Andrew Douglas was born on 18th July, 1893 at Seacliff,
Whitekirk, East Lothian, was killed in a shooting accident. He was the son of Robert Douglas from Salton
near Haddington who was a gardener. His mother was Marion (nee) Deans
Douglas who had herself been born at Whitekirk.
By the 1901 census, the family had moved to Linlithgow. Robert was
working as a gardener at Nether Parkley where the family lived in the
gate house. (The Henderson family which owned the estate were wealthy
enough to not only employ a gardener but also two servants.) Robert was
aged 40 while his wife was four years younger. Andrew, aged seven, was
the middle of three children and was attending school. His older sister
Eliza was 14 and was attending Linlithgow Academy. She gained her merit
certificate there in October 1901. The youngest in the family, Isabella
was four and had not started her education yet.
In 1911, the census reveals the family were at the same address and
Andrew, now 17, was working as a domestic gardener, possibly helping his
father on the estate. The oldest sister, now recorded as Elizabeth, was
working as a dressmaker while Isabella was attending school. She was no
longer the youngest, Robert aged four was now the baby of the family.
In December 1914, Andrew joined the local Territorial unit, 2/10th
Battalion of The Royal Scots which was formed in Linlithgow in September
1914. This was a cycling battalion. These units were seen as a way of
increasing the mobility of soldiers relatively cheaply. The 1/10th and
2/10th (Cyclist) Companies had their headquarters in Linlithgow. The
companies of the battalion also had drill stations in different
locations spread throughout West Lothian. Another former pupil of
Linlithgow Academy, Henry Cowan enlisted with the same unit on the same
date. Henry’s service number was 2461 and Andrew’s was 2462 so they
probably stood together in the queue at the recruitment station.
Andrew’s army medical inspection made on 8th December 1914 revealed that
he was in good health, was five foot nine inches tall and had a 42 inch
chest.
Volunteers in Territorial units could not be forced to serve abroad
unless they agreed to do so. On 14th January 1915, at Bathgate, Andrew
signed a form where in the event of a national emergency he agreed to
serve outside the United Kingdom.
Andrew was first sent to Bathgate for training before his unit was
posted to coastal defence duties near East Linton and Berwick- on-Tweed
It was just north of Berwick where he was the victim of a tragic
accident on Tuesday 30th March 1915. Andrew, together with Private John
Bryce and Lance Corporal David Oswald were stationed on coast watch near
a shelter on the banks overlooking the North Sea at St John’s Haven just
on the English side of the border. David Oswald would have known Andrew
well as he had been born in Linlithgow and was only a couple of years
older. Before he signed up to join 2/10th The Royal Scots, he had been
an employee of Linlithgow County Council. John Bryce, who was to be a
key witness to what happened next came from West Calder.
During the afternoon, Lance Corporal Oswald was demonstrating the
different stages of rifle drill to the two soldiers he was in command
of. When he brought his gun to the examine arms position, he
accidentally fired it. Andrew was shot in the left chest by a bullet
which exited at his right armpit. The horrified Oswald had the presence
of mind to send Private Bryce to get help while he did what he could for
the mortally wounded Andrew. Bryce returned with two other soldiers and
together they carried Andrew into the shelter. Lance Corporal Oswald
then cycled to Berwick to get medical assistance. He found a local
doctor named Anderson from Berwick who set off to help. Oswald then
reported the incident to his officer. By the time the doctor arrived,
Andrew had been dead for about an hour.
The clearly devastated Lance Corporal Oswald had to face a Coroner’s
inquest into Andrew’s death the day after the shooting. He was
questioned by Captain Alexander Forbes, Officer Commanding No. 1
Company, 2/10th (Cyclist) Battalion The Royal Scots and the Coroner,
Captain Mackay. When asked if he knew the rifle was loaded, he replied”
Yes, sir, I loaded the rifle when I went to the post in the morning. I
forgot the ammunition was in the magazine. I was easing the springs when
the rifle went off. It went off when I shut the bolt.” When asked if he
was quite friendly with the deceased, he replied “Yes, sir, we were
quite happy together all day.” To the question “You never had any
dispute with him?” he responded “No, sir.” Fortunately for Oswald,
Private Bryce had been a witness to the shooting and gave evidence to
prove that both men had been on friendly terms and that no angry words
had been exchanged before the incident. As a result, after a brief
consultation, the jury gave their unanimous verdict “that death was due
to an accident.”
