The Scottish War Graves Project

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

The Churchyard is 1.5 miles SW of Castle Douglas on a minor road to Gelston. From Castle Douglas pass the entrance to Threave Gardens and then Kelston Church. Access is via a lane on the left , opposite a road signed for Rhonehouse.
OS Map Ref. NX 762 602
Note the Turnstile entrance gate.

There are 3 CWG's all from WW1

Kelton Church roof is in the trees on the right.

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Name: McNAUGHT, JAMES
Initials: J
Rank: Driver
Regiment/Service: Royal Field Artillery
Unit Text: 2nd Lowland Bde.
Age: 32
Date of Death: 23/03/1915
Service No: 4318
Additional Information: Son of John and Agnes McNaught of 5 Church St. Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Near North end of new ground
Cemetery: KELTON OLD CHURCHYARD

This is a family gravestone on a CWG.

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Name: McMILLAN
Initials: D
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Unit Text: 10th Bn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 17/04/1917
Service No: 358003
Additional Information: Son of Michael and Isabella McMillan.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: In East middle part of new ground
Cemetery: KELTON OLD CHURCHYARD

This is a family gravestone on a CWG.

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Alexander Wilkie Donaldson Graham Rae, died from TB in Stobhill Military Hospital, Glasgow.

Name: RAE
Initials: A W D G
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottis Borderers
Secondary Regiment: Labour Corps
Secondary Unit Text: transf. to (433338)
Date of Death: 06/05/1918
Service No: 25052
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Near North-West corner of Old ground.
Cemetery: KELTON OLD CHURCHYARD

This is a family gravestone on a CWG.

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Name: KIRK, SAMUEL
Initials: S
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Seaforth Highlanders
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Date of Death: 06/07/1916
Service No: S/9766
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. D. 18A.
Cemetery: ETRETAT CHURCHYARD

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Name: McDILL
Initials: D
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment)
Unit Text: 5th Bn.
Age: 27
Date of Death: 11/12/1915
Service No: A/24183
Additional Information: Son of John H. McDill of Rhonehouse, Castle Douglas, Scotland.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: III. D. 29.
Cemetery: BERKS CEMETERY EXTENSION

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Name: McROBERT
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Royal Scots
Unit Text: 11th Bn.
Age: 32
Date of Death: 20/04/1917
Service No: 41213
Additional Information: Son of Robert and Agnes McRobert of 97 Cotton St. Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire; husband of Jessie McRobert of Gatehouse-of-Fleet, Krkcudbrightshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XIX. D. 17A.
Cemetery: ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY

SNWM list James as formerly Private (29979) Scottish Rifles.

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Entry corrected 15/10/2009

Name: RITCHIE, JOHN HENRY
Initials: J H
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment/Service: Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment)
Unit Text: 19th Bn.
Date of Death: 22/07/1917
Service No: 850139
Additional Information: Son of Mrs. Janet Ritchie.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. G. 17.
Cemetery: AIX-NOULETTE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Name: SOLLEY
Initials: A L
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Cameronians (Scottis Rifles)
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Date of Death: 22/07/1916
Service No: 8063
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: V. G. 18.
Cemetery: BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Name: SOLLEY
Initials: W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Unit Text: 1st Bn.
Age: 25
Date of Death: 13/06/1915
Service No: 17480
Additional information: Son of William and Miriam (Marion) Clark Solley; husband of Jane Carson Solley of 13 Burn St. Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. C. 64.
Cemetery: EAST MUDROS MILITARY CEMETERY

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Although there is a military connection - see second photo - I posted this just cause I like it.

