Sergeant
William McPherson
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About William

  • Name
    William
  • Initials
    W
  • Surname
    McPherson
  • Date of Birth
    1893
  • Birth town
    Portree, Isle of Skye
  • Resided town
    Portree
  • Commemorated
  • Nationality
    Scottish
  • Place of death
  • Date of death
  • Married
  • Occupation
    Farm Worker

Service Information

  • Army

  • Service Number
  • Rank
    Sergeant
  • Regiment
    Lovat Scouts

Biography

William McPherson was born in 1890 on the Isle of Skye to parents, Lachlan and Catherine McPherson at Upper Ollach, The Braes, Portree, Isle of Skye.  Lachlan was a farmer.  William had seven siblings, Archibald (21), Jessie (19), Mary (17), Duncan (15), Angus (12), Johana (7) and Dolina (3).

William joined the 1st Lovat Scouts Yeomanry on 2 March 1912 at Beauly, Inverness aged 21. This was initially for a period of four years but later extended.  His medical report states that he was 5ft 11ins tall with a 38” chest and his vision and physical development were recorded as good.  He was employed on his father’s farm.

William enlisted into full time service on 5 August 1914.  He embarked from Devonport for Gallipoli on 7 September 1915, and disembarked Suvla Bay on 26 September.   By 21 November 1915, he was admitted to hospital with jaundice and transferred to St David’s Hospital, Malta on the Hospital Ship “Letitia” and invalided back to England on 12 December 1915.  He was admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham on 23 December 1915.

On 16 November 1916, William embarked at Folkestone for Boulogne and joined the 3rd Corps 4th Army  and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.  In December 1918, he transferred to the 10th Lovat Scouts Battalion (Cameron Highlanders) and served in France until 8 February 1919.

 In January 1919 William’s father, Lachlan MacPherson, wrote offering to take William back into employment as a general farm worker, as prior to joining up William had been responsible for the work and management of his farm.  William also wrote to ask if he could be released from military service to take up his farm work.  A warrant was issued on 2 February 1919, and William was demobilised on 8 March 1919.  His character during his military service was good.

He was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War and Allied Victory Medals.  He was  “Mentioned in Despatches” for an incident which took place on 4 June 1917, and his character was described as exemplary.

In October 1919, William requested a character reference as he was applying for employment with the Glasgow Police Force.

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Campaign Medals

The 1914-15 Star
The Allied Victory Medal
The British War Medal, 1914-18

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