The Scottish War Graves Project

Mangonel · Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Posts: 82

3 identified graves and two others of note.

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/50341/details/kirknewton+old+parish+church+and+churchyard/

Mangonel · Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Posts: 82

Name: BOND
Initials: R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Seaforth Highlanders
Secondary Regiment: Labour Corps
Secondary Unit Text: transf. to (373493) 750th Coy.
Age: 43
Date of Death: 29/09/1919
Service No: S/11061
Additional information: Husband of Margaret Bond, of 105, Oakbank, Midcalder, Midlothian.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 277. (C).
Cemetery: KIRKNEWTON PARISH CHURCHYARD

Mangonel · Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Posts: 82

Name: GIFFORD, ROBERT
Initials: R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Unit Text: 3rd Bn.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 01/07/1917
Service No: S/11932
Additional information: Son of James and Margaret Gifford, of Overton, Kirkliston, West Lothian.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 298 (A).
Cemetery: KIRKNEWTON PARISH CHURCHYARD

Mangonel · Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Posts: 82

Name: RUSSELL
Initials: R M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Unit Text: Depot
Date of Death: 27/04/1917
Service No: 15366
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 264.
Cemetery: KIRKNEWTON PARISH CHURCHYARD

Mangonel · Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Posts: 82

Cpl R Cochrane
Black Watch
June 1971

MOD EDIT: Armed Forces Memorial lists hims as COCHRAINE although the graves clearly states otherwise.

Surname: COCHRAINE
Forenames/Initials: Robert
Rank: Cpl
Service: Army
Service Number: 23228317
Regiment/Corps: BLACK WATCH
Date of Birth: 30 November 1936
Age: 34
Date of Death: 23 June 1971
Cemetery Name: Kirknewton Cemetery
Cemetery Address: KIRKNEWTON CHURCHYARD, MAIN STREET, KIRKNEWTON
MIDLOTHIAN

Grave Number: 358A

Included on Armed Forces Memorial: No
Included on Roll of Honour: Yes

Not listed on the Scottish National War Memorial.

Mangonel · Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Posts: 82

A host of information regarding this can be found here:

http://www.aircrashsites-scotland.co.uk/junkers-ju88_hare-hill.htm

MagsD · Joined: 21 Apr 2014 Posts: 31

Additional information re German Airmen:
As a child I remember the airmen being moved to Cannock Chase, Staffs.

Their death certificates were registered on the information of George J. McGregor, Clerk to Midlothian County Council on 30 March 1943. The air crash happened 25 March 1943. The Burial Records do not give a date of burial for any of the airmen. The Records also show different names, as information would have been limited at the time of death registration and/or burial.

The cause of death on the death certificates was given as:
"Due to War Operations, (Multiple Injuries, caused by explosion after aircraft crash)".

GROS: 1943 Deaths 697/00 0009. Fritz Foerster. Buried Lair 360, Kirknewton Graveyard, (Friti Foerster written in Burial Record with Fritz pencilled in)

GROS: 1943 Deaths 697/00 0010. Heinz Kristall. Buried Lair 358, Kirknewton Graveyard(Henry Krestall written in Burial Record)

GROS: 1943 Deaths 697/00 0011. Franz Blumen. Buried Lair 359, Kirknewton Graveyard.(Frong Bleimen written in Burial Record with Horst Bluhm pencilled in.)

Unfortunately, I have been unable to source the death certificate of Willi Euler. Staff at Edinburgh Records couldn't find one either. He was buried in Lair 358A, Kirknewton Graveyard(Unknown written in the Burial Record with Willie Euler pencilled in).

MagsD · Joined: 21 Apr 2014 Posts: 31

Interestingly, Robert Cochrane is buried in Lair 358, the same Lair as Heinz Kristall(Lair 358) and Willi Euler(Lair 358A) were buried.

He was not killed in action. He was home on leave and died at an event during Kirknewton Gala Week.

MagsD · Joined: 21 Apr 2014 Posts: 31

More Information on Private Robert Bond, Grave on Page 1
He is not commemorated on the Kirknewton War Memorial.

