War Memorial - First World War

Boroughmuir High School

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Alexander Adams
Thomas A Airmet
Maurice Alexander
Colin Anderson
William S Anderson
James Archibald
Robert A Barnett
James Bell
John D Bell
James Bird
Alexander W Binnie
William Binnie
Lance-Corporal WM. BINNIE, Black Watch, was at Boroughmuir from 1910 to 1914. One of his officers writes:-

Your son met his death in a great attack on the Chemical Works at Roeux on 23rd April. The infantry going forward were met by a heavy machine-gun fire, and your son bravely advancing with his Company was struck by a machine-gun bullet and died at once. He was loved by his comrades and his soldierly qualities were much admired by us all.

From one of his comrades the following tribute has been received:-

I feel his loss myself very much, as he was a very fine lad and one that you never heard saying a foul word, He is missed by all the lads in our Company. He died doing his duty, for when I saw him he was quite close on the German first line
Robert Birnie
George Black
James Brash
James Blyth
James Borthwick
Alfred O Brown
William Brown
John Calderwood
Robert C Campbell
James Craig
PRIVATE JAMES CRAIG was admitted to Boroughmuir in 1905 and left in 1908 He was a clerk in a grain merchant’s office in Leith for about three years. Then he worked with the Craigmillar Creamery Company till September 1912, when he left for New Zealand to start farming. He joined the New Zealand Mounted Rifles in November 1915, landed in France in May 1916, and was transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Wellington Regiment. He had been fighting continuously for three weeks when he was killed by shell fire at Flers on 30th September 1916, in his 23rd year
David Crooks
John Currie
Thomas Chinnery
Peter Cockburn
William J Cooper
James B Coutts
Richard Coventry
William P Crichton
John L Davidson Private JOHN L. DAVIDSON, 7th Seaforth Highlanders, who attended Boroughmuir from 1904 to 1907, was killed on 6th May
1917. Writing to Mrs Davidson the Captain of his Company says:-

