213888 Pte. Samuel Gilmour British Army 1/5th Btn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders from:Port Glasgow (d.12th Jul 1915) Private Samuel Gilmour of 1/5 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was killed in action at Achi Baba, Gallipoli on 12th July 1915.
He had joined the Argylls with his friends in Port Glasgow, known as The Toll Boys. In early July 1915 the Battalion was shipped out from Devonport, via Egypt to take part in the new front at Helles Point.
Notably, Private Gilmour was killed on the same day as another Port Glasgow man, Corporal John Bellringer who is already mentioned on this website and whose name appears above Private Gilmour's on the War Memorial in Port Glasgow..
This is the story of a much loved, family man who, because of his duty to King and Country, did not live to enjoy the wife and family he left behind. Private Gilmour was an ordinary man who was also just another of the many unsung heroes who did their bit for freedom and honour.
Private Gilmour was born on Burns Night, 25th January 1888, the Son of Samuel and Elizabeth Gilmour. At the age of 20, he married Mary Rankin on 5th May 1908 at 3 Clune Place, Port Glasgow.
He had four children, one Son he called Samuel and three Daughters, Jeannie, Susan and Mary. His only Son Samuel Gilmour married Mary Kirkwood, who was my Mother's sister, on 28th December 1945. He in turn had three children, calling his first Son Samuel Gilmour (the Fourth Samuel Gilmour in this story), a Daughter Elizabeth and another Son James.
It was mentioned previously the Private Gilmour was a member of a Group of young men in Port Glasgow known as The Toll Boys. A plaque was erected on a red sandstone tenement wall at No 5 Glasgow Road Port Glasgow to commemorate the members who fell in The Great War of 1914-18. The unveiling of this plaque was a very public and emotional ceremony in 1921. The names of all of the fallen members of the Group are contained on the plaque, including the name of Private Samuel Gilmour.
On a much more positive note, despite the death of Private Samuel Gilmour at the young age of 27, he still has a significant number of descendants who remember him today. At the beginning of this story it was said that Private Samuel Gilmour was a Family Man, and indeed it is through his family that he lives on, and will never be forgotten.
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