OAKBANK
LOCAL SOLDIER'S DEATH

On Tuesday of last week quite a gloom was cast over the village when it became known that one of its inhabitants, Mr Robert Bond, had met with a fatal accident by falling over the Tollbridge which spans a branch line of the Caledonian Railway near Cleland. Mr Bond, who was an old soldier, having served with the Seaforth Highlanders, was on a visit to friends at Blackhill Farm, a short distance from the scene of the accident. He went out for a short walk before retiring for the night, and it is thought that owing to the night being extremely dark and not being well acquainted with the district, he must have stumbled and fallen over the bridge, which has a very low parapet, on to the railway beneath, a distance of fully ?0 feet. By the severe injuries he sustained death must have been instantaneous. The last sad fact in connection with the accident was performed on Friday last, when the remains were laid to rest in Kirknewton Churchyard. Through the kind efforts of the secretary of the Discharged and Demobilised Soldiers' and Sailors' Federation, the funeral was partly of a military nature. A detachment of the 4th Edinburgh Garrison Artillery with gun team and carriage were present. A firing party from Bond's old regiment was prevented from attending owing to the railway strike. The coffin, wrapped in the Union Jack, was placed on the gun carriage, and amidst manifest signs of sorrow, was slowly borne to its last resting place, followed by relatives of the deceased, members of the Discharged and Demobilised Soldiers' and Sailors' Federation, and a large concourse of the general public. The Rev. Dr Gardiner officiated at the graveside and made fitting reference to the service Bond had rendered to his country during the South African and European Wars. Bond leaves a widow and large family to mourn his loss and to whom the utmost sympathy will be extended.
(Midlothian Advertiser 10 Oct 1919)

MagsD · Joined: 21 Apr 2014 Posts: 31

Robert Morrison Russell
Service No: 15336
Regiment: 3rd Warwick (at the time of discharge he was attached to 33 Training Rescue)
Enlisted: Birmingham on 22 October 1915. Shows he had been in the Army Pay Corps 7 Nov 1914 and was discharged.
Address: 117 Slade Street, Birmingham
Occupation: Government Clerk
Next of Kin: Jane Russell, Ormiston, Kirknewton
Discharge: Wool Hospital, Medical Report N5821/16 dated 1 Dec 1916 gives cause as Diabetes Mellitis. He was discharged 22 Dec 1916 as being permanently unfit, no longer physically fit for service. Military Character: Good; Conduct During Service: Good

He died four months after his discharge.
GROS: 1917 664/10 0124
Found dead about 8.00pm on 27 April 1917, 485 Cathedral Street, Glasgow. He was working as a clerk with a rubber tyre company. Cause of death was Pleurisy and Bronchitis. He was 22 years of age.
He was buried in Lair 264, Kirknewton Graveyard.

MagsD · Joined: 21 Apr 2014 Posts: 31

BALLANTYNE, ROBERT

Rank: Private
Service No: 3949
Date of Death: 23/07/1916
Age: 19
Regiment/Service: Royal Scots, 9th Bn.
Panel Reference: Pier and Face 6 D and 7 D.
Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

Additional Information: Son of Mrs. Jessie Ballantyne, of Springfield, East Calder. Midlothian.

Name: Robert Ballantyne
Birth Place: Kirknewton, Midlothian
Residence: Kirknewton
Death Date: 23 Jul 1916
Death Location: France & Flanders
Enlistment Location: Edinburgh
Rank: Private
Regiment: Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
Battalion: 9th Battalion
Number: 3949
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

Attested 20 November 1915. Reported wounded and missing 23 July 1916.

"Kirknewton Man Wounded
Mrs Ballantyne, Bonnington Lodge, Kirknewton, has received official intimation that her son, Private Robert Ballantyne(3949), Royal Scots, has been reported wounded."
(Midlothian Advertiser, 25 August 1916)

MagsD · Joined: 21 Apr 2014 Posts: 31

More information on Robert Gifford:

SDGW
Name: Robert Gifford
Birth Place: Leith, Midlothian
Death Date: 1 Jul 1917
Death Location: Home
Enlistment Location: Edinburgh
Rank: Private
Regiment: Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Battalion: 3rd Reserve Battalion
Number: S/11932
Type of Casualty: Died
Theatre of War: Home

GROS: 1917 Deaths 061/00 0029,
Robert Gifford, Private, 3rd Black Watch, died at the Military Hospital, Cromarty. His usual address was given as Nigg Camp, Nigg, the address of the Black Watch training camp. Cause of death was given as “ Cerebro Spinal Meningitis, 2 days”. “Douglas Lawrence, L/Cpl 3rd Seaforths, attd R.A.M.C., Military Hospital Cromarty” was the informant and the death was registered “1917, July 2nd at Cromarty”.
Pte. Robert Gifford was buried in Kirknewton Cemetery, Lair 298, and has a CWGC headstone.
1901 census showed him living with his parents, James and Margaret, and siblings at Haugh Farm Cottage, Kirkliston West Lothian.