Ardrossan WW1 Remembrance

Archibald Charles Edward Alexander
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Born: 1889.
Died: 11 March 1915, aged 26.
Service: Subaltern (lieutent) in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, 3rd battalion, attached to 2nd battalion.
Details: Was a pupil at Ardrossan Academy. Father was WRE Alexander, JP of the Constitutional Club, Charing Cross, London.  The grandson of Surgeon General Archibald Alexander, of Boydstone, an original trustee and vestryman of the Ardrossan church. Lt. Alexander was a subaltern in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, and was killed in action, aged just 26 years, at Neuve Chapelle in Flanders on 10th March 1915. Military Commanders had decided, in March 1915, that an attack on the enemy entrenchments near to the La Bassee-Lille line would pave the way for a summer offensive, and 2nd Battalion RSF took possession of Neuve Chapelle on 10th March and held the position until they were relieved on the 14th. During this time they sustained heavy losses. When the action started there were 25 officers, 5 were killed, including Lt. Alexander, only 7
officers were fit for action at the end of the offensive. Of 666 other ranks at the start only 329 survived as fit for service. Tributes to the battalion were paid by the Divisional Commander General Capper: ‘This Battalion got further forward than any other battalion in the division and maintained itself in a forward position, doing a great deal of damage to the enemy ….. they were without rations for 2 days – but accepted with a very fine spirit the privations this caused.’ Sir John French: ‘You are justified in considering yourselves one of the most distinguished regiments in the army – but the glorious traditions of your regiment have been not only maintained but enhanced by your gallant conduct at that time (Ypres) and again recently (Neuve Chapelle).’ Details of his regiment can be found in the book “The History of the Royal Scots Fusiliers 1678 to 1918” by John Buchan.
Cemetery: Le Touret Memorial, France.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Ardrossan World War 1 Memorial.
Ardrossan Academy War Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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John Ashton
Born: Donnybrook, Dublin, Ireland.
Died: 22 May 1915. At sea.
Service: Enlisted in Saltcoats, Ayrshire. Sergeant in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1st/4th battalion. Service number 6344.
Details: Lived in Saltcoats.
Cemetery: Helles Memorial, Turkey (including Gallipoli).
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ardrossan World War 1 Memorial.
Saltcoats War Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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Arthur Paul Clark
Born: Saltcoats, Scotland.
Died: 22 March 1918.
Service: Enlisted in Ayr, Ayrshire. Private in The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment), 11th battalion. Service number 42807. Formerly in the Ayrshire Yeomanry (service no 3414) and the Royal Scots Fusiliers (service no 51913).
Details: Son of John Clark of Clark Road, Saltcoats and brother of William.
Cemetery: Pozieres Memorial, France.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Saltcoats War Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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William Fredrick Hunter Clark
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Born:
Died: 23 February 1916.
Service: Enlisted in 1915. 2nd lieutenant Royal Scots Fusiliers, 3rd battalion.
Details: A pupil at Saltcoats Public School where he won a bursary which enabled him to go to Ardrossan Academy. In 1913 he was dux and medallist of the Academy, and winning another bursary he proceeded to the University of Glasgow. There he continued to add to his achievements in 1914 winning the first prize for French and first prize in the study of Alfred de Musset’s works. He also won the John Clark Mile End bursary for French in a competition, winning it over a French competitor.
To view the newspaper article of William’s death click here, click here to view the articles text.
Cemetery: Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery, Greece.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission NOTE on
CWGC surname is spelt as Clarke.
Ardrossan Academy War Memorial.
Saltcoats War Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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Robert McIntyre Green
Born: 1895.
Died: 30th September 1916, age 21. At North Evinton Militray Hospital, Leicester of wounds received in action.
Service: Enlisted in Carlisle. Private London Regiment. 14th (County of London) Battalion (London Scottish). Service number 7283.
Details: Son of James H (died 1929) and Margaret (died 1946) Green. Older sister Ellen J and older brother William. Lived at 214 Auchenharvie Road, Stevenston (as at 1901 census).
Cemetery: Stevenston (New Street) Cemetry.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Ardrossan World War 1 Memorial.
Stevenston War Memorial.
Stevenston Cemetery Monument
Monument inscription
Every Man Remembered.

