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.

Tuesday 25 March 2014

John Black

John Black, another resident of Skares when he enlisted, was born in Closeburn in Dumfriesshire.

He served in the 6/7th Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers and died in France/Flanders on 9th April 1917.

He is buried in the Faubourg d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France and is remembered on the War Memorial in Cumnock.

Ancestry has this on him
NAME:John Black
BIRTH PLACE:Closeburn, Kircudbrightshire
RESIDENCE:Skares, Cumnock
DEATH DATE:9 Apr 1917
DEATH PLACE:France and Flanders
ENLISTMENT PLACE:Cumnock, Ayrshire
RANK:Private
REGIMENT:Royal Scots Fusiliers
BATTALION:6 7th Battalion
REGIMENTAL NUMBER:12262
TYPE OF CASUALTY:Died of wounds
THEATRE OF WAR:Western European Theatre

This looks like the family in the 1901 census in Dumfries (Troqueer parish)
37 Church St
John Black     33 railway labourer
Annie Black     32
Marion Black     12
John M Black     9
Mary Black     6
Sarah J Black     6
Maggie Black     2

Update: This paragraph added 4/4/2018
He was born John Murray Black on 17 sep 1891 at Townfoot Cottage in Closeburn to John Black ploughman and Annie Lind.

He had previously been shot in the left shoulder blade on 28 Sep 1915 and was home in Skares on leave after that. He was a bomb thrower. (Cumnock Chronicle  5 Nov 1915)

On the 1915 valuation roll John Black collier lived at 132 Skares.

He is mentioned along with Thomas Campbell in the Chronicle. He was married with three children.
His wife was Agnes Reid and one of his children was Frederick Thomson Black born at 132 Skares Row in 1914.


Cumnock Connections tree


Here is his entry on Commonwealth War Graves Commission


He is on Cumnock War Memorial as Corporal John Black R.S.F.



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