United Kingdom

At 50 Wellington Street in the Blythswood district of Glasgow, David Wishart (36) – dock labourer, marries Margaret Hall Anderson, who is fifteen years his junior. David is the son of the late John Wishart and Helen Slidders. Margaret is the illegitimate daughter of Margaret Hall Anderson, who was subsequently married to John Wamsley Farmer. They are part of tree WIS0115.

France & Flanders

In Arras, France at 1:30 am the 8th/10th Battalion Gordon Highlanders moved up into attack positions ahead of an assault on Monchy. Amongst their ranks was 3/6364 Pte. William Wishart from Aberdeen. The Gordons took up a setting off point about 2-300 yards in advance of a third objective that had been taken two days before, and attacked with the 7th Cameron Highlanders at 5am. After advancing about 200 yards, the battalion came under very heavy machine gun fire from both Monchy and a wood to their left situated across the River Scarpe. In the absence of artillery support, and no hope of progress under current conditions, the men were forced to find refuge in shell holes until mid-afternoon, when a snowstorm blew up and offered enough cover for the attack to continue. A further 600 yards of ground were covered before the assault was halted and the battalion ordered to hold their position until they were relieved. During the day’s events William was killed in action. His body was never recovered, or his grave lost later in the war, and he is commemorated on both the Arras and Aberdeen War Memorials. He is part of tree WIS0076.