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Thomas Young Irwin
Born: 1896. Ardrossan, Scotland.
Died: 26 September 1917, age 21.
Service: Enlisted in Ayr. Private in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1st battalion. Service number 32507.
Details: Only son of Mrs. Jane Irwin. Lived at 1 Wellpark Rd., Saltcoats, Ayrshire.
Cemetery: Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Ardrossan World War 1 Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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Edward Harrison Kingsbury
Born: 1864. Dublin, Ireland.
Died: 17 August1917, age 53. Egypt.
Service: Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers, Inland Water Transport battalion.
Details: Son of James Compton Kingsbury and Catherine Alicia Kingsbury, of Kingstown, Dublin. Husband of L. M. E. Kingsbury, of 43, Manse St., Saltcoats, Ayrshire.
Qualified as a Second Mate in the Merchant Service on 29 April 1884, age 21, issued at Dublin, certificate number 014190.
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Cemetery: Ismailia War Memorial, Egypt.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Saltcoats War Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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Hugh Peter McCafferty
Born: 1885. Cardiff, Wales.
Died: 28 March 1918, age 33.
Service: Enlisted in Saltcoats, Ayrshire. Sapper in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 11th battalion. Service number S/16783.
Details: Son of Mrs. Agnes McCafferty, of 45, Burns Square, Ayr; husband of Isabella McCafferty, of 2, Gladstone Rd., Saltcoats, Ayrshire.Prior to enlisting Hugh was a Printer. He married Isabella Denholm in Leith on 27 December 1907 and they had three children George born 3rd Jan 1909 in Ayr; Elizabeth Agnes born 23rd December 1909 in Ayr and John Denholm born 31st January 1915 in Saltcoats. His siblings were George, age 32, living in Old Cumnock; Patrick, age 31, living with his mother at 45, Burns Statue Square, Ayr and Robert, age 28, living at 14 Garden Street, Ayr. Isabella was awarded a weekly pension of 29/7 for herself and 15/10 for the children.
Cemetery: Arras Memorial, France.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Ardrossan World War 1 Memorial.
Saltcoats War Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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James Morrison McCready
Born: 1899. Saltcoats, Scotland.
Died: 25 August 1918, age 19.
Service: Rifleman in the Royal Irish Rifles, 12th battalion. Service number 16740.
Details: Son of James and Ellen McCready, of 12, Harbour St., Saltcoats, Ayrshire. Native of Stevenston, Ayrshire. Lived in Donaghadee, County Down.
Cemetery: Arneke British Cemetry, France.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Donaghadee and District War Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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Christopher Bentley Meadows
Born: 1895
Died: 19 May 1918, age 23.
Service: Originaly a Private in the 17th Highland Light Infantry, service number 23015, arrived overseas on 2 October 1917.Later made a Lance Corporal in the 9th Royal Scots, service number 5932, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in The King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), 1st battalion, service number 352536, on 1 August 1917.
Awarded the Military Cross.
Details: Son of Christopher and Ada Meadows, of Abbotsford, Waverley Place, Saltcoats, Ayrshire. Pupil at Ardrossan Academy.
Cemetery: Mont-Bernanchon British Cemetery, Gonnehem, France.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Ardrossan Academy War Memorial.
Saltcoats War Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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John W Millan
Born: 1895.
Died: 31 December 1915, age 20.
Service: Private in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, 5th battalion. Service number 7728.
Details: Son of Janet Hunter Millan, of 116, George St., Whithorn, Wigtownshire, and the late William Millan.
Cemetery: Lancashire Landing Cemetery.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Whithorn War Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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Francis Doran Munn
Born: 1893. Gartsherrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Died: 25 September 1915, age 22.
Service: Enlisted at Ayr. Private in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, A company, 1st battalion. Service number 6054.
Details: Son of Donald and Mary Doran Munn, of Stevenston, Ayrshire; husband of Mary Malloy Wilson (formerly Munn), of 19, Raise St., Saltcoats, Ayrshire.
Cemetery: Aeroplane Cemetery, Belgium.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Ardrossan World War 1 Memorial.
Stevenston War Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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John Murphy
Born: Stevenston, Scotland.
Died: 16 June 1915.
Service: Enlisted in Irvine. Private in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1st battalion. Service number 8268.
Details: Lived at 33 Glasgow Street, Ardrossan, Scotland. He was a reservist and was called up in August, 1914. He was wounded at Ypres and died from these wounds. Prior to mobilisation he was employed at Nobel’s Factory, Ardeer.
Cemetery: Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission entry.
Ardrossan World War 1 Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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Maxwell Colquhoun Pearson
Born: 1881.
Died: 23 November 1915, age 34.
Service: Lieutenant in the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, 7th battalion.
Details: Son of Mrs. W. M. and the late Alexander Littlejohn Pearson, of The Pavilion, Ardrossan.
Cemetery: Vermelles British Cemetery, France.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Ardrossan World War 1 Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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Harry Fredrick Lionel Sillars
Born: 1895.
Died: 1 July 1916, age 21.
Service: 2nd lietenant in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 4th battalion, attached to Seaforth Highlanders, 2nd battalion.
Details: Son of H. J. Sillars, J.P. and Mrs. Sillars, of Garden Cottage, Grove Rd., Richmond, Surrey, formerly of Saltcoats, Ayrshire. Pupil at Ardrossan Academy.
Cemetery: Thiepval Memorial, France.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Ardrossan World War 1 Memorial.
Ardrossan Academy War Memorial.
Saltcoats War Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.

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William Henry Wallace
Born: Dromore, County Down.
Died: 9 May 1915.
Service: Rifleman in the Royal Irish Rifles, 2nd battalion. Service number 5088.
Details: He was a reservist who was called up on the outbreak of the war and enlisted in Ballykinlar, County Down. Going to the front in November 1914.
Married with three children.
Cemetery: Spoilbank cemetery, Belgium.
Memorials: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Ardrossan World War 1 Memorial.
Stevenston War Memorial.
Every Man Remembered.