Parish Church Roll of Honour

John Maxwell
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Parish Church decided that it needed a presence “up the Parish” and so a missionary preacher was appointed to the mining communities of Connelpark and Craigbank. John Maxwell came from the village of Glassford in Lanarkshire and spent three happy years in New Cumnock as the Parish Church missionary. He came as a young man and soon made many friends with his happy manner and hearty laugh. His honesty of purpose and conspicuous desire to do good, made him a welcome visitor in people’s homes. He had a sterling ring in his voice and a straightforward appeal in his words that made him popular in the pulpit. He was also well remembered for his eloquent and fervent open air services which he conducted during the summer months on the banks of the Afton.

The Church Communion Roll for 1916 gives his address as "Stepends". The same roll also has Mr and Mrs Jas. Cameron staying at the same address along with a Maggie Welsh. John's entry finishes with three words - "killed in battle".

Shortly after the outbreak of the First World War, he enlisted in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and was frequently in New Cumnock on leave where he would preach in our church. On what was to be his last sermon before he left for France, he preached in full Highland regimentals and referred to the work which lay before him

“ I will go in the strength of the Lord
To the work He appoints me to do;
In the joy that his smile shall afford,
My soul shall His vigour renew.
If He issue the word of command
To meet and encounter the foe,
Tho’ with sling and with stone in my hand
In the strength of the Lord I will go.”

He went to France in May 1917 and died of wounds on the 1st of August of that year at the start of the 3rd Battle of Ypres. He is buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery, Ieper.

In June of 1919, the congregation raised the sum of £100 as a memorial and testament to the memory of John Maxwell. It was sent to his mother at 43, Millar St., Glassford, Lanarkshire who replied that " it would be used as he in whose memory it has been raised would have had it used."

A memorial service was held in August 1920 for John. It should have been at his favourite preaching spot on the Old Mill Holm but bad weather forced it to be held in the Church. The Rev Bodin's text was David's lament for Jonathan and the passage from Hebrews - "We are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses" The praisewas made up of Mr Maxwell's favourite hymns.

The late Mr Craig Murray could recall as a boy being taken to hear John Maxwell as he preached on the Old Mill Holm with the congregation seated on the banking below the cemetery. The Rev W Bodin also preached here on 6th May 1921.

David Barr
Private, 812178, 49th Bn., Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment), kia 9th April 1917 on the 1st day of the Canadian attack on Vimy Ridge, buried Bois Carre British Cemetery, Thelus, ref IV A 9. He was the son of James Barr, Pathhead and later emigrated to Canada.

William Beatson
Private, S/3001, 2nd Bn., Argyll & Sutherland Hldrs., died 13th October 1915 in a base hospital, buried Ste Marie Cemetery, Le Havre, ref 19 K 1. He was the son of William and Jane and the grandson of Mr Gracie, Railway Tce.

William Bell
Private, 5651, 69th Co., Machine Gun Corps, kia 8th October 1916 during the Battle of the Somme (Capture of Le Sars). He has no known grave and is remembered on Pier and Face 5C and 12C of the Thiepval Memorial, Somme. He was the son of Alex and Mary, 4, South Boig Street.

George S Brown
Private, 128434, 2nd Co. Machine Gun Corps, died 20th June 1918 during the German Spring Offensive, buried St Hilaire Cemetery Extension, Frevent, ref E 7. He was the son of William and Jane, Westland Farm.

Matthew Brown
Private, 8218, 5th Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers, kia 15th July 1915 on the Gallipoli Peninsula, buried Lancashire Landing Cemetery, Gallipoli ref F 59. He was the son of William and Margaret, 6, Connelpark

William Collins
Private, 52265, 2/10th Royal Scots, kia 11th November 1918 on the Archangel Expedition to Northern Russia. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Archangel Memorial. He came from Craigbank.

Samuel Andrew Cunningham
Captain, 5th Royal Scots Fusiliers, kia 12th July 1915 on the Gallipoli Peninsula. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Helles Memorial, Panel 72—75. He was the son of James and Jemima, Dunrod, Pathhead.

William Denim
Lance Corporal, 56287, 155th Co. Machine Gun Corps, kia 19th April 1917 during the 2nd Battle of Gaza, buried Gaza War Cemetery, ref XXIV F 16. He came from Craigbank.

