Roll of Honour - Lanarkshire

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

LEADHILLS WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 - Detailed information
Compiled and copyright © John Harrison 2005

The war memorial is situated next to the B7040 in the village of Leadhills and opposite the Hopetoun Arms public house in Main Street, Leadhills, Clydesdale, Strathclyde. It is the closest point available near to the church. It consists of a Celtic cross of sacrifice with the depiction of a sword, in black, hilt uppermost on the side of the cross. This is on a rectangular stone base containing the names of the casualties from the Great War. It also contains the dedication as listed below. The memorial was unveiled 20 August 1922 and cost £650 which was raised by public subscription. There are 17 names listed for World War 1 and a further 2 names added for World War 2.

Leadhills is the second highest village in Scotland, being situated some 1300 feet up in the Southern Uplands in Lanarkshire, on the border with Dumfries and Galloway. The weather is harsh in winter. Formerly not only one of the major producers of lead between the seventeenth century and twentieth centuries, the area was also known for silver and some gold and was called ‘God’s Treasure House in Scotland’. Although a branch line railway was opened in 1901 the mines remained unprofitable and closed in 1928.

Extract from Carluke and Lanark Gazette - Friday 25 August 1922, page 2:

LEADHILLS.
UNVEILING OF WAR MEMORIAL.

A handsome granite memorial in the form of a Celtic Cross, standing 13½ feet high, was unveiled at Leadhills on Sunday afternoon. The Memorial was erected to the memory of the seventeen men belonging to the village who died in the war. The ceremony was witnessed by a crowd of over a thousand people. Major Stephen Mitchell, of Gilkerscleugh, delivered the address, and Mrs Mitchell performed the unveiling ceremony. The officiating clergymen were Rev. John M'Garrity, Rev. Geo. G. Ramage, Rev. C.P. Nair, M.A., Rev. C. Keith M'William, B.D., C.T.A., assisted by Mr David Murray. A massed village choir led the praise. The Leadhills Silver Band played the "Dead March," buglers from D Company of the K.O.S.B. sounded the "Last Post," and pipers from the same company played the lament "Lochaber No More." At the close of the ceremony many wreaths were placed on the memorial by relatives of the fallen and various public bodies.

The following is a list of the names engraved on the memorial :

Cpl. Thomas Neilson Blackwood, R.A.M.C.
Sergt. John Brown, R.S.F.
Pte. William Macdonald Cook, H.L.I
Pte. James Cook, H.L.I.
L.-Cpl. Thomas Dunlop, K.S.O.B.
Gnr. William Harkness, R.F.A .
Pte David Blyth Hope, S.R.
Pte. William Menzies, R.S.
Pte. Adam Miller, R.S.
Pte. Walter Miller, Seaforth Highlanders.
Pte. David Moffat M'Lean, South Afr. Inf.
2/Lt. John Wilson Noble Northumb. Fus.
Pte. William Park, Seaforth Highlanders.
Pte. William Paterson, K.S.O.B.
Pte. John Simpson. S.R.
Pte. Andrew Smellie, Gordon Higjlanders.
Sapper Joseph Williams, R.E.

‘Erected by the inhabitants of Leadhills
in memory of those connected with the village who fell in the
Great War 1914 - 1919’.

