Private George Sutherland

[Cramond Brig]

Private George Sutherland, Birthplace Wick, Residence British Guiana, Death Date 17 June, 1918, Enlistment Location Aberdeen, Regiment Princess Louise's (Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders) 1/5th Battalion, Service Number S/20755.

This is one of the 7,000 or so Argyll's I have included in the WW1 Roll of Scotland's Dead that I am working on. Unfortunately these appear to be the only CWGC and National Archive details - but I may have missed him.

I am really keen to find out who his parents were, details of any siblings and if the British Guiana connection makes sense to anyone from Caithness. There are so many George Sutherlands. 

Thanks for any help.

Alistair

[ev]

alistair

CWGC has son of mrs m. sutherland 158 broomhill road aberdeen

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=531133

ev

[Cramond Brig]

alistair

CWGC has son of mrs m. sutherland 158 broomhill road aberdeen

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=531133

ev

ev

Can't believe I missed that. Staring at too many Argylls!

I have found these two in 1901 -

George Sutherland 47, b Lutheron, Caithness, wife Marjory, 34 living at H M C Prison Seafield where he was Clerk of Works at H M Prison Peterhead
Others in the household: Maggie Sutherland 16, Andrew Sutherland 14, Christian Sutherland 8, George F Sutherland 6, Patrick C Sutherland 2

George Sutherland 23, b Wick, boarder at 5 Schoolhill in Aberdeen.  Occupation was shoemaker.

Need to do more work on the second one but the first one's mother is Mrs M.

Still no clue about the British Guiana connection.

Alistair
 

[Cramond Brig]

I have found a Medal Card for him with the correct Argyll Service Number. It shows him first enlisting in the British West Indies Regiment and then transferring to the Argylls. Begins to make the British Guiana connection credible.

Still hopeful of finding out more about him.

Alistair

[Cramond Brig]

Some information I was given this afternoon -

"I'm afraid I have no more to add to what you have found via Medal Card, CWGC and SDGW records. I have found that there were a few men who were born in the UK but enlisted in British Guiana, started off in the BWIR and were transferred out to another regiment later. George volunteered and enlisted in British Guiana and was drafted into the British Guiana Contingent and transported to the UK. This was probably because he didn't have the money to pay his own fare, and  the local colonial government paid for the cost. I have come across a couple of other people who enlisted in the Caribbean but 'made there own way' to the UK and joined a British regiment on arrival. As you are probably aware the BWIR was a 'colonial' or 'black' regiment officered by Europeans. George was most certainly of European (Scots) decent, so didn't fit in with the BWIR profile. He was probably placed in the BWIR on a temporary holding basis in the UK until he was transferred to a 'suitable' regiment. It should also be noted that 'black' Britons (living in the UK) who enlisted with a British Regiment were often transferred to the BWIR later.
 
Some others I found who enlisted in British Guiana and later transferred to British Regiments:
 
Thomas William Hunte 124 BWIR later 5417 Royal Irish Rifles
William E. Mackay 181 West India Regiment (poss mistake, could be BWIR) later 203326 Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Cecil Sadler 229 BWIR later 24747 Gloucester Regiment."

Alistair

[Cramond Brig]

I have another possibility in my quest to find the right George Sutherland -

A George Sutherland was born c1832 in Udny, Aberdeenshire and married Margaret Cruickshank, born c1851 in Auchterless, Aberdeenshire on 6 June 1872 at Culsalmond, Aberdeenshire. The difference in ages suggest the George snr could have died by 1918 when George jr's mother is on her own. George snr was an Episcopal Clergyman.

In the 1851 census - Student at Marischal College, Aberdeen; 1881 census - Clergyman at Wick; 1891 & 1901 census - Clergyman at Portsoy, Fordyce, Banffshire. There were 10 children born to this couple including George, born 17 May 1878 at Wick.

George jr is shown in the 1891 Census but not 1901. I wonder if he had gone to BG to "seek his fortune" and then returned to Aberdeenshire, perhaps on the death of the father or because of the War.

Any input would be appreciated as I would like to do this lad justice in the Roll.

Alistair