225859 Pte. Bartholemew Dignan British Army 7th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders from:Haddington My grandfather, Bartholemew Dignan, was 29 years old, a married man with five young children, and was living in Haddington East Lothian, when he joined the 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders on 10th May 1915.
His brothers James and Patrick Dignan also enlisted, as did his nephew
James. All saw service in France.
Bartley was seriously wounded in 1916 and, as he lay on a stretcher waiting to be carried aboard ship, he saw another hospital ship blown to pieces as it left the dockside.
Unfortunately,I have been unable to ascertain where he was wounded or the exact date of his discharge.
He was taken to a hospital in Bangor, North Wales, and my grandmother - who had never been outside of East Lothian in her life - travelled with all of their five children to visit him there.
Sadly, Bartley's injuries were so severe, he was disabled for the rest of his life. He died in Haddington in 1958 aged 72 years.
|