Robert Gemmell

Robert "Bob" Gemmell was the second of the eleven children of John Gemmell and Hannah Steel Morton. He was born about 1891 in Auchinleck. In 1911 the family was at 25 Darnconner and that was his address when he enlisted in Cumnock in the very early days of war on 1st September 1914 at the age of 23 years and 2 months. He was a miner.

photo from Doug Porteous

His service record survives.  He originally enlisted with the Gordon Highlanders but was transferred to the Royal Field Artillery.

He was examined on enlistment by a civilian doctor James McQueen of Cumnock. He was 5 ft 8 1/2 in tall with a chest measurement of 40 ".  Weight 178 lbs. He had hazel eyes and dark brown hair and had no marks eg tattoos or scars.

He sailed from Marseille  to Sulva Bay (Gallipoli) in August 1915. He was promoted to Corporal and then to Sergeant later that year.

In January 1916 he sailed from Mudros to Alexandria (Egypt). In March that year he sailed to Marseille.

In July 1917 he was wounded in action and admitted to hospital "gassed". He was wounded again in 1918.

No offences were recorded against him.

He was discharged to the Territorials in 1919.

He sent the photo postcard above to a cousin in Saskatchewan, Canada who kept it. Her grandson Doug Porteous found it.

In 1922 he married Isabella Wightman in Auchinleck and he died in 1959 in East Lothian.

Cumnock Connections tree