who live at Clonhie Cottage, Penpont, Dumfriesshire, formerly of Caulside, Anwoth. Before emigrating, Harry was a gardener on the Cardoness Estate.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 20th July 1917: Death notice for Private Henry Dougan C.M.R. in his 24th year, 2nd son of Mr & Mrs Dougan, Clonhie Cottage, Penpont, late of Cauldside, Anwoth.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 20th Sept. 1918 : In Memorium : Dougan - In loving memory of my dear brother, Private Harry Dougan C.M.R., Canadians, reported missing 15th September 1916, afterwards reported killed on that date. Inserted by his sister & brother-in-law, Mr & Mrs Edgar, Lochhill, Ringford.
Scotlands People Birth Index : 1891 birth Henry Dougan Minnigaff, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Gatehouse link : Lived at Caulside, Skyreburn, and was gardener on Cardoness Estate.
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John Dougan
SRoH. No mention in The Stewartry Roll of Honour.
Identified from newspaper announcement of promotion in 1917.
1901 Borgue Census, Borness Cottage : John Dougan (12, born Borgue) with parents John and Margaret Dougan + 1 sister. Father John was a cattleman.
1911 Girthon Census, Townhead Cot House : John Dougan (policeman, age 22, born Borgue) with parents John and Margaret Dougan. Father John was a ploughman.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 29th June 1917: John Dougan, Scottish Horse has been promoted to Sergeant Instructor. He is from Cally Mains, Gatehouse.
Gatehouse link : From Borgue, and lived at Townhead in 1911.
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