The following day on 1st April, Lance Corporal Oswald had to face a
Police Court charged with the manslaughter of Private Andrew Douglas. As
the incident had already been examined at the Coroner’s inquest, the
result was a formality. The Mayor of Berwick-on-Tweed, A.L. Miller
delivered the verdict. “The Bench have considered the case and discharge
you, David Oswald. They feel great sympathy with you. They hope that you
will not take this too much to heart, but will go on doing your duties
as formerly and so forget this painful episode. You are discharged
without any reflection on you whatsoever.”
Lance Corporal Oswald returned to duty and perhaps to put the tragic
accident behind him, joined 12th Battalion of The Royal Scots. He was
killed in action on 19th August 1918. The witness to the tragic
accident, Private Bryce, also died in the war, still serving with 2/10th
The Royal Scots, he died of wounds on 24th September 1916.
Andrew’s body was returned to Linlithgow by train and taken to the
family home, the Lodge at Nether Parkley. A detachment of Andrew’s unit
was sent from Berwick to represent 2/10th The Royal Scots at the
funeral. In addition, soldiers of The Highland Light Infantry who were
billeted in Linlithgow at the time were formed to lead the funeral along
the High Street to Linlithgow Cemetery. This escort carried their rifles
reversed, a traditional mark of respect and mourning at military
funerals. The H.L.I. pipe band played the traditional lament ‘The
Flowers of the Forest’ as the horse drawn hearse carrying Andrew’s Union
Jack, draped coffin was taken to the cemetery where the escort fired
volleys of shots in the air over Andrew’s grave as a final salute to
him. Linlithgow Academy also paid respect to a former pupil by flying
the school’s flag at half-mast.
Andrew is buried in Linlithgow Cemetery, grave reference: H. 393. Only
three of the 27 former Linlithgow Academy pupils who fell during the
First World War were buried at home. Andrew is the only one buried in
Linlithgow. The other two local burials are David Victor Foot who is
buried in Bo’ness Cemetery and George Turner Watt who is buried at
Muiravonside Cemetery.
Linlithgowshire Gazette 9th April 1915: Military Funeral at Linlithgow
“The funeral of Private Andrew Douglas of 2-10th Royal Scots, who lost
his life in a gun accident at Berwick-on-Tweed on Thursday of last week,
took place last Friday afternoon from Nether Parkley Lodge, Linlithgow,
the residence of his parents to Linlithgow Cemetery. A detachment from
deceased’s Company under Lieutenant P.C. Thom, came from
Berwick-on-Tweed to attend the obsequeries as a mark of respect for
their late comrade. There was also a turnout of men and officers from
the detachment of the Highland Light Infantry billeted in the town, and
from which was furnished the firing party, which walked at the head of
the cortage with rifles reversed. Then came the Pipe Band of the H.L.I.
playing “the Flowers of the Forest,” immediately in front of the hearse
(the coffin being wrapped in the Union Jack), behind which walked the
chief mourners and the general public. The detachment from the 2-10th
bringing up the rear. As the cortage passed along the High Street there
were many manifestations of deep sorrow among the inhabitants. Prior to
the body being removed from Nether Parkley Lodge a short service was
conducted by the Rev. Robert Couper, B.D., minister of the parish, to
whose church deceased belonged. Mr Couper also officiated at the grave,
and at the conclusion of this service the usual number of volleys were
fired over the grave by the firing party. The deceased was a former
pupil of Linlithgow Academy, and on the morning after the accident
happened, Mr Beveridge, the Rector of the Academy, made these remarks at
the usual morning muster of the school :- ” I regret to have sad news
to-day. One of your former pupils, Pte. Andrew Douglas, of the 2-10th
Battalion R.S., has been accidentally shot at Berwick, where his
battalion was stationed. Not from eagerness to make money, not from an
ambition to gain glory, but from a simple sense of duty he had decided
to enlist in the service of King and country. He made the great
sacrifice of self for the good of others. Though he was fated to die by
accident here in his native land and not on a foreign field of battle,
none the less truly did he die for his country.” All day on Friday the
flag at the Academy flew at half-mast.”
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