The War Memorial

The War Memorial (pictured to the right) is in the New Cemetery in Glaisnock Street. It was unveiled  by Lt-Col Archibald McInnes Shaw of Ballochmyle on Saturday 25th June 1921. It is a column of white granite topped with a stylised crown and sphere on an octagonal base bearing bronze plaques with the names of 117 men associated with Cumnock. Is your ancestor among them? Get in touch with your memories.

The names are organised first by rank,  then alphabetically.
Click below for all the names

Scroll over names to find information. Names are being added as they are discovered.
PANEL 1
Lieut. Edward Knight, R.S.F. 

Lieut. A.J.B. Milne, Gordons

Lieut. William McNaughton, R.S.F.

P.O. James Young, R.N.

C.S.M.Robert W. Brown, A.I.Y.

C.S.M. Robert Orr M.M. & Bar R.S.F.

Sergt. Robert Baird M.M. R.S. 

Sergt. George Burns, A.&.S.H. 

Sergt. Robert Gilmour, R.S.F.

Sergt. James B. Johnstone, Camerons
Sergt. John Nicol, Seaforths
Sergt. William McCaa, R.F.A.

Corpl. John Black, R.S.F. 

Corpl. Hugh Brogan, R.S.F.

Corpl. James Lennox, R.S.F.

Corpl. John McKinnon M.M. R.E.
Corpl. George Neil, H.L.I.

Captain William Harrison Campbell Kirkland

William was born in 1884 in Springburn, Glasgow.

By 1901 the family, headed by his widowed mother, was living at the Burns Inn in Cumnock where his older brother Alexander was manager.  They were still in Cumnock when war broke out.

William had studied law at Edinburgh University and was a member of the Faculty of Advocates.

He was a Captain in the Cameron Highlanders. He fell at the Battle of Loos and his batman who also died was Michael Shirkie of Skares, Cumnock. Michael's sister got a letter addressed to any living relative of Michael Shirkie, Skares. It was from Captain Kirkland's sister and the postman delivered it to Nellie, Michael's sister. The two families kept in touch. More about this here. It was one of the first blogposts.

Captain Kirkland on Cumnock Connections tree with obituary from the Faculty of Advocates.

George Murray

Born in Cumnock in 1895 to John Murray, an estate work on Dumfries House estate, and his wife Euphemia Mathieson.

He married Campbell Fisher Arkieston on Christmas Day 1914 and they had two sons John in 1915 and George Mathieson in 1917. His address was 1 Manse Lane Cumnock when he enlisted in 1916 at Ayr. He was a colliery despatch clerk. His service record survives.

He rose to the rank of Corporal 2997 in the Cameron Highlanders.

He died in Ballochmyle Hospital in 1956.  His usual address was 24 Park Terrace, Lugar and he was a clerk with the National Coal Board.

On the Cumnock Roll of Honour this seems to be him

Murray, George – Corporal Royal Scots Fusiliers

Cumnock Connections tree

William Patrick of Lugar

William Patrick was born at 119 Peesweep, Lugar on the 5th September 1885 to Irish born Adam Patrick a furnace filler and his wife Janet Currie. He was baptised in Lugar Church on 1st November 1885 by the Rev. Walker Milne.

His father Adam died in 1896 and in 1901 census William and his younger brothers were living in Crescent Row with his older cousin Maggie Patrick who is the cousin mentioned in the second clipping in Barrhill Road. She died in 1920 at 36 Barrhill Road and was a grocer.

His younger brother John died in 1919 of an illness.

Cumnock Connections tree

Trinity Church War Memorial

Photo by Morag Gordon

David Crichton McCulloch

David Crichton McCulloch was born in Cronberry, Lugar on 14 March 1896 the son of colliery manager Thomas McCulloch and his wife Helen Crichton. He enlisted in the ASC and was killed accidentally in London on Sunday  5 September 1915 while riding on a tramcar in Brentford High Street.  He was 19. He had spotted some comrades passing in a lorry and had leaned out to wave to them when he was struck by a tram going the other way. Death was instantaneous.

HIs father had to go to London to identify the body and he was brought back to be buried in Auchinleck Cemetery on the following Thursday.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail - Wednesday 08 September 1915

Photo: Findagrave

 Middlesex Chronicle Saturday 11 September 1915 

Cumnock Connections Tree

He is on Auchinleck War Memorial

William Muir of Lugar

Unusually he died in Italy on 7 Dec 1918.  This from https://awayfromthewesternfront.org

On Cumnock Connections tree

Sergeant James C McGee

L to R brothers Tom, Jimmy, Sam & Alex

James Campbell McGee was born in 1894 in Stevenson the son of Thomas McGee and Elizabeth Clawson.