JAMES LIDDERDALE - the following is from www.lidderdale.com

The obituary mentioned is a fitting memorial, but there is a better, in fewer words, by F.C. Madden, a retired banker, who was a youngster beginning his career in the British Linen Bank when they met.
This is what Madden says (in 1892), from his own knowledge of the man, and what an old Galloway woman had told him some thirty years before, when he was a lad in those parts. It shows how correct was the local tradition of those times. She began by insisting "that James Lidderdale the Solicitor and Hawker (sic) (No doubt she meant a 'writer', Scots for a Solicitor) of Castle Douglas was a representative of the old family which had held St. Mary's Isle and his ancestor had fled to the north of Ireland and that his more immediate progenitor, William of Castle Dykes, had found his way back to the stewartry in reduced circumstances."
"This old gentleman was uncle to the Governor of the Bank of England and a fine specimen of Country Lawyer, sparing but firm and decisive in speech, austere but kindly in his manners, methodical to a fault, not litigeous or given to advise a client to embark on law, prudent, taciturn and retiring, one who held to the even tenour of his ways, courting no man's favour and fearing no man."
"I well recollect the two or three occasions I was privileged to come in contact with him, when a boy in business. He reminded you of the granite of his native stewartry, hard, durable, useful and reliable."

(edit by spoons - following inscription added)

Robert Lidderdale
Brigade Surgeon in HM Bengal Army
who died at Torquay
9th September 1908 aged 73 years

and his brother

James Lidderdale
Colonel in HM Indian Army
who died at Carlingwark, Camberley, Surrey
24th March 1915 aged 82 years

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

William Gordon 1818 - 1899, although often called a successful Liverpool businessman, was a Scot who was successful in Liverpool. He bought the Threave Estate in 1867 as "a summer home". He built Threave House in 1872 and the family lived there until Captain Alan Francis Gordon (Irish Guards) passed the estate to the National Trust for Scotland in 1948.

(edit by spoons, following inscriptions added)

Colonel William Gordon of Threave
late of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, the Durham Light Infantry
and 1st (The Royal Scots) Regimental District
who died at Threave on 11th April 1913 in his 65th year

and his younger son
Major Alan Francis Lindsay Gordon
DSO MC late Irish Guards
died 26th Novr 1957 aged 65 years

and his elder son
Major Colin Lindsay Gordon CVO
late Coldstream Guards
died Threave 27th August 1940
aged 57 years

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Name: BELL
Initials: W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Unit Text: 1st/8th Bn.
Age: 30
Date of Death: 19/09/1918
Service No: S/41031
Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Bell of 35 Queen St. Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire; husband of Catherine Kay Bell of 45 Pratt St. Kirkcaldy.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: V. A. 11.
Cemetery: NOEUX-LES-MINES COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
Listed on the Kirkcaldy War Memorial.

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Name: BONE, QUINTIN
Initials: Q
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Captain
Regiment/Service: King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
Unit Text: Adjt. 9th Bn.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 19/09/1918 - (Note same date as previous post Pte. Bell)
Awards: M C
Additional information: Son of Robert and Jessie Bone of Halmyre, Castle Douglas. Native of Perth.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: F. 1252.
Cemetery: KARASOULI MILITARY CEMETERY

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Name: CARTER, DAVID
Initials: D
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Highland Light Infantry
Unit Text: 16th Bn.
Age: 38
Date of Death: 14/04/1917
Service No: 26353
Additional information: Son of Mrs. Agnes Carter of Paisley
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sp. Mem. B. 6.
Cemetery: CHAPELLE BRITISH CEMETERY, HOLNON

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

This stone is almost illegible but the transcription reads:
John McAdam Died of wounds received in action in France 19 July 1916 aged 30 years.
SNWM gives the same date - 19 July 1916 - for Pte. John McAdam (12451) 6th Bn. KOSB. Place of Birth - Kelton.
CWGC shows 9 July 1916.
John Brydson McAdam was born 12/5/1886 at 8 Back King St. Castle Douglas (Kelton Parish) to Robert and Agnes (Brydson) McAdam.

Name: McADAM, JOHN BRYDSON
Initials: J B
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Unit Text: 6th Bn.
Age: 30
Date of Death: 09/07/1916
Service No: 12451
Additional information: Son of Robert and Agnes McAdam of 239 King St. Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 1. Row E. Grave 45.
Cemetery: CORBIE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION