1917 Casualties - Part one

Corporal Alexander Livingston Stewart, s/n 43142, 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, was born at Rossal Farm, Mull on 14/2/96 to Peter Stewart, a farmer and his wife, Mary Louisa Livingston of Bachuil, Lismore. By 1901, the family lived at Fearnoch Farm near Kilchrenan

 

and consisted of two sons and three daughters. Ten years later, they had taken over the ancestral family home at Bachuil, Lismore. By 1917, the family lived at 6 Strathaven Terrace, Oban and Alexander was employed as a grocer’s assistant by Mr. John MacKerchar. He joined the Argyll Mountain Battery but was later attached to the Durham Light Infantry with whom he went to the Front at the beginning of October 1916. He was shot by a German sniper on 30/1/17, two weeks short of his 21st birthday, while engaged in putting up ‘barbed wire entanglements.’ He was described as being ‘quiet in demeanour and of a uniformly

 

cheerful nature.’ Alexander was the grandson of the late Baron of Bachuil, hereditary keeper of the staff of Moluag. He was buried within Cambrin Churchyard Extension, Grave T.32, France.

 

 

"attachment_874201" "" "225"] Lance Corporal William Thomson
OT_T07_LCpl William Thomson

 

Lance Corporal William Thomson, SPTS1234, 23rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was born at Fladda Lighthouse on January 13, 1890 to John Thomson, lighthouse keeper and his wife, Ann Reid Ferrier. The family lived at Fladda Lighthouse for the next few years with William being the youngest of four children. He and his family had moved to the Lighthouse Buildings, Pulpit Hill, Oban by 1910 and were there till at least 1915 when they moved to Davaar, Campbeltown. Before the war, William worked with a firm of provision merchants in Edinburgh for a number of years. He was killed on  February 17, aged 27, and is commemorated at Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 8 C 9A and 16A.

 

Second Lieutenant John Duncan McGillivray, 4th Battalion Cameron Highlanders, was born on March 21 at Dunvegan, Skye to Alexander McGillivray, a merchant services captain and his wife, Flora Matheson. By 1911, the family lived at 121 George Street and comprised one daughter and two sons. They later moved to Craigielea, Rockfield Road. John was promoted to Second Lieutenant in the Cameron Highlanders but, at the time of his death, he was attached, firstly, to the King’s Liverpool Regiment and then to a New Zealand regiment which had taken part in a raid that day. He died on February 18, 1917, aged 19. He is commemorated at the Ploegsteert Memorial, Panel 9, Belgium.

 

"attachment_874204" "" "243"] Gunner Donald MacDougall
OT_T07_Gnr, Donald MacDougall

 

Gunner Donald MacDougall, s/n 300223, Royal Garrison Artillery, was born on March 2, 1891 in Mount Alexander, Banavie, Lochaber, to ploughman Roderick MacDougall and his wife Aneas Gillespie. In the family at that time there were three older brothers and an older sister. By 1901, Donald was staying in Argyll Square, Oban with his aunt, Margaret Gillespie who had moved to 2 Lorn Villa by 1911 and he was a member of the Boys’ Brigade. His parents remained in Corpach. His nickname was Donovie or could have been Banavie after the place he was born. He served his apprenticeship as a plumber with A. MacArthur in Oban and, at the outbreak of war, was employed by the British Aluminium Company at Kinlochleven. He joined the Argyll Mountain Battery and served in Gallipoli and Salonica where he died on  March 13 1917, aged 26. His grave lies on a beautiful green sward covered with snowdrops and other flowers and a cross and fencing are erected round the spot. He was a good lad, a keen, capable soldier and liked by everybody. He is buried at Struma Military Cemetery, Plot VI.H.2, Greece.

 

"attachment_874216" "" "223"] Private James MacDougall
OT_T07_Pte James MacDougall

 

Private James Fraser MacDougall, s/n 435310, 50th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment) was born on October 30, 1883 at Ardtun, Appin to James MacDougall and his wife. Mary. His father was the ground officer for the late Robert McFie of Airds. By 1891 there were four sons and four daughters in the family. Then seven years later his father died and the family moved to Cawdor Cottage, Oban. James was popular in football and shinty circles, stood 6 feet tall, was ‘proportionately built’ and was a volunteer of the Argyll and Bute RGA attached to the Territorial Army. He took up an apprenticeship as a joiner with D & J MacDougall and, on completion, emigrated to Canada where he set up in business, having contracts with the Canadian Pacific Railway. At the outbreak of war he joined the 50th Bn, Canadian Infantry. He was wounded in France on February 4, 1917, and contracted pneumonia. He was repatriated but died in Reading Military Hospital on March 18 that year.

 

James was buried at Pennyfuir Cemetery with full military honours. He was 33 years old.