David Ferguson
Private, S/4550, 9th Bn., Black Watch, kia 25th September 1915 on the 1st day of the Battle of Loos, buried Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, ref III H 12. He was the son of Andrew, Pathhead

John Gracie
Private, 17152, 2nd Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers, kia 20th November 1915, buried Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner,Cuinchy ref II G 14. He was the son of Mr Gracie, Railway Tce.

Nisbet C Gray
Private, S/4557, 9th Bn., Black Watch, kia 25th September 1915 on the 1st day of the Battle of Loos. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Loos Memorial Panel 78—83. His home was Hawtrees, Connelpark

William Hill
Private, 13631, 2nd Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers, kia 30th July 1916 during the battle for Trones Wood, Somme. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 3C. He was the son of Agnes Hill, Craigbank.

Charles Howat
Private, 25620, 9th Bn., Border Regt., died in hospital, Salonika, Greece, buried at Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Military Cemetery, ref 469. He was the son of David and Annie, Bridgend

James McCall Hunter
Private, 41124, 2nd Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers, kia on 21st October 1918 during the Allied Advance, buried Harlebeke New British Cemetery, ref VIII A 10. He was the son of William and Margaret, Afton Bridgend and worked at Knockshinnoch Farm.

Thomas Kilpatrick
Private, 14765, 2nd Bn., Scots Guards, kia 26th March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Arras Memorial, Bay 1. He was the son of James and Isabella, Nith Villa and worked for New Cumnock Collieries.

William George Lind Martin
Private, 1973, 1st/1st Ayrshire Imperial Yeomanry, died 30th August 1916 in Glenafton Sanatorium of Enteric Fever caught while serving abroad. He is buried in the Afton Road Cemetery, plot 1291, and was the son of William and Marion and grandson of William Lind, Afton Hotel

John Maxwell
Lance Corp., 15071,1st/8th Bn., Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, kia on 1st August 1917 during the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele), buried Brandhoek New Military Cemetery, Ieper, ref II E 11. He was the Parish Church missionary and lodged with the Cameron family at Stepends Cottage.

John Melvin
Sergt., S/6557, 9th Bn., Black Watch, kia on 31st July 1917, the 1st day of the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). He has no known grave but is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 37. He was the son of Alex., 4 The Crescent, Craigbank

George Miller
Private, S/21908, 7th Bn., Cameron Highlanders, kia 31st August 1916 during the battle for Delville Wood, Somme. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 15B. He came from Connelpark.

Andrew Morrison
Private, S/6740, 1st Bn., Black Watch, kia 5th September 1916 during fighting at High Wood, Somme, buried Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, ref XXII R 9. He was the son of Forbes and a member of the 46th Ayrs. Boy Scouts

John Morgan
Private, 6168,1st Bn., Cameron Highlanders kia on the 22nd October 1914 during the 1st Battle of Ypres, buried Perth Cemetery (China Wall), Ieper, ref XII B 18. He lived in Connelpark and worked at No.2 Afton Pit.

Robert Murray
Private, 35778, 1st/4th Bn., Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry kia on the 22nd November 1917 during the Advance on Jerusalem, buried Jerusalem War Cemetery, ref K 95. He was the son of Mr William Murray, Provision Merchant, Connel Bridge.

R A McGill
Private, 7252, 1st/5th Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers, kia on the 23rd April 1917 during the Advance through Palestine, buried Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt, ref F 140. He was an apprentice joiner with Tweedie and a member of the 46th Ayrs. Boy Scouts.

Archd. McKenzie
Private 1st/5th Bn., Sherwood Foresters, died 27th January 1918 in Glenafton Sanatorium of Tuberculosis, buried in the Auld Kirkyard, plot 185. He was repatriated to his cousin George Caldwell’s farm at South Boig.

Douglas W McKenzie
Private, S/14826, 2nd Bn., Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, kia on the 25th September 1917 during the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). He has no known grave but is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Panel 141—143. He was the son of Douglas and Maggie, Coalburn, New Cumnock

James McMillan DCM
Sergt., 7661, 2nd Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers, kia 1st July 1916 on the 1st day of the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 3C. He lived in Burnview Cottage

George McMillan
Private, 8204, 1st/5th Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers, kia on the 20th December 1915 on the Gallipoli Peninsula, buried in Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery, ref II B 6. He stayed at the Burn and was a cousin of James above.

