John Mackie Gowrie Deserted

[PaulB28]

I found a medal record for a John Mackie Gowrie which states that he deserted on the 27th of July 1918.

I know from his marriage record to Annie Thompson (nee Young) on the 4th of July 1918 that he was private in the Highland Light Infantry and that he was currently based at the duddingston camp near Edinburgh.

I have looked at the book Death Sentences passed by Military Courts of the British Army 1914-1924, which states all soldiers that had been convcted by the military courts but there is mention of him.

I wonder if there is any other records I could look up.

[JimM]

I have looked at the book Death Sentences passed by Military Courts of the British Army 1914-1924, which states all soldiers that had been convcted by the military courts but there is mention of him.

Hi Paul
According to the records..

During the period between August 1914 and March 1920 more than 20,000 servicemen were convicted by court-martial of offences which carried the death sentence.
Only 3000 of those men were ordered to be put to death and of those just over 1% were executed.

So that means that out of a possible 20,000..... "only" around 300 were actually executed.

I wonder if there will be any court martial records in the HLI war diaries held at NA?

Jim


Wait a minute....
If 3000 were sentenced
and 306 were executed
that's just over 10% surely?

Figures from the BBC

[PaulB28]

Hi Jim

Thanks for replying to my post.

This John Gowrie is a bit of Mystery.

John Gowrie's wife Anne Young was married before to a Andrew Thompson they had 5 children up to 1905, the story is that Andrew Thompson walked out on the family about 1905. In the Meantime Annie had two children with John Gowrie (James in 1912 and George in 1915) On the George's birth certificate Annie states that she has not seen Andrew Thomson for 10 years and that Andrew is definately is not the dad!

John Gowrie and Annie Young marry in front on the sheriff in 1918 in Kilmarnock at the time John was in the Highland Light Infantry, a few weeks after he married John deserted the army.

He turns up in glasgow in 1920 signing the death certificate at the time he stayed at 41 Burnside Street but I have looked at the Electoral Rolls records for 41 Burnside Street and there is no john Gowrie on the rolls but Andrew Thompson is on the the roll along with Annie!

Andrew is on all the electoral rolls up to Annie Young death in 1936. (Andrew Thompson signs the death certifcate). After 1936 Andrew Thompson disapears (never found a death).

But I did find a death for John Gowrie in 1950 plus he is on the electoral Roll at 6 Burns Street from 1945 to 1950. He is only time I found him on the electoral roll.
But were was he between in 1920 and 1945!

regards

Paul

[Jack]

Hi Paul,
Any chance John GOWRIE used Andrew THOMPSON's name to "hide" from the army?
Who's DC was he signing in 1920? A family member? so that he had to use the name of John Gowrie?
Family history makes you sceptical at times.
Jack
[edited - not cynical; sceptical..!]

[JimM]

Any chance John GOWRIE used Andrew THOMPSON's name to "hide" from the army?

Hi Jack
I was thinking much the same

Jim

[Jack]

Hi Jim,
Not at all surprised you were thinking the same way!
Seems an awfie coincidence that John Gowrie & Andrew Thompson were both at the same address in 1920....
And Annie there too, then after her 1936 death Andrew "disappears".
But then John turns up after being "missing" for years.
Time may tell if we were right!
Jack

[PaulB28]

HI Jim & Jack

Thanks for replying to my posts.

The death Certificate he was signing in 1920 was his sons James Gowrie so he would have to use his correct name.

And I am coming to that idea as well

But there are a couple of things that don't add up.

Andrew Thompson & Annie Young's daughter Annie Thompson claimed on her marriage certificate in 1918 that her father was dead but her brother claimed in 1919 on his marriage that his father was alive thereafter every certificate claimed he was alive.

They also lived at two addresses in Glasgow 41 Burnside Street from 1920 -1925 and 42 Hamiltonhill Road from 1925 onwards.

On the Electoral rolls the names that are down are Andrew Thompson and Annie Thompson. This stop's in 1936 when Annie Thompson dies (registered as Annie Thompson signed by Andrew Thompson). In, 1937 the only names on the roll at 42 Hamiltonhill Road are Andrew Thompson and his son William Thompson after that they don't appear. But in the 1944 John Gowrie's mother dies, the certificate is signed by John Gowrie he gives his address as 42 Hamiltonhill Road!

I have also looked at the Valuation Rolls for 42 Hamiltonhill Road a round about that time in 1937 Andrew Thompson appears on the roll but never appears again after this date. Another family seems to move into his house after this date according to the rolls but John Gowrie never appears on these rolls despite saying he lived there in 1944.

Another thing is the signatures on the certificates the signature for Andrew Thompson on his wife's death certificate is the same as the signatures on his children’s birth certificates it is also completely different from John Gowrie signature

Regards

Paul

[StewL]

Hello Paul

This is an intriguing puzzle.

