Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Private W Stairmand was serving with the 2/7^th Black Watch (Highland Brigade), attached to 192 Brigade Headquarters in Norwich when he passed through Peterborough East Station on 31 March 1917.  He wrote in the visitors’ book “A kindly welcome here I got, And cheered with a cup of tea, But the Railway trains Are here all rot And gives your heart great pains.”

We have been unable to positively identify this soldier but believe him to be William Stairmand who was born in Darlington in 1875 to parents William and Mary (nee Melrose).  Sometime after his birth the family moved to Scotland and in 1881 William, aged six is living at 4 Upper Greenside Lane, St Andrews, Midlothian with his parents William (34), an iron moulder, and Mary (40) and siblings Adam (13), Wilhelmina (11), Helen (9), Ferguson (7) and John (3).  By 1901, William (25) is married to Annie (25) and they are living at Edward Place, Cadder, East Cadder, Lanarkshire with William (4) and George (2).  William is listed as a railway signalman, born in England.

William enlisted with the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in Hamilton, Lanarkshire.  We have been unable to trace his service records, but have located records which tell us that William died from wounds on 20 September 1918 in Belgium.  He is commemorated at the Potijze Chateau Lawn Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium and on the Carnwath War Memorial, Lanarkshire.  He was awarded the British War and Allied Victory Medals.

Do you recognise the name Stairmand?  Please get in touch if you can help to positively identify this soldier.