First World War Project

The Home Front 1914-15

As a part of this UK wide project members of the History Group researched the response of the local community to the outbreak of the First World War through the ‘call to arms’, the mobilisation of territorial forces and initial volunteering through local regimental depots.

Using the National Library of Scotland’s On-line Archive we have collected the names of local Fortrose and Rosemarkie men who were on active service by the spring of 1915 from Souter’s Directory and the Regimental Muster Rolls. Accessing the Forces On-line Archive and The National Archives at Kew we are also attempting to trace what happened to these men in the years that followed.

Kew holds some six million records of First World War combatants and individual unit archives hold many more. The records at Kew and Edinburgh are not complete, some units were meticulous in the collection and collation of men’s details, others were not and some records have been lost over time and in the process of transcription.

We are particularly interested in building up a picture of how the territorial forces fitted into the local community in the period immediately before the outbreak of war in August 1914 and how the process of mobilisation impacted on local employers and commercial activity through the loss of men. Because of the ‘distance’ involved much of this work relies on working through local newspapers and minute books but if members of the Local History Group have information on any of the men listed or if there are inconsistencies with what you know please get in touch with me.

For those interested in this period of history Dingwall Museum and The British Legion have now republished Souter’s Directory and it is on sale at Dingwall Museum.

Fortrose and Rosemarkie men on active service, June 1915

The majority of men from this area joined the Seaforth Highlanders but some joined, through choice, different regiments and units across the British Army and Navy. Many local men who had emigrated to the Dominions and Colonies returned to fight for their country, serving either in the British Army or with Dominon Forces.

Souter’s Directory and the Regimental Muster Rolls (NLS) list the local men serving by June 1915. Many of these would have been members of the pre-war Territorial Forces who were called up for service in  August 1914 and would have then gone south, to Bedford, to join the Highland Division in training prior to going to France in  early 1915 to reinforce the BEF. Casualties and further details, recorded in the Forces Archive and the Census of 1911, have been added to the roll.

The Seaforth Highlanders    1/4 (Ross Highland) Battalion

C Company, Black Isle

240 Sergeant James Allan  b1889   Labourer   Library House, Fortrose   KIA 15/03/1915  Neuve Chapelle

1726 Private Alexander Anderson  b1892   Bank Clerk   Bank of Scotland, Fortrose

1405 Private Kenneth Anderson  b1894   Blacksmith   Ness Farm, Fortrose   To A Company 2/4 Seaforths

1087 Private James Cameron  b1893   Joiner   Rosebery, High Street, Rosemarkie   KIA 09/05/1915  Aubers Ridge

1727 Private William Campbell  b1899   Clerk   24 High Street, Fortrose   KIA 09/05/1915  Aubers Ridge

1397 Corporal Finlay Davidson  b1892   Decorator   Art Cottage, Fortrose   Wounded  Aubers Ridge

1963 Private George Hossack  b1894   Tailor   2 High Street, Rosemarkie   Wounded  Aubers Ridge

1537 Private James Hossack  b1886   Plasterer   High Street, Rosemarkie                    

1618 Private John Macdonald  b1896   Clerk   Craiglands Farm, Fortrose   KIA 11/03/1915  Neuve Chapelle

1089 Private George Macfarlane  b1895   Mechanic   Shore, Fortrose

1926 Private Alistair Mackay  b1894   Engineer   6 Castle Street, Fortrose   Wounded  Neuve Chapelle

1775 Private Ian Mackay       Engineer   Ness, Fortrose   KIA 09/05/1915  Aubers Ridge

1514 Private Alexander McKeddie  b1895 Painter   Castle Street, Fortrose

1729 Private A Mackenzie       Clerk   6 Union Street, Fortrose

1088 L/Corporal James Mackenzie  b1887   Joiner   51 High Street, Fortrose  Died of wounds 25/10/1916 at Home

1744 Private David Macrae       Carpenter 3 Castle Street, Fortrose   KIA 09/05/1915  Aubers Ridge

1730 Private H Macrae       Baker   Castle Street, Fortrose   Erroneously reported killed in action

1398 Private J Miller  b1892   Farmer Braehouse, Rosemarkie   Woundd Neuve Chapelle

1406 Private Robert Moore  b1896   Sawmiller   Bridge Street, Rosemarkie

1473 Private Thomas Moore  b1894   Sawmiller   High Street, Rosemarkie

1927 Private G Murray       Engineer   Castle Street, Fortrose

1764 Private William Owens  b1896   Plasterer   Academy Street, Fortrose   Wounded  Neuve Chapelle

1773 L/Corporal John Paterson b1895  Blacksmith   Academy Street, Fortrose   KIA 12/05/1915  Aubers Ridge

1086 Private William Paterson  b1891   Grocer Academy Street, Fortrose   To 3/4 Seaforths

1777 Private Duncan Ross  b1895   Blacksmith  2 High Street, Rosemarkie   KIA 12/05/1915  Aubers Ridge

1763 Private Donald Sutherland  b1892   Joiner   6 Union Street, Fortrose   Wounded  Neuve Chapelle          

148 QMS Wilson       Plumber   Drill Hall, Fortrose

The Seaforth Highlanders  2/4 (Ross Highland) Battalion

Second-Lieut. P C Knight                  Cathedral Square, Fortrose   Wounded at Aubers Ridge

