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Remembered Today:

RIFLEMAN IN POPLAR & STEPNEY RIFLES


bobpike

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MACALLAN (McCALLAN) Rifleman  James A (2578)

17th Bn.London Regt  Poplar & Stepney Rifles kia 15th or16th January 1916 age 26

Son of Mr. G. and Mrs. E. B. Macallan, of 182, West Grove, Woodford Green, Essex

MAROC BRITISH CEMETERY, GRENAY-I. B. 25

 

Can anyone help. please with any information notably his date of death

and  the war diary entry for that date and any other information that arises

Thank you

 

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War diary extract. TNA WO95/2737. Document Crown Copyright. My photo.

 

 

Capture.JPG

 

On 15 January the battalion was in divisional reserve at Les Brebis.

 

Edited by Chris_Baker
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Hi Bob,

 

FMP has a transcribed record. It reads:

 

Record Transcription:

British Army, Railwaymen Died In The Great War

 

First name(s): John [sic] A

Last name: Macallan

Death date: 16 Jan 1916

Occupation; Works Manager

Railway company: Great Eastern Railway

Railway department: Stratford

Service number: 2578

RankRifleman

Unit:17th (County Of London) Battalion (Poplar & Stepney Rifles)

Regiment: London Regiment

Cemetery or memorial: Maroc British Cemetery, Grenay

 

Notes

Aged 26, son of Mr G. and Mrs E.B. Macallan of 182 West Grove, Woodford Green, Essex. He was born on the 10th February 1890. He joined the GER on the 23rd April 1904, as an office boy and became a draughtsman in 1913. He enlisted in September 1914. He was killed in action.
In the St Paul's booklet it lists his rank as 'Private' and railway job as 'Draughtsman'.

Photo: Yes

Information source: St Paul's Cathedral Order of Service 1919; Great Eastern Railway Magazine (Image: Great Eastern Railway Society); Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Magazine reference: Great Eastern Railway Magazine: March 1916, p85

Register type: Records

Archive: National Railway Museum

 

Regards

Chris

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Medal roll shows trio. France 9/3/15. Under John A MacAllan. According to LLT the battalion landed at Le Havre the next day. The medal toll shows !a 10/3/15/- 16/1/16 and John Alexander. £5 10s gratuity - So looks like enlisted circa Aug 1914.

Edited by Mark1959
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   In addition to the above sources, he is on a local website "Redbridge and the First World War"- but the only additional information is that he is commemorated at St. Barnbas, Woodford Green.

 

      But he will be covered well in the new publication- "The War Dead of Woodford", which has been deposited in Redbridge Local Studies- good on the 550+ men from Woodford Green, South Woodford and Woodford Bridge. It's compiler, Adrian Lee is most thorough. If I do not bump into him this week, then I will see what he has- he usually has some other bits and pieces tucked away from Woodford sources that are not elsewhere

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That's very kind of you. I'm writing a series of articles on the 19 war dead who attended Newport Free Grammar School Essex (now Joyce Frankland's Academy) and Macallan was the second casualty of the 19, so finding a picture would be most apt

Bob

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Hi Bob,

 

12 hours ago, bobpike said:

Has anyone any ideas where I can search for a photo of him?

 

The FMP transcription intimates that there's one in the Great Eastern Railway Magazine, and that the National Railway Museum hold a copy. Alternatively, it seems like the Essex Record Office has an "incomplete" run of the magazine, so it might be worth contacting them - link. For example:

 

IMG_9275

Image sourced from the Essex Record Office Blog on the records, linked above

 

Regards

Chris

Edited by clk
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Has anyone access the March 1916 edition of 

Great Eastern Railway Magazine (Image: Great Eastern Railway Society) where I believe there is a photo to be found?

Magazine reference: Great Eastern Railway Magazine: March 1916, p85

Archive: National Railway Museum

Many thanks

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Bob- Has the stuff come through???    I hve access to GER Mag-but the photo should already be with you- Best to check your spam bin,etc-  Many e-mails or attachments tend to end up there. If necessary, will send by post!!

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Photo to come!!  Will not copy

 

MACALLAN, JOHN ALEXANDER

 Rank:

Rifleman

Service No:

2578

Date of Death:

16/01/1916

Age:

26

Regiment/Service:

London Regiment

17th Bn.

Grave Reference:

I. B. 25.

Cemetery:

MAROC BRITISH CEMETERY, GRENAY

Additional Information:

Born on 10-02-90 at Forest Gate, son of George (Workshop Manager for the Great Eastern Railway), and Ellen Benedicta MacAllan. 1891: With his parents and 8 siblings at 9 Earlham Grove, Stratford. 1901: Boarding with his sister Mary and brother Sidney at Banbury Road, Brackley, Northamptonshire, home of 70 year old Ann Hodgkins. 1911: A Locomotive Engine Fitter (GER) boarding with Charles Simpson at 66 Windmill Lane, Stratford.

 

He joined the Great Eastern Railway as an Office Boy at the Cambridge Locomotive Depot on 23-04-04, entered the workshops in 1906, transferring to Stratford on 07-07. There he became a Fitter and Erector before taking the position of Works Manager (Draftsman) in 1913.

 

When he joined 17 Battalion London Regiment (Poplar & Stepney Rifles) at Bow in 1914, his residence was given as Woodford. His parents are known to have lived at 182 West Grove.

 

 He arrived in France on 09-03-15, and the Battalion fought its first action at the Battle of Loos in 09/10-15.  On 04-01-16 the British 47 (London) Division Including 17 London, relieved the French 5 Division in the line at Loos.  Corporal A Canning wrote that they had entered the trenches on Sunday evening 16-01-16 at c. 20.00. About one hour later as MacAllan was performing sentry duty, he was shot through the head by a sniper.  

 

 

 

Memorial: Roll of Honour: St Barnabas Church.

 

Separate Folder: NO.

 

Principal Sources: Ancestry.

 

Qualification: Borough Resident.

 

 

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Thank you very nuch for the extra information, i am beginning to build up a faily comprehensive picture of him, I await eagerly the photo

Bob

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  • 1 month later...

May I resuscitate this please and ask if anyone has access to the appropriate page in the G E.R magazine?

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