Your husband was an exceptionally willing and kind-hearted man, and we were all very fond of him. His death was instantaneous. It was during a relief, and we were marching down a communication trench when the enemy opened with his artillery and caught us pretty badly. I lost eight other men that night. They were nearly all buried, and, although we did our best to dig them out, it was useless. Your husband is buried about 2 miles behind the firing line in a sunken road between the Chemical Works and the village of St Laurent Blangy.
James TK Dea
John WM Dodds
James Duff
Thomas Dymock
CORPORAL THOMAS DYMOCK attended Boroughmuir School from 1905 to 1908 From the time that he left school till November 1914, when he enlisted in the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), he was employed as a clerk, first in a law and latterly in a mercantile office. He was a member of Gorgie Baptist Church and was Scoutmaster of the 32nd troop of Edinburgh Boy Scouts, which was raised in connection with the church. He received his military training at the camps of Nigg and Tain in Ross-shire. He attained the rank of Corporal five months after enlisting. He was attached to the 11th Battalion when in training, but on leaving for France with a draft on 6th October 1915 he was transferred to 9th Battalion, then stationed near Loos. When on one of his relief periods from trench warfare he received a course of field engineering, and was frequently engaged in mining operations against the Germans. Early on the morning of 29th April 1916 the enemy launched a poison gas attack, which came on so suddenly that Thomas, along with a few more of his platoon, became victims of it. The Chaplain of the battalion wrote to his parents commending him for bravery and good conduct and stated that he was a general favourite with officers and men.
Robert Eddington
PRIVATE ROBERT EDDINGTON attended Boroughmuir from 1909 to 1912. He enlisted in the l/6th Royal Scots in November 1914 at the age of 17, and, after ten months’ training, was sent to Egypt in September 1915. While there he took part in the routing of the Senussi. After the final struggle, in which they rescued the survivors of the shipwrecked “Tara,Rdquo; the regiment was removed to France, arriving there in May 1916. We have no details of their work there, but Private Eddington was wounded on the 27th September, and died of wounds the following day at the age of 19.
Thomas M Finlayson
Robert L Flint
Charles Flynn
James Forrest
John S Forrest
Murray C Fowler
Christoper O Gill
David H Gillies
Alexander Gillone
William P Grant
Private WILLIAM P. GRANT, who was with us from 1909 to 1912, enlisted in the 15th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and, after being transferred to the 7th Black Watch, proceeded to France, where he was for six months, and was at the taking of Beaumont Hamel. He had not been long back in the trenches when he was shot through the heart by a sniper. The Captain of his Company and his companions spoke very highly of him. Before enlisting he was employed in the Lands Valuation Office, Edinburgh.
William Gray
William DH Gray
John S Hardie Private JOHN S. HARDIE, 1907-11, after leaving Boroughmuir, attended the Provincial College as a student in the Handwork Diploma section. In 1914 he “joined up” as one of the College Company of the 6th Royal Scots, but was later attached to the Scottish Rifles as a Lewis gunner. “His disregard for danger,” writes his sergeant, “made him a very valuable asset to our Company. He was always cool and collected, even under the heaviest fire. He was a soldier of soldiers and knew not what fear was, and by his good example he stoutened the hearts of his fellow-gunners”.
Arthur O Hay
Robert W Heatlie
Arch.W Henderson
George R Henderson
John Henderson
William E Henderson
William J Heron
Thomas Hetherington
John E Hewison
2nd Lieutenant JOHN E. HEWISON, who attended Boroughmuir from 1912 to 1914, was born in India. Before coming to Boroughmuir he was at Ramsay Grammar School, Huntingdon, and at York Place Boys’ School, Brighton. Before he was 18 he enlisted in the 4th Royal Scots (Sept. 1914), and, after a year in the ranks, was given his Commission. In July 1916 he was attached to the 9th R. S. in France, and for his work was recommended for the Military Cross. While out with a wiring party he was struck by part of a shell and died an hour or so later, without regaining consciousness. His was an eminently conscientious and enthusiastic nature, and his Company officer writes that he did splendid work for the 9th R.S., and was greatly esteemed by his men and fellow-officers.
William Hewit
Matthew Higgins
Jack Hill
Stephen Hoffie
George Honeyman
John A Hope
Hugh SF Hunter
William R Hunter
James Jenkinson
Gilbert Joe
Magnus S Johnston
George Kerr
John Kerr
John Kettles
Ebenezer King
James Kinlay
Edward M Kinnear
Robert B Kilpatrick
Thomas B Landells
John D Law
John Lawrie
George Lowrie
James Lumsden
Francis Manson
James Manson
William Manson
John Marr
William M Martin
Andrew Mathison
Lance-Corporal ANDREW MATHISON during his six years’ attendance at Boroughmuir (1905–11) won the affectionate regard of his comrades by his unfailing good humour and straightforward, honest, manly bearing. At College and University he maintained his reputation as an earnest, painstaking student, finally being capped M.A. in July 1915, appearing then in the khaki and tartan of the 9th Royal Scots. In the realm of athletics he showed a good turn of speed, and was a reliable full back in the Provincial College Football Club, which he captained for two seasons. He endured the rigours of two winters amidst the icy mud-flats of Flanders, and came through several engagements unscathed. On the 2lst April 1917, whilst employed with a wiring party in an exposed position, he received the wound that proved fatal. He passed away in an hospital at Dover on 1st May, and was buried with military honours in North Merchiston Cemetery. Those who knew him extend their deepest sympathy to his devoted father and sorrowing relatives.
Arch N Melville
John F Meston
Andrew Moreau
William B Moyes
David Muir
William E Muir
James McAdie
Ralph D McArthur
Percy McCubbin
Alexander McDonald
James W McDonald
John McDonald
Alexander J McDougall
Thomas McDougall
Archibald McGilp
Hugh McGilp
John McGilp
Lance-Corporal JOHN M’GILP, 9th R.S. (Boroughmuir 1909-12), was killed in the great advance of April 23rd. It has not been possible to obtain particulars, as all the officers of his Company fell that day. He joined in October 1914 along with his twin-brother, Archie, now in Leeds Hospital suffering from septic poisoning in knee and groin For a short time he was on transport work, then joined the band as piper, which position he retained until he left for France on 2nd January 1917. He obtained his first stripe after the advance of April 9th, being, as a comrade wrote, “so cool and steady under shell fire.”
James McGregor
Thomas GG McIntosh
William A McIntosh
Alexander M McKay
Angus Mackay
William McKay
Albert J Mackenzie
Charles M McKenzie
John B Mackenzie
Roderick Mackenzie
John F Maclaren
Donald J Maclennan
Hugh R Maclennan
(son of Lieutenant Maclennan, late of the Edinburgh Police) was admitted to Boroughmuir in 1906, and left in 1911 to become an apprentice engineer. He attended classes at the Boroughmuir Commercial Institute and the Heriot-Watt College, taking certificates in applied mechanic & machine construction. He enlisted in the 9th Royal Scots, and went to France with the ninth battalion. He was wounded at St Julien and invalided home. He returned to the front last January, and was killed in the Somme fighting on the 25th day of July. He is buried in the Quarry Cemetery, near Mametz Wood.
Samuel Macvie
John McWilliam
Thomas Newlands
George Nichol
Private GEORGE NICHOL, M.G.C., 67th Canadians, was at Boroughmuir from 1904 to 1907. Five years ago he emigrated to Victoria, B C. He was very keen on football and played for Arniston Rangers whilst in this country. In Victoria he was always picked for representative teams, and was also a cricketer of ability. According to the “Victoria Daily Times,” he was very popular with both team mates and opponents, on and off the field. The President of the Victoria and District Cricket Association writes :-

