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2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
| Want to know more about 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders? There are:5277 items tagged 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders during the Great War 1914-1918. - Anderson Charles Edward. Cpt. (d.20th July 1916)
- Bonner Alexander Ironside. Pte
- Brooke VC. James Anson Otho. Capt. (d.29th Oct 1914)
- Bruce John Robert. Capt.
- Campbell John. Pte. (d.16th May 1915)
- Craik William. Pte (d.13th Mar 1915)
- Gunning Robert Gray. Pte. (d.2nd October 1915)
- Marshall Alexander. Pte. (d.12th May 1916)
- Martin Edward. Pte. (d.29th Mar 17)
- McNeill John. Cpl. (d.4th Oct 1917)
- McQuillian Peter B.. Cpl.
- Morrice Adam. Pte. (d.10th Oct 1917)
- Robertson James Simpson. Sgt.
- Wright William. L/Cpl. (d.26th Oct 1917)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders from other sources.
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- 27th April 2024
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Pte. Edward Martin 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders (d.29th Mar 17) This young soldier, resplendent in the smart uniform of the illustrious Gordon Highlanders, is my great uncle, Private Edward Martin, a working lad from Longton, Staffordshire. At the age of just 19 he died on the killing fields near Arras, on the 29th March 1917.
After 97 years, I was the first in his family to be able to see where he lies. I travelled in the anniversary year of 2014 to pay my respects on behalf of us all, and to say Thank You on behalf of the nation.
How blind we are to our great good fortune, in living our lives in this country and in these times.
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Capt. John Robert Bruce 2nd Btn. Gordon Highlanders Captain John R Bruce served in the Second Battalion, Gordon Highlanders during WW1.
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Capt. James Anson Otho Brooke VC. 2nd Btn. Gordon Highlanders (d.29th Oct 1914) James Brooke was killed in action on 29th of October 1914, aged 30 and isburied in the Zandvoorde British Cemetery in Belgium. He was the son of Sir Harry Vesey Brooke, K.B.E., and Lady Brooke, of Fairley, Countesswells, Aberdeenshire. Awarded the Sword of Honour at Sandhurst.
An extract from The London Gazette, dated 16th Feb., 1915, records the following:- "For conspicuous bravery and great ability near Gheluvelt on the 29th October, in leading two attacks on the German trenches under heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, regaining a lost trench at a very critical moment. He was killed on that day. By his marked coolness and promptitude on this occasion Lieutenant Brooke prevented the enemy from breaking through our line, at a time when a general counter-attack could not have been organised."
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Pte. Adam Morrice 2nd Btn. Gordon Highlanders (d.10th Oct 1917) Adam Morrice was one of four brothers who enlisted in WW1. Two other brothers James and John both died in action. The fourth brother Robert was wounded but survived and also enlisted in WW2
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Pte. Alexander "Eck" Marshall 2nd Btn. Gordon Highlanders (d.12th May 1916) Alexander Marshall was born on the 31st of August 1888 in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland. He was killed in action on the 12th May 1916 in France.
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Cpt. Charles Edward Anderson 2nd Btn. Gordon Highlanders (d.20th July 1916) Commemorated with poppy from Royal British Legion. Captain Charles Edward Anderson was killed in action and buried at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery, plot K.5. No further information known.
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Pte. Robert Gray Gunning 2nd Btn. Gordon Highlanders (d.2nd October 1915) Robert Gunning was my mother's brother who died aged 19. He is buried in Meville Cemetery in France.
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Pte. John Campbell 2nd Btn. Border Regiment (d.16th May 1915) John Campbell was one of 11 siblings and was born in Liverpool. At the time of his death, his parents Mary and Henry Campbell lived at 48 Sterne Street in Liverpool, but the family had at some point in the past lived briefly in Bolton, Lancashire.
John originally served in the Wiltshire Regiment for about 11 years before coming back to civilian life just prior to the First World War, and rejoined the Army as part of a draught in the second Border Regiment around March 1915 and by May 1915 he was with his unit at Festubert and was part of an attack on the 16th May in which he was killed in action.
He is commemorated on the wall at Le Touret Military Cemetery as his body was never found and he has no known grave.
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L/Cpl. William Wright 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders (d.26th Oct 1917)  William Wright enlisted in Edinburgh in April or May 1916 and following basic training joined the 2nd Battalion in France in the autumn of 1916.
He was in the offensive against the Hidenburg Line on 7th May 1917 at Bullecourt.
William fought in the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) which started on 31st July 1917, the Battalion was not involved until the attack on Broodseinde Ridge on 4th October in conjunction with Australian forces. Advancing under artillery barrage the Battalion soon achieved its objectives but in turn came under intense German shellfire during the next three days that it occupied the captured positions and suffered correspondingly heavy casualties.
A further adverse factor during this time was the terrible weather especially the rain which made movement off the duck boards all but impossible and conditions almost unbearable with the resulting mud causing death to both men and pack animals.
After a few days rest the Battalion was tasked to take part in the capture of the ruined village of Gheluvelt where it had experienced terrific fighting years earlier.
In short, the attack, on 26th October was stopped in its tracks by intense artillery and machine gun fire but most of all by the mud which clogged or jammed most of the men's weapons.
The Regimental War Diary for that day recorded 73 killed in action; 480 wounded; and 117 missing. However, subsequent research has shown that the fatalities, including those who subsequently died of their wounds shortly thereafter, amounted to 203 which included practically all of those originally recorded as missing in action.
William was recorded as missing in action and his body was never recovered. He was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his services and his parents received the Memorial Plaque (Dead Man's Penny) and commemorative scroll which went to all families of men who died in the war.
William is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
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Cpl. John McNeill 2nd Btn Gordon Highlanders (d.4th Oct 1917) My great-great Uncle John McNeill of Rothesay, Scotland served in the 2nd Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders from the 10th of October 1915 to his death, on the 4th of October 1917. He won three medals: the British War Medal, the Allied Victory Medal, and the 14-15 Star. He was missed greatly by his mother and father, his three brothers, and his sister. He is remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
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Pte William Craik 2nd Gordon Highlanders (d.13th Mar 1915) William Craik died age 25 whilst serving with the 2nd Btn Gordon Highlanders at Neuve Chapelle in France. He was born in South Shields 1889, son of Jonathan and Margaret Robson Craik (nee Ormston) of 96 Queens Road Jarrow. On the 1911 census He is recorded as William Craik age 22,Engineers (Fitters) Labourer in Shipyard living with his parents Jonathan and Maggie Craig of 96 Queens Road Jarrow. He enlisted in Govan. His younger brother Joseph Craik Private 3260 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers was also one of the fallen William is remembered on the Le Touret Memorial and is Commemorated on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church, Jarrow.
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Cpl. Peter B. McQuillian 2nd Btn. Gordon Highlanders There may be some doubt about the spelling of Peter McQuillian's surname as there were four brothers and two of them (I know of) spelt it McQuillan. I have been told that on the big penny he is reported to have died in Mesopotamia.
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