During World War One hundreds of young men with Wigtown and district connections went off to fight for their country. More than 70 died between September 1914 and April 1920. Wigtown Community Council salutes the bravery of all those who served and remembers those who never came home.
On the 100th Anniversary of each man’s death we will use this notice board to provide information about him.
Corporal Thomas McCaskie
1st/5th Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers
Died 7 November 1915
Corporal 4102 Thomas McCaskie served with the 1st/5th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was born on 13/2/1890 at Dunragit Lodge, Old Luce, the son of Margaret and Thomas McCaskie. The family lived at …
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Private James Todd
7th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers
Died 27 September 1915
James Todd was born at Kirkurd, Peeblesshire, the son of John Todd, and his wife, Jane Wilson Todd, on 21 June 1891. James Todd’s link with Wigtown comes from the fact that his parents were living at …
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Private David McGaw
10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
Died 25 September 1915
David McGaw was a Kirkinner man, born and bred but his link with Wigtown was through his employment at the Co-operative Creamery at Bladnoch. He was the eldest son of Alexander McGaw, a mason, and his wife, Helen, …
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Private David Connell
6th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers
Died 25 September 1915
David Connell was born at Maidland Farm, Wigtown, the son of David Connell, a dairyman, and his wife, Elizabeth Connell nee Hamilton, on 20 November 1896. In 1901 the family were living at Balsier Dairy, Sorbie; by …
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Private John Flynn
1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers
Died 11 November 1914
John Flynn was born on 25 February 1891 at 49 St Michael Street, Dumfries, the illegitimate son of Jane Flynn, a weaver. By 1901 John and his sister were boarding with the Gilmour family at 14 Bank Street, …
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Private Edward Kilpatrick
5th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers
Died 4 July 1915
Private 2046 Edward Kilpatrick served with the local regiment, the 5th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. Before the war Edward lived with his mother, Maggie, an outdoor worker on a farm, and brother, William, at 21 …
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Sergeant William Edwards
1st/5th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers
Died 12 July 1915
Sergeant 4003, William Edwards served with the 1st/5th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was born at Marloes in Pembrokeshire, the son of Thomas Edwards (a blacksmith) and his wife Eliza. William married Margaret …
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Private John Murray Gow
Canterbury Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Died 15 July 1915
John Murray Gow was not a native of Wigtown but it appears that he lived here for a short time before emigrating to New Zealand. He was born in Glasgow, the son of a Collector on …
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Private James McNeil
5th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers
Died 14 July 1915
Private 993, James McNeil, served with the 1st/5th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers, the fourth child of Andrew and Margaret McNeil of Bladnoch. Prior to enlistment James lived at 10 North Main Street and …
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