Rankin, Andrew
I’m indebted to the RAF Commands website (link) for this photo and much valuable information here and elsewhere. Andrew Rankin was born on 27th April 1922 at 12 Maxwell Avenue, Westerton. His father and mother were Robert and Mary Dickson Watson who were married in 1919. Robert was a property agent. By 1935 the family had moved to…
Read MoreDevitt, Robert
Robert Francis Xavier Devitt was born on 22nd November 1922 at 22 Scotia Street, Glasgow. Number 22 is on the corner of New City Road. St George’s Road is on the extreme left – the M8 now blasts through the centre-left of the map. The building labelled ‘Bank’ on the extreme right, just below centre,…
Read MoreCarnochan, Robert
Robert John Carnochan was born 14th May 1909 at 8.20am at 103 Bolton Drive, right by Mount Florida Station (to the right of the street view photo). His parents were John Robert and Isabella Carnochan (married 1st March 1907). At the time his father’s job was as a mercantile clerk. His family name was Bertie, and he…
Read MoreDavie, Douglas
Douglas Gordon Davie was born on 21st September 1916 at The School House, Airlie in Forfarshire, about 20 miles north of Dundee. Douglas’s mother, Janet Gow Lyon, and his elder sister Betty were staying with Janet’s parents at the time. The family lived in south London. On the record of Douglas’s birth available from the…
Read MoreAllen, William
The photos of William and Margaret were originally posted by Mr Gareth Richards – many thanks, as they add so much to this profile. William Lothian Allan was born at 6.50am on 23rd January 1899 at 34 Batson Street, Hutchesonstown. Batson Street runs south from Aikenhead Road, with Polmadie railway depot just to the east and…
Read MoreAnderson, Edward
Edward Mark Anderson was born on 9th June 1916 at Duncarss, a large house just off of Drymen Road. The map below (from 1914) shows the location: It’s interesting to compare to today’s satellite view from Google Maps: Edward’s parents were Peter and Sarah Ann (nee Watkins, married in Dunfermline in 1900), and on the…
Read MoreNeilson, Gilbert
I am indebted to the dolvolturnocassino.it website as a source of information Commando units recruited from among men already in the army but who showed the physical ability and the initiative to undertake ‘special forces’ work raiding behind enemy lines. Number 9 Commando recruited mainly from Scottish regiments, including Gilbert Reid Neilson, who was in…
Read MoreDied from disease: George Dunlop, David McGavin, James Shaw
George Edward Dunlop George was born in 1920 in Betws garmon, Caernarvon. His father William, was a representative for a shoe manufacturer (on George’s Baptism record: “boot salesman”) His mother was Harriet Hewitt Croucher. By 1935 the family moved to Scotland, living at a house called Westbury, 1 Afton Crescent, Killermont, Bearsden. From 1939 to…
Read MorePlane crashes: Peter McDonald, Colin Guttridge, Robert Smith
Peter Gordon McDonald Peter Gordon McDonald was born on 26th November 1924 at 1065 Maryhill Road. Maryhill Road runs from top left to bottom right, red circle shows 1065. His father, Peter, was a glazier and had married Margaret Murdoch Breckenridge in Kilmarnock in 1915. His link to Bearsden is not certain but Mrs Margaret M…
Read MoreMacdonald, George
George William Macdonald was killed while flying a mission to bomb Berlin on the night of 23rd/24th August 1943. He was a pilot with the rank of Flying Officer, a member of 620 Squadron based at Chedburgh. The plane was a Stirling III bomber and take off was at 20.30. The plane was shot down…
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