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Rflmn. James Ewing
British Army 2nd Btn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
from:Glasgow
(d.28th December 1914)
My grandfather was George Morrison Ronaldson, born in 1872. He was married to Sarah Casey, and had 3 children - Mary (my mother), Elizabeth and James. George was with his family in Glasgow, working on the tramcars in April 1911, according to the 1911 census. However, sometime after that he joined the Army under the name James Ewing. He enlisted in Hamilton, the Regimental depot just outside Glasgow. I have a photo of him in a group of 5 soldiers taken I believe in Malta, where the 2nd Battalion were garrisoned, when war broke out.
His age (42 in 1914) to me seems a bit old for a married man with small children to become a soldier. So the questions I have are - why did he change his name when joining up? Was it because he was married and married men were not allowed to enlist? Was there a scandal he was involved in and had to leave the family home?
Anyway, James Ewing (aka George Donaldson) was wounded in the head on the 27th December 1914, at the front, at a place called La Flinque, Chapigny in northern France. He made it to No 11 General Hospital, Boulogne on the 28th December but died that evening. The sister who nursed him was given his address in Glasgow and wrote to Sarah his wife about his last words, his wounds, and his death. So George had at some time communicated to his wife Sarah, and had exchanged letters, I presume, but as far as the Army was concerned he was James Ewing. I know the details of his battalion in December 1914 as I have a transcripted copy of the War Diary compiled by the Adjutant of the 2nd Scottish Rifles.
My grandmother Sarah maried William Docherty in 1920, it was her third marriage, she was previously married to Patrick Sweeney in 1916, he died in 1918. William was also a soldier in the 2nd Scottish Rifles, Patrick possibly was too.
