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Those known to have served with 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Andrews William. Pte (d.8 June 1945)
- Beedham Herbert. Cpl. (d.5th June 1940)
- Bleakley William. Pte.
- Born Thomas Henry Bullamore . Pte.
- Born Thomas Henry Bullamore . Pte.
- Brereton James. Pte. (d.4th Feb 1944)
- Brooks Joseph John. L/Cpl.
- Cleland Alexander Walter. Sgt.
- Copland Thomas Aitken. Drummer
- Dunlop MM William Hunter. A/Sgt. (d.13th Feb 1945)
- Falconer Harry. Pte.
- Greene Richard William. Cpl. (d.23rd Oct 1944)
- Hall John. Pte (d.23rd August 1944)
- Jewers Henry Charles. Cpl.
- Mackenzie George. Pte.
- Murphy John. Cpl.
- Paterson Robert Alexander. Piper
- Robertson Thomas Swinton. Pte. (d.28th Jan 1944)
- Simpson James Duncan Gowans. Pte.
- Taylor George Wilson. Sgt.
- Taylor James Anderson. Pte.
- Waite Lawrence. Pte.
The 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 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders from other sources.
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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
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Want to know more about 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders? There are:1494 items tagged 1st 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 Second World War. |
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Pte. Thomas Swinton Robertson 1st Btn. Gordon Highlanders (d.28th Jan 1944)  On the 28th January 1944, a train carrying 800 Allied prisoners of war was bombed when it was crossing the Allerona bridge in Italy. The POWs had been evacuated from POW camp PG Campo 54 at Fara in Sbina, Italy. My father Thomas Robertson was on that train which was bombed by American B-26 aircraft (friendly fire).
The men were being moved to Germany in unmarked cattle cars. The POWs were padlocked in the cars and were crossing the bridge when the B-26s arrived and blew up the bridge. The train driver stopped the train on the span, leaving the prisoners locked inside to their fate. While many escaped, approximateley 400 were killed, my father being one of them. I was only 18 months old at this time and never knew my father.
I contacted the Military Records Office and asked for his service records. They told me if I paid £30.00 they would give me a copy but it would take up to a year to get them, which I thought was unreasonable. After all, my father gave his life for his country and Britain puts a price on it. Is there anyone out there who had relatives on that train or who were in that Regiment - I would love to hear from you.
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Sgt. George Wilson "Dod" Taylor 1st Btn. Gordon Highlanders   My father, George Taylor, belonged to Meadowhead, Ythan Wells, Aberdeenshire.
He joined the 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders in Nov 1934 at the age of 18 years and 6 months, and was assigned to a signals platoon. In 1940, his battalion was part of the 51st Highland Division, which was ordered to stay and help the French forces in trying to stop the German advance. They were left with little food, ammunition, or artillery and they were also so exhausted that the commander gave the order to surrender to save the slaughter of approximately 10,000 soldiers.
He was captured at Saint-Valery-en-Caux in June 1940. While out on a motorbike relaying orders to other battalions, he ran into a German patrol. Along with many others, he was marched to Stalag 383 Hohenfels near the Czech border and held as a POW until May 1945.
He never once told us of his experiences during the war, but they took their toll on him. For the rest of his life, he suffered nightmares every night until he passed away in 1991 at the age of 75.
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Pte. William "Wuggy" Bleakley 1st Btn. Gordon Highlanders William Bleakley served with the 1st Gordon Highlanders.
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Pte. James Duncan Gowans Simpson 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders I received a full uniform set (tunic, kilt and accoutrements) belonging to James Simpson along with a series of documents.
These included two paybooks and two certificates of service detailing his interwar, wartime, and postwar regular and reserve service.
Simpson was born in 1906, and initially joined the Gordons on 11th of January 1925.
Being recalled in 1937, he went to France with the BEF and was at some point captured by the German Forces. He spent the majority of the war confined to Stalag XXB as PoW 19186 before being released at the end of the war.
He received the 1939-45 star, the France-Germany Medal and the War Medal.
He rejoined the Gordons in 1947, transferred to the HLI in 1948, before finally being discharged in 1950.
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Pte John Hall 1st Btn. Gordon Highlanders (d.23rd August 1944) My mother, Amelia Paterson from Edinburgh, was engaged to be married to John Hall. Had Jonny lived I would not be writing this because I would not exist. Sobering thoughts of a life unlived and lives lived because of his death.
He served with the 1st Battalion Gordon, Highlanders in WW2. He died 23rd of August 1944 aged 28 years and is buried St Desir War Cemetery in France. Son of James and Janet Hall of Tullibody, Clackmannanshire.
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Pte. Harry Falconer 1st Btn. Gordon Highlanders Part of the 51st Highland Division captured at St Valery sur Somme in 1940. Imprisoned in Stalag XXA (Thorn) for the duration of the war. Was part of the long march from France to Poland in 1940 and the long march from Poland into Germany in 1945.
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Pte. Thomas Henry Bullamore Born 1st Btn. Gordon Highlanders Thomas Born joined the Gordons in 1920 and served in the 1st and 2nd Battalions during his service. He deployed to France with the BEF in September 1939.
Tommy was captured at Saint Valery-en-Caux on 12th of June 1940 with the 1st Gordons, 51st Highland Division.
He served the remainder of the war as a POW in Torun. Leaving on the death marches in the January winter of 1945 heading west from Poland, he was finally liberated and returned home to his wife and four daughters on the 14th April 1945.
Tommy and Annie had one more daughter after the war and Tommy passed in 1973, leaving his loving wife, five daughters and seven grandchildren. Lest we forget.
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Cpl. Henry Charles Jewers 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders Harry Jewers was posted to the 1st Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders on 23rd of February 1945 and to the 2nd Battalion on 5th of September 1945.
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Cpl. Herbert Beedham 1st Btn. Gordon Highlanders (d.5th June 1940) Herbert Beedham was my grandmother's brother. The Beedham family is from Sheffield, England. I am interested to find out the location of his headstone in a cemetery in France and on his parents' headstone in Sheffield.
Update: Herbert is buried in Franlau Churchyard, Somme, France.
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Pte. James Brereton 1st (London Scottish) Btn Gordon Highlanders (d.4th Feb 1944) Jimmy Brereton was my cousin. I was only a child of seven when he died but I remember him clearly as he used to visit us quite often. He had only recently married his childhood sweetheart just before he died.
My father was serving in Italy at that time and he and another relative had arranged to meet Jimmy but failed in their attempt.
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