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Remembered Today:

Sapper Donald Saddler Appleby - Royal Engineers


alf mcm

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I am researching Sapper Donald Saddler Appleby, Royal Engineers. He died on 23/11/1918, at the age of 46, and is buried in Livingston Churchyard. He was born in Aberdeen, but had moved to Banff by 1897 where he got married, and I was wonderiong if he was mentioned on a memorial in the Aberdeen or Banff areas.

Regards,

Alf McM

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Most of Scotland's civic memorials (and an awful lot more) are online at Scottish War Memorials Project.

There is also a queries and requests section.

\Spoons

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Thanks Spoons and Jim for your replies,

I was aware of the Scottish War Memorials Project, and it is extremely impressive. Even so, it does not yet contain all memorials in the particular areas, and this is why I raised my question on the forum. I am sure some members are in the process of recording memorials, and may have the information I requested.

Regards,

Alf McM

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I was aware of the Scottish War Memorials Project, and it is extremely impressive. Even so, it does not yet contain all memorials in the particular areas, and this is why I raised my question on the forum.

Alf

I take you mean Aberdeenshire / Banffshire areas. Did he live in the town of Banff?

Which particular memorials are you referring to here?

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Hello Jim,

I did in fact mean Aberdeenshire and Banffshire. Donald was born in New Deer, Aberdeenshire, in 1872. He was married in Dufftown, Banffshire, in 1897, and moved to Livingston in about 1905. I am not sure if his parents moved from New Deer to Dufftown {I am sure they didn'y move to Livingston}, and this thinks that his name may have been recorded in New Deer or Dufftown. Donald could of course have also lived in other areas in ASberdeenshire and Banffshire. I am sure his parents would have wanted his name recorded, presumably on a memorial close to where they were living. I hope this all makes sense!

Regards,

Alf McM

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He was born in Aberdeen, but had moved to Banff by 1897 where he got married

Alf

I was misled by the above and checked the places mentioned, ie. Aberdeen and Banff. I can check New Deer and Dufftown ( Mortlach) later.

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Appleby is not listed at New Deer or Mortlach. Most, if not, all the memorials in Aberdeenshire allow the names to be searched. No sign of him.

I found him in lodgings at Duftown, Mortlach age 19, a mason born Maud. He must have stated he was born there. Not found in Scotland 1901.

It is likely the local link was lost if he went south c 1905.

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  • 12 years later...

Hi there - the sapper - Donald Saddler Appleby is my great grand father. I have researched him in 2010 but I would love to know why you are / were looking for him. He married my great mother Mary Campbell. They went to Australia in 1902 but came back after she miscarried 3 times, sadly. He enlisted in 1914 and was one of the oldest volunteers in the Scottish regiments . He saved a Captain life, Captain Cattanach in 1917. He was then sent back from the front where he was in accident in armaments tent where he was hit in face. He broke his jaw and his cheek bone. The wounds  became septic and turned tumorous. He died 12 days after the armistice . I tried to find his grave but it seems unmarked and as far as I know his name does not appear on any memorial  , something I would like to rectify if possible. any news would be gratefully received - Yours - Ian Appleby 

Hi there - the sapper - Donald Saddler Appleby is my great grand father. I have researched him in 2010 but I would love to know why you are / were looking for him. He married my great mother Mary Campbell. They went to Australia in 1902 but came back after she miscarried 3 times, sadly. He enlisted in 1914 and was one of the oldest volunteers in the Scottish regiments . He saved a Captain life, Captain Cattanach in 1917. He was then sent back from the front where he was in accident in armaments tent where he was hit in face. He broke his jaw and his cheek bone. The wounds  became septic and turned tumorous. He died 12 days after the armistice . I tried to find his grave but it seems unmarked and as far as I know his name does not appear on any memorial  , something I would like to rectify if possible. any news would be gratefully received - Yours - Ian Appleby 

 

On 17/05/2009 at 18:38, alf mcm said:

I am researching Sapper Donald Saddler Appleby, Royal Engineers. He died on 23/11/1918, at the age of 46, and is buried in Livingston Churchyard. He was born in Aberdeen, but had moved to Banff by 1897 where he got married, and I was wonderiong if he was mentioned on a memorial in the Aberdeen or Banff areas.

Regards,

Alf McM

 

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On 18/05/2009 at 18:57, kinnethmont said:

Appleby is not listed at New Deer or Mortlach. Most, if not, all the memorials in Aberdeenshire allow the names to be searched. No sign of him.

I found him in lodgings at Duftown, Mortlach age 19, a mason born Maud. He must have stated he was born there. Not found in Scotland 1901.

It is likely the local link was lost if he went south c 1905.

Hi there - hes my great grandfather - the reason you cant find him 1901 is that he was on his way to Australia. He returned and fought in WW1. where was wounded, shipped back to the Balgowan war hospital where dies a year later from cancer of the mandible. Id love to know if you have any information it would be most welcome. Ian Appleby GG son of Donald s Appleby  

 

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Good to hear from you Ian. I have been researching Donald for a few years now and have quite a bit of information, although you have added a lot that is new to me. I am at work at present but will contact you tonight. Donald is buried in Livingston Churchyard, West Lothian, with a CWGC gravestone. He is also commemorated locally.

Regards,

Alf McM

Edited by alf mcm
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On 17/05/2009 at 18:38, alf mcm said:

I am researching Sapper Donald Saddler Appleby, Royal Engineers. He died on 23/11/1918

 Several pension cards at WFA/Fold3 have him named as: Donald Sadler APPLEBY, 299658, RE

They also make reference to: Previously with RS & HLI [which I would interpret as Royal Scots & Highland Light Infantry]

Cause of death: Carcinoma Superior Maxilla comm. on Active Service

 

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Helo Matlock,

  Yes you are right, it should be Sadler. My original thread was started when I was beginning my research many years ago. There is much better information available now.

Regards,

Alf McM

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5 hours ago, Ian appleby said:

I tried to find his grave but it seems unmarked

Photo of grave at Find a Grave  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74932993/donald-s-appleby 

CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/665112/donald-s-appleby 

M

Edited by Matlock1418
cwgc
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