Tag: WW1 Hamilton

PRIVATE MICHAEL McNAMEE. 35 CHURCH STREET, HAMILTON, WW1. 1918

MichaelMcNamee.
McCallum’s Family Tree.

 

WW1 Soilder.

Over the past few weeks Wilma Bolton has been sending us her Hamilton Advertiser newspaper transcriptions from her collection.

The names of the people mentioned are mostly now out of recent memory to the families involved, however throughout the day we will be posting Wilma’s transcriptions for you to read.

To start things off, Wilma sent me an article on my 2nd Great grand uncle who was called Michael McNamee, and he was killed in action over in France in 1918. Like many young Hamilton men who went to fight in WW1, a lot never came back. I did know a little about Michael McNamee as I have researched him and have most of his details in my Family Tree, however I didn’t have the transcription from the Hamilton Advertiser, so thank you Wilma for sending this to me.

Michael McNamee service Record.
Michael’s Service Record.

PRIVATE MICHAEL McNAMEE.
35 CHURCH STREET, HAMILTON, WW1. 1918

HAMILTON AND THE WAR.— Pte. Michael McNamee, son of Mr and Mrs McNamee, 35 Church Street, has died from wounds received in action of 18th October.

Twenty-one tears of age, Pte, McNamee left his employment in Ferniegair Colliery in June 1915, and enlisted in the Royal Scots. For his gallantry on the field he was awarded the Military Medal. His commanding officer, writing to his parents, says, Pte. McNamee was “a great favourite with both officers and men.

He was a great boy, and thoroughly deserved the honour he gained, as he always showed himself a brave lad, and willing to help others.” Ref. Hamilton Advertiser. 7/12/1918 page 4.
(Wilma S. Bolton 2012)

Let us know if a member of your family has been mentioned in Wilma’s transcriptions.

Robert Wilson

Wendy.1.5
Robert Wilson.

Following on from our story about Robert Aiton’s death, Wendy Wilson sent us a picture of her Grandfather Robert Wilson. Wendy told us: “My Grandpa Robert Wilson B 1887 worked in the mines from at least 13 yrs old. In 1912 he emigrated to Canada (from Blantyre) & got a job on the Canadian Pacific Railways. When WW1 broke out he returned to Scotland with the intention of fighting for his country. The recruiting person asked what he did before he went to Canada & when he told them he was down the pit they said he could not join up as they needed miners more than soldiers. So that was him for the rest of his life. I think it was the Clyde pit he worked in which my Dad said was the wettest pit in Scotland. He spent all day up to his waist in water. The pit was shut down in the 1930s & all the miners were offered jobs in Fife. The family moved to somewhere near Dunfermline but my Granny missed Hamilton too much & they only stayed a few years before returning.”

Wendy thank you for sharing your Grandfathers story.