 

Private Archibald MacKenzie, s/n S43556, 2nd Batt. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, was born on November 9, 1894, to ploughman Murdo MacKenzie and his wife, Catherine Campbell at Fisherfield, Portree. The family was in Portree in 1911 and consisted of four sons and a daughter with Archie being third oldest and, at 16, employed as an agricultural labourer. He moved to Oban shortly afterwards and lived for a time at 29 High Street and Buchanan Terrace, Oban. As he grew to adulthood, he was employed by contractor Allan MacIntyre of Argyll Street from where he joined up with the Gordon Highlanders. He died on April 2, 1917, and is commemorated at Arras.

 

"attachment_874219" "" "172"] CSM Donald Bruce
OT_T07_CSM Donald Bruce

 

Company Sergeant Major Donald Bruce, s/n 300107. 1 st / 8th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was born on March 6, 1895 at 12 Alma Crescent to Peter railway guard Menzies Bruce and his wife Mary MacPhail. In 1901 the family comprised three sons and one daughter, with Donald being the second youngest child. Two further daughters were born later. Donald joined the local Territorials in 1912 and was employed as an apprentice domestic gardener under Mr Trotter at Eriska House. He joined the Argylls at the outbreak of war and attained the rank of Company Sergeant-Major. Promotion was rapid and he was highly thought of in both civilian and military life. CSM Bruce was shot through the heart when going over the top, leading his men in the attack on April 9, 1917. He was 22 years of age and is buried at Roclincourt Valley Cemetery, I.A.2, France.

 

Private Murdoch Gillian MacLaine MacDonald s/n 24110, 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots, was born at Kinlochspelve, Mull to mason Angus MacDonald and his wife Catherine in 1881. Ten years later, he lived in Tweeddale Street, Oban with his parents, two brothers and a sister. He served as an apprentice with Donald MacCallum, Duntroon, Oban and one of his jobs as a plasterer was to be involved in concreting the dam at Kinlochleven and in charge of erecting the memorial slabs to those killed during its construction. Murdoch enlisted in the Royal Scots and was sent to France with a labour division in May 1916, although he returned in November of that year for further training and went back to the front line in December. He died on April 9, 1917, aged 36 and is buried at Tilloy British Cemetery, Tilloy-Les-Mofflaines I.B. 29, France.

 

Private Duncan MacLean, s/n 888043, 5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, was born at 2 Quarry Road on March 26 1884 to fisherman Donald MacLean and his wife, Euphemia. In 1891 the family consisted of five sons and a daughter. Duncan was a member of Oban’s Boys’ Brigade and became a joiner to trade on leaving school. The family at that time lived at 5 Glencruitten Road. He emigrated to Canada and, at the outbreak of war, enlisted with the 5th Bn.Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment). He was wounded at Vimy Ridge and died the following day, April 10, 1917. Duncan was 33  and is buried at Lapugnoy Military Cemetery II. C. 14, France

 

"attachment_874222" "" "242"] Gunner Angus Drummond
OT_T07_Gunner Angus Drummond

 

Private Angus MacKay Drummond, s/n 75921, D Battalion, Heavy Machine Gun Corps, was born on January 22 1896 to grocer's assistant Thomas Drummond and his wife, Catherine Cameron at 11 High Street, Oban. He had one older brother and two younger ones. He was a member of the Boys’ Brigade. By 1911, two further brothers and one sister had also been born with the family still living in High Street. By that time, Angus was 15 and employed as a monumental sculptor’s apprentice by John MacDougall. During the war, his parents moved to Tigh a Gharaidh, Glencruitten. Angus enlisted with the Argylls at the outbreak of war, and he fought with them in France until he was transferred to the Tank Corps. On the morning of April 11, his company advanced at Bullecourt, Somme and a Royal Flying Corps aircraft reported a tank knocked out and the crew captured. News was subsequently received through the Geneva Red Cross that two of that tank`s crew were now prisoners of war in Germany and reported having seen Angus taken out of the tank with the wounded but that a large piece of shell had struck him on the head, killing him instantly. He died on April 11, 1917, aged 21. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial Bay 10, France.

 

"attachment_874225" "" "235"] Sergeant John MacGregor
OT_T07_Sergeant John MacGregor

 

Sergeant John Alexander MacGregor, s/n 13876, 6th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders, was born on July 1 1889 to shopman John MacGregor and his wife Jessie Taylor at Combie Terrace. In 1891, the family had moved to Combie Street and consisted of two daughters and John Alexander, aged 1. The family later moved to Barcaldine and then to Kinlochleven. Before the war, John was a railway bridge painter and, latterly, was employed by Messrs. D. Rowan & Co, Marine Engineers, Glasgow. He joined the colours in 1914, enlisting with the Cameron Highlanders and going to France the following June where he served through several great engagements including Loos and the Somme. The Chaplain wrote to his sister: “On the morning of April 11, we attacked the village. It was an operation rendered doubly dangerous by weather conditions and because we were exposed to devastating rifle and

 

machine gun fire. In the course of the operation, John fell unnoticed as his comrades pressed on." He died that day, April 111917, aged 27 and is commemorated on Bay 9 of the Arras Memorial, France.