Second-Lieut K Macleod                    Academy, Fortrose

A Company

1726 L/Corporal A J Anderson          Craigwood, Fortrose

1405 Private K Anderson          Ness Farm, Fortrose

2476 L/Corporal C F Smith          Fortrose   KIA 09/05/1915  Aubers Ridge                                             

The Seaforth Highlanders  3/ 4 (Ross Highland) Battalion

1086 L/Corporal William Paterson  b1891   Grocer Academy Street, Fortrose

Seaforth Highlanders (no Battalion or Company given)

1964 Private Daniel Fraser  b1877          Rosemarkie   KIA 09/05/1915  Aubers Ridge

7128 Private Roderick Mackenzie          Insh

9348 Sergeant William Macleman          High Street, Rosemarkie

10295 Private Thomas Macrae  b1889         Rose Street, Fortrose

7129 Private James Ross          Rosemarkie/Fort George   KIA 14/09/1914  France and Flanders

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

9395 SM-Tailor D Macleman          High Street, Rosemarkie

Australian Forces

Private John Davidson  b1891          Art Cottage, Academy Street, Fortrose

Cameron Highlanders

Sub-Lieut Alistair Cameron          Oakfield,Castle Street, Fortrose

Sergeant James Paton  b1888          Castle Street, Fortrose

Canadian Contingent

Private James Hossack          High Street, Fortrose   KIA 20–23/11/1917  France and Flanders

Manitoba Regiment, Canadian Contingent

A/38134 Private Roderick Bissett          Deans Road, Fortrose   KIA 27/09/1916  France and Flanders

King Edward’s Horse

Private E Macdonald          Ness, Fortrose

London Scottish

2203 Private Arthur Stuart b1896          The Treasury, Fortrose   KIA 01/11/1914  France and Flanders

Private James Stuart  b1893          High Street, Fortrose                         

510748 Private Alexander Sutherland          Holmes Cottage, Rosemarkie   KIA 01/07/1916  France and Flanders

Lovat Scouts

3704 Private Robert Junor b1893          Ardmeanach

Private Alexander Munro  b1896          Balmungie

Private D Macbain          Boggiewell

Private David MacIver b1895          Rosemarkie

Private Allan Mackenzie  b1890          Rosemarkie

Private Andrew Paton  b1891          High Street, Fortrose

S/26505 Private Bernard Reid          Hill of Fortrose   To Cameron Highlanders, Died of wounds 21/03/1920

3677 Private Alexander Ross          Rosemarkie   Wounded  Neuve Chapelle

4157 Private R Ross          Janetfield, Rosemarkie

Private William Smith  b1897          Rosemarkie

Private D Young          Craighead

Royal Army Medical Corps

1233 Private Alexander Davidson  b1896          Academy Street, Fortrose

Private Peter Smith  b1895          Rosemarkie

Private James Stewart         Rosemarkie                                                                                                           

Royal Garrison Artillery

Sergeant Kenneth Grigor  b1887   Farmer's son   Eathie Mains

Private J MacLennan          Boggiewell

137933 Bombardier William Paton  b1894          High Street, Fortrose   KIA 27/05/1917   France and Flanders

Royal Horse Artillery

Corporal James Davidson  b1889          Academy Street, Fortrose

Private Alexander Stuart  b1894          High Street, Fortrose

Royal Navy

Seaman W Allan           High Street, Fortrose

ERA H B Civil          Union Street, Fortrose

Sub-Lieut Ian Mackintyre          Mackenzie Lodge, Fortrose

Engineer Hugh Mackenzie          Moray View

Seaman Edward Sutherland  b1889         Union Street, Fortrose                       

Scottish Rifles

17563 Private William Davidson  b1886    Academy Street, Fortrose  Missing presumed dead  08/05/1918 in Flanders

South African Forces

Private George Davidson  b1880          Academy Street, Fortrose

Private William Wilson  b1898          Fortrose

Recorded deaths of men on Active Duty after June 1915

Seaforth Highlanders

S/14545 Thomas R Hossack           Iron House, Rosemarkie   KIA 20/09/1918

200066 Serjeant Alexander Jack  b1894   Cattleman   Balmungie House, Rosemarkie   KIA 19/09/1917

Cameron Highlanders

S/41221 Private Frederick Mackenzie  b1899          High Street, Rosemarkie   Died at sea 03/08/1918

Highland Light Infantry

39484 Private John Geddie  b1892          Braemoray, Fortrose   Died, Bangalore 10/10/1918