BLACKWOOD	Thomas Neilson	Corporal 50903 79th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. Thomas was born in Leadhills about 1895, the son of William Blackwood. He died over a year after the end of the war, on 19th November 1919 in Egypt and was buried at Alexandria (Hadra) War Cemetery, Alexandria. Many of the deaths in Egypt were due to disease, not wounds and as it is so long after the end of the war this is the most likely cause for Thomas. Consequently he also does not appear in ‘Soldiers Died in The Great War’.
BROWN	John	Lance Serjeant 40537 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers. John was born in Leadhills about 1878, the son of Thomas and Mary Brown. His father was an Engine Keeper, born in Leadhills and they lived in Flexholm, Leadhills. At the time of his death, John was married and living at 135. Mayfield Road, Edinburgh with his wife Jane Wilson. He died of wounds on 12 April 1918 and his body was not found for burial. He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium. Soldiers Died in the Great War records John enlisted in Dumbarton.
COOK	James	Private 7980 8th (Lanark) Battalion Highland Light Infantry. James was born in Leadhills about 1888, the son of John Cook and his wife Mary Watson. At the time of their son’s death, his parents were living at Ramsay Place, Leadhills. His brother William also died in the war. James enlisted in Leadhills and was killed in the Quintinshill railway disaster near Gretna, Dumfriesshire on 22 May 1915. He is buried at Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh. The final toll stood at 227 killed and 246 injured. The Royal Scots suffered the vast majority of casualties, with 215 killed, including 3 officers, 29 NCOs and 182 men out of a total of 485 on board. On that fateful day, the Battalion lost 42 per cent of its casualties for the whole of the war. There are memorials to the disaster at the site and at Larbert station, Stirlingshire where the troops boarded the train. Brother of William MacDonald Cook.
COOK	William MacDonald	Private 1163 11th (Service) Bn Highland Light Infantry. William was born in Leadhills about 1884, the son of John and Mary Watson. John Cook was a Lead Smelter and came from Leadhills as did his wife. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission give their address as Ramsay Place, Leadhills He died on 3 July 1916 and his body was not found for burial He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. Brother of James Cook
DUNLOP	Thomas	Lance Corporal 1951 1/5th (Dumfries and Galloway) Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Thomas was born in Leadhills, but other connections with the village have not yet been traced. He died on 12th July 1915 and his remains were not found for burial. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. Thomas was living in Sanquhar at the start of the war and this is where he enlisted. Killed in attack on Turkish positions. In this attack the battalion lost 11 officers (6 killed, 5 wounded) and 259 men (76 killed, 183 wounded), the whole brigade lost 48 officers and 1268 men.
HARKNESS	William	Gunner 144092 ‘A’ Battery; 149th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. William was born in Leadhills about 1887, the son of Andrew Harkness. He was living in the village at the time of his enlistment at Hamilton. After his death William’s wife Williamina was recorded by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission as living at 52 Belleville St, Greenock. He was killed in action on 31 March 1918 and is buried in the Moreuil Communal Cemetery Extension at Moreuil.
HOPE	David	Private 43511 9th (Service) Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). David was born in Leadhills and enlisted there, but nothing else is known at present, other than he is on the Leadhills War Memorial.. He died on 20th September 1917 and his body was not found for burial He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the missing at Zonnebeke, Belgium.
MCLEAN	David Moffat	Private 712 6th Bn South African Infantry (Duke of Connaught and Strathearn’s Own Capetown Highlanders). David was born in Leadhills about 1894, son of James McLean and his wife Mary. According to the Family Memorial in Leadhills Cemetery, James’ wife Mary died at the early age of 43 in 1901; James lived to be 73, dying in 1926. It also records other children, a further son, Charles, who died as a child and daughters Annie, Susan and Marion; as well as David who ‘died on active service in Durban, South Africa, from fever’. David died on 3 January 1917 and is buried in Stamford Hill Cemetery, Durban. There are only five military burials here and David is the only one from his Regiment.
MENZIES	William	Private 19590 16th (Service) Battalion (2nd Edinburgh) Royal Scots. William was born in Leadhills about 1895, the son of Adam Menzies and his wife Isabel Proudfoot. He had two sisters, Jane who died as a child aged 2 and Isabel who died as an infant. His father died in 1904 at the age of 61, but his mother lived until 1943. He is not listed on the Leadhills War Memorial. He enlisted in Edinburgh and died on 18th October 1917 and is buried at Solferino Farm Cemetery, Ypres (Ieper) Belgium.
MILLER	Adam	Private 38418 16th (Service) Bn (2nd Edinburgh) Royal Scots. Adam was born in Leadhills about 1878. He was the son of William Miller and his wife Margaret McAdam. William was a lead miner, born in Leadhills. The family is commemorated in Leadhills cemetery. ‘William Miller died 1 December 1909 aged 56, Wife Margaret McAdam died 15 July 1921 aged 63; son James died as an infant; son Adam killed in action, France 9 April 1917 aged 39. ‘Adam was living at Kirknewton, now in West Lothian and enlisted at Glencorse Barracks, Midlothian. At the time of his death Adam had married and his wife Mary was living at 7, Leslie Place Penicuick, Midlothian. Adam died on 9th April 1917 during the Battle of Arras. He is buried in Roclincourt Valley Cemetery, Pas De Calais, France.