I have lost a player whose place it will be almost impossible to fill, for he was capable of filling any position on the field… We feel sure that he died doing his duly on the field of battle in the same good spirit he showed at cricket.
George Nicol
William ST Noble
John G Ogg
Charles Oldershaw
William H Oldham
Thomas Penman
Quibell Pridmore
James Reid
The deaths of Ronald Saunders and James Reid were a tragic, pathetic ending to a strange series of coincidences. After leaving school together they passed the same Civil Service examinations at the same time, and joined the 4th Royal Scots together. They journeyed to Gallipoli, where, fighting in the same trench they died on the same fateful morning.
Robert Reid
Jean Rivaille
John A Robertson
Ronald Saunders
The deaths of Ronald Saunders and James Reid were a tragic, pathetic ending to a strange series of coincidences. After leaving school together they passed the same Civil Service examinations at the same time, and joined the 4th Royal Scots together. They journeyed to Gallipoli, where, fighting in the same trench they died on the same fateful morning.

Ronald Saunders died in a gallant unselfish attempt to obtain water for his fainting comrades. In the sweltering heat of summer day in Gallipoli he volunteered to crawl to a well in order to replenish their scanty quantity of water, the lack of which was weakening our men. He left the trench, but on his way he fell victim to a deadly bullet of a cunning Turkish sniper.
Alfred J Seaton
Percy GC Smith
William B Smith
James H Speedie
John G Speedie
Alexander W Stewart
Nathaniel V Stewart
James F Struth
Andrew G Struthers
Robert J Swan
Matthew Talbot
Robert Taylor
James Temple
Alexander S Tennant
Norman M Thomson
William Thomson
John Turner
John DD Turner
Thomas J Turner
James Vandepeear
John Wallace
William Waterston
Donald Watson
Alexander Watt
Harry Wattie
John Willcocks
Alexander Wilson
John Wilson
John A Wilson
Thomas Wilson
Angus Wintour
Robert A Wood
William S Young