Gibbeson, John
In 1940, John Cecil Gibbeson was an engineering officer on a ship called the City of Benares: The ship had been built in 1936 at Whiteinch in Glasgow, by the Barclay and Curle shipyard: John had been born on 9th April 1910 in Seaton Carew, County Durham, son of John Thomas Gibbeson (a coachman from…
Read MoreRobertson, Thomas
Thomas, aged 18, joining the merchant navy You’re on Scotland Street in Glasgow, driving back to Bearsden via the Kingston Bridge. You turn left at the east end, past West Street subway station and go under the M74 extension, then left again onto a slip road to the M8. But as you do, you might…
Read MoreCraig, James
I started the search with the name “James Craig” on the war memorial at Bearsden Cross. Using the Commonwealth War Graves Commission search facility only one man named James Craig had a link to Bearsden. He was 30 years old when he died and was the son of James and Catherine Craig. He died on…
Read MoreRussell, James
I had originally intended to include this man under my post on those who died of disease but his story is interesting (and a little complex). James Ingram Russell is difficult to track on the Scotland’s People website – there is no obvious record of him in the births, censuses or deaths. From documents we know…
Read MoreMerchant seamen: Thomas Rennie, Eric McMurray, Harry Jamieson and Edward Hughes
There are 148 names on the Bearsden War Memorial. In terms of a single cemetery or memorial, the most frequent is New Kilpatrick with 14. First World War memorials to those with no known grave at Thiepval (eight) and Arras (six) are next, together with the memorial to Merchant Navy men with no known grave…
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