Introduction

In 2014 the centenary of the outbreak of World War One, Cumnock History Group began researching the names on the Cumnock War Memorial plus other men and women with Cumnock connections mentioned on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission or in the Cumnock Chronicle of the time. The research is not limited to those who died but also to men and women who served, using family history information.

The group would like to appeal to individuals with knowledge of family members for photographs of the soldier, either in uniform or not, and photos of medals or other memorabilia eg letters sent home from the Front. If you would be prepared to share these on this site, please email the web manager info@cumnockhistorygroup.org The group is willing to share any copies of documents found with the soldier's descendants.

Friday, 20 January 2017

Robert Shankland V.C.

I have found a Cumnock Connection to a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest British military honour, Robert Shankland.






Robert was born in Ayr on 10 October 1887 to William Shankland, a railway porter later a guard, from Durrisdeer and Jane McCririck of Cumnock who had worked for the Boswells of Garrallan for at least 10 years before her marriage.

Daily Record 20 December 1917


Robert emigrated to Winnipeg, Canada in 1911 on the Sicilian.

He enlisted in Canada on 18 Dec 1914.

He was awarded both the DCM and the VC. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for Passchendaele on 26 Oct 1917.

With King George V and Queen Mary


He was given the freedom  of the Burgh of Ayr.

Daily Record 02 January 1918

He married Annie Stobo Haining in Prestwick in 1920 and by 1921 they were back in Winnipeg.  He died in 1968 in Vancouver.

His VC was put up for sale in 2009 but happily was purchased for  $240,000  by the Imperial War Museum of Canada.

Wikipedia

The Canadian Encyclopaedia

He died in Vancouver in 1968.

Cumnock Connections tree

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