I tend to agree with Jack and Jim on this, I would be thinking too that John used Andrews name to hide from the army and possibly other reasons as well.

Another theory to add to the ever increasing pot, is that as you have never found Andrews death, there is a possibility that he left Scotland for parts unknown OR? that he mysteriously died at some time around the early 1900's and his remains are not in an "established" place of interment.
Not that I'm suggesting John or Annie had anything to do with it????

As John only "reappears" after Annies death and for the odd signing of a death certificate tends to make me think that he no longer had to keep up the pretence and reverted to his original name. Also after a period of time the army is no longer interested in those that deserted, 25 years sounds like a reasonable time period for this.

I did think for a while that Andrew and John were one and the same person, but discounted this theory as he would have no need to reappear as John and then marry Annie again. Buth then again we dont know what Andrew got up to to disappear do we? And just perhaps after "Andrew" disappeared Annie insisted on getting remarried to the new John.

But then again this is only pure speculation!

I hope you find a solution to your puzzle.
Help! Miss Marple! Please.

[Jack]

Hi Paul,
Maybe to get a better understanding of the folk involved, could you help out on these?
--
When were Andrew THOM(P)SON & Annie YOUNG married? Where?
What were their ages?
Names of all children? Where & when born?
Do you have Andrew, Annie & children on the 1901 census?
-
When & where was John Mackie GOWRIE born? Age on 1918 MC?
What age was he on his 1950 DC? Who was the informant?
And do you have John on the 1901 census too?
Was Annie as a widow on the 1918 MC? What name did she use?
--
As Stewie says - a puzzle!
Ta - Jack
ps later - was Andrew Thomson a tea chest maker?

[PaulB28]

Hi Jack, & Stew

Sorry for the long post but there is alot information here

Andrew Thompson was Born on the 13.02.1872 In Kilmarnock He was registered under the name of Andrew Thomson Russell his parents were Andrew Thomson and Rachel Russell. His parents went on to marry other people his father moved to Edinburgh and married at Matilda Thomson. His mother married William Heppleston (or Hepworth) and moved & lived in Paisley. According the census records Andrew was brought up by his grandparents Andrew Thomson and Agnes Cooper and lived in Kilmarnock. The name Russell was dropped and he was known as Andrew Thomson he was then later known as Andrew Thompson (according to a family he added the P while serving in the Boer war to make him different from Thomson’s in regiment).

He married Annie Wood Young on the 8th of December 1896 in Kilmarnock, Annie was the daughter Archibald Young and Ann Wood. At that time he said he was a stableman.

Their children were Annie Jane Wood Thomson born 2.02.1898 in Kilmarnock, Andrew Cooper Thompson Born on the 9.09.1899 in Kilmarnock, Archibald Edward Thompson Born 25.03.1902 in Kilmarnock, William Hepworth Thompson Born on the 16.12.1903 in Kilmarnock and John Thompson born on the 19.05.1905 in Kilmarnock.

In 1901 the family are still living in Kilmarnock, Andrew is not with the family, the only people there are Annie Thompson aged 27 Housekeeper Soldier's Wife. And her children Annie aged 3 and Andrew aged 1.

As you can see from one of names they were in contact with Andrew's mother Rachel and her family and I did find a poor relief record applied by Rachel in 1912 on behalf of Annie Jane Wood Thompson who was staying with her in paisley. On this record it claimed that Annie was deserted and Andrew Thompson's whereabouts were unknown plus that Annie Young was staying with John Gowrie somewhere in the Kilmarnock area.

I also know that two of the Thompson brothers Andrew and John went to Australia sometime in the 1920's.

With regards to John Mackie Gowrie he was born on the 11th of August 1881 in Kilmarnock his mother was Elizabeth Gowrie.

I have not been able to find him on the 1901 census as of yet. His & Annie Young's Son James Gowrie was born in 1912 in Dreghorn and George Gibson Young Gowrie was born on the 4th of August 1915 in Kilmarnock on this certificate John Gowrie is down as a general labourer.

He married Annie Young on the 4th of July 1918 in Kilmarnock John stated that he was a General Labourer (Private 3rd Highland Light Infantry) aged 40 and Annie claimed she was a widow and that she was aged 45. This marriage was in front of the sheriff.

His Medal Card states that he was a private in the Royal Scots Fusiliers No: 32676 and a private in the Highland Light Infantry No: 45076 and that he deserted on the 27th of July 1918.

On the Death Certificate for Annie Young in 1936 it was signed by Andrew Thompson General Labourer and on the certificate there is no mention that she was married to John Gowrie.

John Gowrie died on the 12 of February 1950 in Glasgow it stated that he was a general labourer widower of Annie Young no mention of Thompson the certificate. The informant was George Gowrie John's son.

I am coming to the conclusion that John Gowrie was using the name of Andrew Thompson. But maybe Andrew went to live the paisley to be close to his mother maybe I should look into that connection.

Regards

Paul