Williejohn Oberlin Gilmour

Williejohn Oberlin Gilmour

Scottish Horse Imperial Yeomanry

Died 15 May 1917 age 32

2nd Lieut. W.O. Gilmour – Scott. Horse

Williejohn Oberlin Gilmour was born at Armadale in Sutherland on 30 May 1884, son of William Gilmour B.A. and Barbara Learmonth Gilmour. There was a lot of teaching in the Gilmour family: William was a teacher; Barbara was a teacher’s assistant; Williejohn became a teacher and in due course married a teacher.

Williejohn Gilmour was the eldest of at least six children. He had four younger sisters and a younger brother notably named Marcus Aurelius. His mother was a native of Orkney, born in Stronsay. The family appear in Westray, Orkney in 1891 where Marcus Aurelius and his sister Barbara were both born, two years apart. By 1901 the family were living in the School House, Huntly. Williejohn was educated first at his father’s various schools, then at Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen. 

He served in the Scottish Horse Imperial Yeomanry from 1904-8 and appears after that to have remained a member of the University troop while at Aberdeen University. Graduating with an M.A. degree in 1911, he was one of two students taking degree examinations in Greek. He taught for a time at Paisley Grammar School as an assistant and, on the outbreak of war, was a master at Leith Academy, Edinburgh. On the day war was declared (4 August 1914), he re-enlisted as a Trooper in his old regiment, despite the offer of a commission in the Gordon Highlanders.

In November 1914 the Scottish Horse moved from Scone to Northumberland. In January 1915 they were attached to the 63rd (2nd Northumberland) Division working on coastal defences.

On 25 May 1915, Williejohn Gilmour married Madge Gordon Sim, schoolteacher, at Torphins. They were to enjoy married life together for no more than about ten weeks.  He was sent to Gallipoli as Quartermaster-Sergeant in the 1st Brigade, embarking from Devonport on 15 August 1915 and arriving at Suvla Bay, via Malta, on 1 September. On the evacuation of Gallipoli in December that year, the 1st Scottish Horse moved to Egypt. Gilmour spent a couple of weeks in hospital in Alexandria with jaundice in January 1916. In February the battalion was absorbed into the 1st Dismounted Brigade under the orders of the 52nd (Lowland) Division, engaged in Suez Canal defences. On 10 March 1916 he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. Twelve days later, his wife gave birth on 22 March to a son, James Gordon Gilmour, at her parents‘ address, Auchintoul in Torphins.

On 1 October 1916, the 13th (Scottish Horse Yeomanry) Bn. Black Watch was formed of the 1st, 2nd and 3rddismounted battalions of the Scottish Horse. They (and Gilmour with them) moved to Salonika, joining the 27thDivision 81st Brigade.

2nd Lieut. Gilmour was killed while on patrol, near Kakaraska on the Struma front in Macedonia, on 15 May 1917 at the age of 32. His unit at that time were attached to the South Nottinghamshire Hussars. At the time of his death, both parents, his younger brother and four sisters lived at Crathes Schoolhouse. His parents later resided in Peterculter.  In 1921, Madge, still living at Auchintoul, married Robert Davidson, a Torphins railway signalman.

According to the records of his old university,

 “Lieutenant Gilmour’s death was a great blow to his numerous friends and comrades-in-arms, as his cheerful and obliging disposition made him a general favourite both in school and on service”

He is commemorated on the Doiran Memorial – also on the War Memorial at Banchory.

Sources
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War (they have date of death wrong (1915 instead of 1917) and also have him as Willis John)
Registers of births and marriages
Censuses 1891 and 1901
National Archives: Officer’s file WO374/27407;British Army WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards
Aberdeen Press & Journal 19 November 1911
Aberdeen Evening Express 27 May 1915 – marriage
Aberdeen Press & Journal 25 March 1916 – birth of son; 25 April 1916 – promotion (with photo)
Aberdeen Evening Express 5 June 1917 – Roll of Honour – killed on patrol attached to S. Notts Hussars
University of Aberdeen Roll of Honour
Robert Gordon’s College Roll of Honour + photo
Anne Park: “Banchory War Memorial” p.10
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk
The Wartime Memories Project