1940 Private John McGregor Smith
6th(Perthshire)Battalion(Territorial)
The Black Watch(Royal Highlanders)
13th November 1916
Born on 21/05/1886 at 5am in Brick Buildings, Stanley, Auchtergaven, Perthshire. His parents were Alexander Smith (1837-10/02/1896) and Jane Burnfield (28/05/1847- 23/03/19121). They married on 04/12/1874.
John had 4 brothers, Alexander (born on 26/10/1875), Thomas (03/04/1877-06/09/1914), Archibald (born on 14/02/1879) and
David (21/03/1881-20/04/1974). He also had a sister, Christina (born on 01/09/1884).
In the 1891(Scottish)census, the family were recorded as living at 2 Mill Street, Stanley, Auchtergaven. Alexander snr. was employed as a railway surfaceman.
By the 1901(Scottish)census, Alexander snr (an army pensioner having served with the 42nd Royal Highlanders Battalion),
had passed away in 1896 and the family were now living at Brick Buildings, Stanley, Auchtergaven.
John was now employed as an apprentice tailor.
The 1911(Sottish) census records hat the family was no longer living together, Johns mother was now living
with his sister Christina's family, while John was boarding at Parkview Place, Stanley, Auchtergaven.
John was now employed as a calendarman (a person who operated a machine which pressed cloth and paper
using two large rollers(calendars))in the linen trade.
A lot happened to John in 1914; with war being declared, John enlisted in Dunkeld, Perthshire and he also married
Alice Ingram Burnett (18/06/1894 - 01/09/1973) on 21st September and they went on to have a daughter
Dorothy (21/12/1914-13/09/1965). Sadly his older brother Thomas had died only 15 days before on 6th September
from pleurisy with effusion.
John was sent to France on 02/05/1915. He was killed in action on 13/11/1916.
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the 1914-1918 British War and Allied Victory medals.
Alice, his widow was awarded a pension of 18/9 a week from 28/05/1917 on 23/05/1917.
She remarried on 10/12/1921 to George Stirling (1896-1965).