The family moved to Cumnock about 1902 and father Thomas was a chimney sweep.

They lived in 43 Townhead St. in 1911.

James was a sergeant in the RSF.

Cumnock Chronicle November 1915

Cumnock Connections tree

William Crolley

William Crolley or Crowley was born in Cumnock in 1877 and was the older brother of Maitland Crowley.

He was an 18 year old miner when he enlisted in the Royal Scots Fusiliers in May 1895. He had blue eyes and dark brown hair.  He was AWOL from barracks in Ayr  from 20th June 1895.

WW1
1914-1920
Rank Corporal
Medal Awarded British War Medal and Victory Medal
Regiment or Corps Royal Scots Fusiliers
Regimental Number 240727

William Crolley
Regiment or Corps: Royal Scots Fusiliers, R Sco Fus 5th
Regimental Number: 7856, 240727


Cumnock Connections tree

William Dillon

William Dillon on Cumnock Connections tree

William James Dillon was born in 1889 to forester Alexander Dillon and Annie Drury.

Dillon 40847 W. Old Cumnock wounded 11 Sep 1917  The Black Watch

Private

Medal Awarded British War Medal and Victory Medal

Regiment or Corps Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

Regimental Number S/40847

Previous Units 2/A & S. Hdrs. Pte. S/19031, 9/RH. S/40847, 1/RH.


His older brother John Dillon served in the KOSB. Both survived.

Harry Gibb

Harry or Henry Gibb was born in Cumnock on 19 January 1873. He served with the ASH from 1914-5 when he was invalided out. . He had previously enlisted at the age of 21 in 1894 when his occupation was a druggist. He bought himself out in June 1899. He married Annabel Munro on 4th August 1899.

When war broke out he re-enlisted immediately on 20th August 1914. He was at the upper age limit of 41. He was now a postman. His address was 28 Glaisnock St.

 He was 5ft 8 had grey eyes and light brown hair. He served at home for 329 days before he was discharged as no longer fit to serve.

He died in Holmhead Hospital, Cumnock on 26 March  1958. He was 85 and a retired postman.  His usual address was Kilwining Rd. Irvine. The informant was a nephew A W MacMillan.

Just 2 weeks ago we had a message on our Facebook Cumnock Family History Group from a chap Tom Inglis in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire. He had found Harry's Cumnock Parish Medal

Tom wanted to return it to a family member.

We already had Harry on our big Cumnock  connections tree of 35,000 names. Although he was married he had no children. We traced his siblings’ descendants and found that the grandson of Harry’s sister Janet was still living in the area. One of our members knew him and a quick phone call confirmed he was Harry Gibb’s great nephew.

Tom Inglis has posted the medal from Saltcoats and we were delighted to return Harry's medal to  William Neal  99 years on at the Welcome Home Tea Dance on the 10th November 2018 in Cumnock Town Hall as part of our Cumnock Armistice Events.

Bobby Grierson, Kay McMeekin, William Neal

Lest we forget

Made in Cumnock by John White 

Letters from the Front

2 letters written by Robert "Ticky" Orr to his friend Robert Samson of Townhead St.

                                                  

http://www.futuremuseum.co.uk/collections/features/online-exhibitions/wwi-1914-1918-the-ayrshire-experience/letters-from-private-robert-orr.aspx

Transcribed by Kay McMeekin for Cumnock History Group

Original letters accession E12/28 viewed 7 Nov 2018 at the Burns Monument Centre, Kilmarnock. Punctuation added for clarity.

He mentions several local men and describes the tragic death of Robert Gilmour  

Sgt Robert Gilmour

6/8/15

Pte R Orr C Comp

6^th RSF

Expeditionary Force

France

Dear Robert

Just a few lines to say I am well, hoping you are all the same. I was expecting to write sooner but Robert it is better later than never. We come out of the trenches tomorrow night. We have been in for seventeen days so I think we deserve a rest. We have had a good few casualties since we came in. Big Robert Gilmour got wounded on Saturday so I heard last night he was dead.  It was hard lines in how it happened. This is the worst turn we have had yet, Rab. You are speaking to a mate just now and the next thing you hear he is either wounded or killed as it were. Their few lines they are shelling our boys pretty heavy up the trenches. They killed one of our captains and wounded another in B Company. You know Robert, when they are doing that to us we are laying in to them too. All the Cumnock boys is getting on fine except that about poor Rab Gilmour. Big Hugh Lorimer[1] was taken away badly (next page)