Samuel McWhirter
Private, 52403, 2nd/10th Bn., Royal Scots, kia on the 22nd February 1919 during the Archangel Expedition to Northern Russia, buried Archangel Allied Cemetery, Special Memorial B 92. He was the son of William, Connel Burn

John Nisbet
Corporal, 6942, 6th/7th Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers, kia on the 9th April 1917 on the 1st day of the Battle of Arras, buried Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, ref XVII K 7. He was the son of David and Maggie, 16 The Crescent, Craigbank

David Smith Paton
Private, 52241, 2nd/10th Bn., Royal Scots, kia on the
Archangel Expedition to Northern Russia. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Archangel Memorial. He was the son of Janet, Connelpark.

John Paton
Sergt., 240377, 5th Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers, kia on the 11th June 1917 during the Advance through Palestine, buried in Gaza War Cemetery, ref XXXI A 3. He was the son of Jeanie, Connelpark.

Hugh Peden
Private, 241272, 5th Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers, died on the 27th August in a Casualty Clearing Station, buried in Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, ref IV D 59. He was the son of Andrew, Pathhead and a baker with Henderson.

Alex Rodgerson (Rogerson)
Private, S/6415,2nd Bn., Black Watch, kia on the 22nd April 1916 at Sannaiyat (Relief of Kut), buried Amara War Cemetery, Iraq, ref XVII H 4. He was a joiner with New Cumnock Collieries and a brother of George below.

George Rodgerson (Rogerson)
Private, 43228, 1st Bn., Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), kia on the 22nd September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme, buried Foncquvillers Military Cemetery, ref I J 2. He and his brother above were sons of Robert and Lily of Southampton House, Pathhead

William Sharp
Private, 4934, 9th Bn., Highland Light Infantry, kia on the 15th July 1916 at High Wood, Somme. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, ref Pier and Face 15C. He was the son of Hugh and Janet, Castle Buildings.

William Sharp
Private, 35985, 10th Bn., Loyal North Lancs. Regt., kia on the 11th April 1917 during the battle of Arras, buried Tank Cemetery, Guemappe, ref A 4. He was the uncle of the above and worked for Henderson the grocer

William Sloan
Private, 240931, 1st/5th Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers, kia on the 26th August 1918 during the recapture of Wancourt, buried Wancourt British Cemetery, ref VI E 21. He was the son of William (a baker) and Eliz. who later moved to Kirkconnel.

William Sloan
Private, 1581, 1st/1st Ayrshire Imperial Yeomanry, kia on the 15th November on the Gallipoli Peninsula, buried Pink Farm Cemetery, Helles, Turkey, ref III B 16. He lived at Roughside.

Wm. McKerrow Sloan
Private, 34590, 8th Bn., Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, kia on the 25th April 1917 during the Macedonian Campaign. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Doiran Memorial, Greece. He was the son of William and Janet of Maneight.

Alexander Sweden
Private, 12766, 3rd Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers, died 29th January 1919 of Encephalitis Lethargica (Sleeping Sickness) contracted during his war service. He is buried in the Afton Road Cemetery ref 1485. He was the son of William and Jessie, 11, Connelpark

Richard Telfer
Private, S/21911, 6th Bn., Cameron Highlanders, kia on the 26th April 1917 during the Battle of Arras. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Arras Memorial, Bay 9. He was the son of Elizabeth, 15 Football Row

George Walker
Lance Corporal, S/16489, 7th Bn., Cameron Highlanders, kia on the 3rd April 1917 during the Battle of Arras, buried Faubourg d’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, ref II N 18. He was the son of William and Agnes, 5, Afton Buildings

John Walker
Private, S/4076, 2nd Bn., Black Watch, kia on the 22nd April 1916 at Sannaiyat (Relief of Kut). He has no known grave but is remembered on the Basra Memorial, Panels 25 and 63. He was the brother of George on the previous page.

Harry Warren
There is no proof that Harry Warren lived in the village or was connected to the church. There is every possibility that this soldier has been confused with

William Arthur Warren
Gunner, 40089, 182 Bde, Royal Field Artillery, died of wounds in a Field Hospital on the 26th April 1916 on the Bethune front, buried Sailly-Labourse Communal Cemetery, ref O 1. He was the husband of Agnes Peden to whom he was married in the manse on 17th April 1914. He was the brother in law of Hugh Peden (qv) and son in law to Alexander Peden, Goods Porter at the Railway Station .

Further information on any of the above names can be found by visiting

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

or for information on our local war memorials and military burials visit

www.newcumnock-warmemorials.org.uk

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