MILLER	Walter	Private 1066 7th (Service) Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. Walter was born in Edinburgh and enlisted at Fort George near Inverness. No further details are know at present other than his inclusion on the Leadhills War Memorial He died on 14 July 1916 and is buried in Combles Communal Cemetery Extension, Combles. This cemetery is some five miles east from where he died indicating he was re-interred from his original burial site. Nine members of the Regiment are buried here. Friday 14th July saw the start of the Battle of Bazentin Ridge . The attack started at 3.52 A M and 26 Brigade were on the right of the divisional assault. 8Th Black Watch and 10th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders were in the lead with 7th Seaforth Highlanders in reserve in Montauban Alley. Some troops in the leading wave reached Delville Wood without firing a shot, although a counter barrage hit Caterpillar Wood. 26 and 27 Brigades captured two rows of trenches and, despite a short hold up south of Longueval, took all the initial objectives except for part of Longueval village at the strongpoint known as Waterlot Farm, a former sugar beet refinery. 7th Seaforth Highlanders and 5th Cameron Highlanders then occupied Longueval Alley. These positions were held until the battalion was relieved on 19th July. The fighting caused heavy casualties. From 1st until 19th July the battalion casualties comprised 22 officers and 429 other ranks with 60 O/R killed on 14th July itself.
NOBLE	John Wilson	Second Lieutenant 10th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. His father, William James Hunter Noble was born at Leadhills in 1849 and died there on 1st December 1888; his mother, Christina Henderson Noble, born 1854 died there 29th April 1895 He had a sister, Margaret Christina Hunter Noble, who married there in 1904. There were other brothers and sisters, the last of them being Helen Robertson Johnston Noble who died at Leadhills in January 1975. He was educated at Devon Lodge, Dollar, and Edinburgh University, and was admitted to L.D.S. He enlisted as a Private in the Lovat's Scouts early in the war and received his commission as an officer in the 10th Northumberland Fusiliers in summer 1915. John died on 25th September 1916, aged 27, and his body was not found for burial. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
PARK	William	Private 8115 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s). Soldiers Died in The Great War notes that William was born in Crawford. This may be the village of that name, but is more likely to be the parish that includes both Crawford village and Leadhills. It also records he enlisted in Glasgow. No other information about William is available other than his appearance on the Leadhills War Memorial. As he was killed in the third month of the war it is possible he was a regular soldier or reservist, rather than a volunteer of 1914. He died on 26th October 1914 and his body was not found for burial. He is commemorated on Panel 9 of the Ploegsteert Memorial.
PATERSON	William	Private 6781 1/4th (The Border) Bn King’s Own Scottish Borderers. William was born in Leadhills on January 9th 1895 and was the son of John and Mary Moffat Paterson who are recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as living at Harryburn Cottage, Lauder, Berwickshire. John was a coachman and later a gardener. He had another son, John Moffat Paterson and two daughters Margaret Haddow Paterson and Nancy Weir Paterson. Nancy died in 1904 aged two. His brother John also served in the Great War, with the Royal Scots, and was wounded, but returned home safely. In 1914 William was resident in Lauder, which is where he enlisted that year. He was killed in action on 12th July 1915 and his body was not found for burial. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial at Gallipoli.
SIMPSON	John	Private 43525 2nd Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). John was born in Leadhills about 1895, the son of Mrs Mary D. Simpson who was later recorded by the Commonwealth Graves Commission as living at California Place, Leadhills. He died on 9th August 1918 and is buried at the Sucrerie Cemetery, Ablain-St. Nazaire, France. Ablain-St Nazaire is a village approximately 8 miles (13 kilometres) north of Arras. As the division was involved in training some thirty miles from where John died, he may have been attached to another unit at the time of his death as there are twenty other casualties from the Regiment buried here.
SMELLIE	Andrew	[Listed as SMILLIE on CWGC and SDGW] Private 18, "D" Company, 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. Killed in action 29 October 1914. Aged 24. Born at Polmadie Rd, Hutchesontown Glasgow on 13th January 1890 but given as Barony, Lanarkshire on SDGW, enlisted Hamilton. Son of Mrs. Thomas Smillie, of Hopetoun Place, Leadhills, Lanarkshire, and the late Thomas Smillie. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 38.
WILLIAMS	Joseph	Sapper 136280 254th Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers. Joseph Williams was born in Leadhills about 1880 and was the son of Joseph Williams and Catherine Mitchell. His father was a lead miner from the Isle of Man and his mother from Leadhills. He was the husband of Marion Stanton Williams who was living at 76 Kirkwood Rows, Bargeddie, Glasgow. He died on 19 March 1916 and is buried in Gorre British and Indian Cemetery in the Pas de Calais.
'Their name liveth for evermore August 1922' World War 1939-1945
DEMPSTER	William	[Listed as Able Seaman] Ordinary Seaman P/JX191166, HMS Sandwich, Royal Navy. Died 28th March 1941. Aged 21. Son of James and Elizabeth Forsyth Dempster, of Gowan Bank, Leadhills. Buried in LEADHILLS CEMETERY, Leadhills, Lanarkshire. Grave 141.
McLINTOCK	Thomas [Harrison]	Private 3060964, 1st Battation, T.he Tyneside Scottish, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). Died 1st July 1944. Aged 24. Son of Alexander and Helen McLintock, of Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire. No known grave. Commemorated on BAYEUX MEMORIAL, Calvados, France. Panel 16, Column 1.

Last updated 14 November, 2022

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