this week to the hospital. I don’t know what is wrong with him. I fell in with Commie[2] just before  we came to the trenches. He is getting on all right. He was telling me the trenches we left was where poor Wull Lamont[3] was killed. I was expecting to meet poor Wull out here. How is their ones getting on? I was always expecting to drop Mrs Lamont a few lines but Robert you feel seeing how she is left as she was a cheery one but there are many left in the same footing through this B war. The week before we came into the trenches we was out on a working party making a new trench and we was just lousing[4] when they sent over two whizz bangs[5] killing one and wounded other three beside me. You would be fexed[6] for the one that was killed. He left six of a family. He was a Glasgow man.

I see our boys is getting it pretty rough at the Dardanelles. That is where your good brother is at. How is the Jims getting on? Have you him ever down, tell him I was asking for him. I wish to God, Rab, it was all over and us all back home again but we will have to beat them. I see our 7^th Battalion is out here; that is Doc Murray and Jock Logan’s[7] lot. I would like fine to meet them. I see the Cumnock boys is going to have a good team this year. How is all the Townhead ones getting on? Tell them I was asking for them and also William Anderson and hope he won the Cairnhill cup. I wish I was going with him again to play at Kilmaurs the same as last season. I think I will close. Sending you my best wishes from your old pal R Orr

turn over

Tell the wife and the boys I was asking for them and also the old man and your good sister. I was to tell you that Duncan Ferguson[8] was asking for you he has a rare[9] job now.[10] He does not seem to go much to the trenches.

LETTER 2   19/8/15  (thirteen days after the previous letter)

Pte R Orr

12288 C Comp

6^th RSF

Expeditionary Force

France

Dear Robert

Just a few lines to say that I am well glad to hear you are all the same. I received your parcel all right, Robert, and it was a welcome one and I don’t know how to thank you for it. Well, we are out of the trenches a week now for a rest and we was needing it as we was in for seventeen days so it is a pretty good spell and never having your boots off.

We lost big Robert Gilmour[11] that time. It was hard lines in how he got it he was out in a reconnoitring patrol and was returning  back in to the trenches again when they got the word “halt” so they answered, “C Company” but the fellow that was on sentry had lost his head and fired. It struck Gilmour and wounded the man behind him on the arm. Poor Robert got a hard one. It struck him on the chin. He never spoke after it but was conscious all the time and lived for four days after it. He shaked hands with the Cumnock ones before he left for he knew he was (next page) dying. He was the best shot in the battalion and was sergeant of our platoon. He was one of the gamest men in the company. There was some bits of the trench that was pretty tight and he came of[12] their back and walk it when he was going out of the trench to the hospital.

Big Hugh Lorimer went out of the trenches to the hospital badly. It is blood poison in the arm. He was pretty bad. I don’t know how he is keeping.

I see you have got a good team this year again. We have a big game here tomorrow. Robert, when we are out of the trenches you would think there is no war going on at all. I think we was lucky that was sent out here as the boys is catching it at the Dardanelles but they will not be long with the Turks. How is your good Brother getting on? He will have seen many a sad sight. Well Robert we will have to beat them. When we was in the trench the last time we knew Warsaw had fell as the Germans cheered for about one hour and they gave us some rapid fire and rifle grenades, but we laid into them too.

How is the Jims getting on? I hope he is keeping out of big Jimmie rode.[13] Tell him I was asking for him. How is his Brother Tom? How is the boys getting on?  Is Robert away to the school yet? Tell your ones I was asking for them and also tell Wm Anderson sorry about him losing in the finals but better luck next time.  I see James McCall[14] gone and  got married. Have you had a crack[15] with him yet? Jimmie has seen a good bit of this. He deserves a rest. I think this is all at present. from your old pal Ticky.

More about Robert Orr

https://cumnocksoldiers.blogspot.com/2014/03/robert-orr-mm.html

---

[1] survived the war. 2 Hugh Lorimers from Cumnock served.

[2] presumably a nickname

[3] died 1 May 1915 lived in the Strand married to Joan McNab

[4] lousing = finishing

[5] whizz bangs – shells, the sound of them

[6] vexed, upset

[7] John Logan was killed in 1918

[8] also killed

[9] rare = fine

[10] he was picked out for special training as a signaler (his obituary)

[11] died 2 Aug 1915

[12] off  He was being carried on the back of a man and got off and walked where it was too tight in the trenches

[13]  out of big Jimmie’s road /way.

[14] James McCall coal miner Waterside Place married Marion Young 14 May 1915

[15] a chat