Introduction

In 2014 the centenary of the outbreak of World War One, Cumnock History Group began researching the names on the Cumnock War Memorial plus other men and women with Cumnock connections mentioned on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission or in the Cumnock Chronicle of the time. The research is not limited to those who died but also to men and women who served, using family history information.

The group would like to appeal to individuals with knowledge of family members for photographs of the soldier, either in uniform or not, and photos of medals or other memorabilia eg letters sent home from the Front. If you would be prepared to share these on this site, please email the web manager info@cumnockhistorygroup.org The group is willing to share any copies of documents found with the soldier's descendants.

Sunday 1 June 2014

Mauchline Gorge graffiti

Husband likes to walk in the Mauchline Gorge and has his lunch at this spot. Today he snapped a piece of almost 100 year old graffiti in the soft sandstone.



The date differs by 5 days on the  Commonwealth War Graves Commission site

Ancestry provides his place of birth as Prestonpans. I can't find a match for him in the censuses. Nor does his service record survive. So was it a later tourist who commemorated George? It is a beautiful spot to remember a lost loved one.


Name: George Rowan
Birth Place: Prestonpans, Midlothian
Death Date: 23 Nov 1917
Death Location: France & Flanders
Enlistment Location: Perth
Rank: Private
Regiment: Gordon Highlanders
Battalion: 6th Battalion
Number: S/41186
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre


Update: after some judicious googling the mystery is solved, thanks to this entry about New Cumnock war memorials

George was born in 1898 in the Newcraighall area of Musselburgh, (about 5 miles from Prestonpans).
His father Walter Rowan a coal miner was a native of Dalmellington.

On Cumnock Connections tree

The other soldier who is remembered nearby is David Strickland

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