Peter Gorrie, M. B. , Ch. B. , M. D., was killed in February 1942 by enemy action while acting as Ship's Surgeon in the Far East. Born in 1881, he was a pupil at Watson's from 1889 to 1898, graduating M. B., Ch. B. in 1906 and M. D. in 1908. During the first world war he saw service at Malta with the Royal Army Medical Corps from 1915 to 1917, having returned home from Australia where he had already made a name for himself as a surgeon. He again took up practice in Port Augusta on Spencer's Gulf, where he established a hospital which served a wide territory. His son, Flying Officer Peter Gorrie, was killed in action a fortnight before his father, and has had his name perpetuated by having an aerodrome in the Northern Territory named after him.
Ernest A. Goudie, Sergeant-Navigator, Royal Air Force, son of the late Mr. R. J. Goudie and Mrs. Goudie, 127 St. John's Road, Corstorphine, Edinburgh, was born on 10th November 1912. Entering Watson's from Leith Academy in 1920, he left in 1931 to begin his apprenticeship with Messrs. Brown, MacDonald & Fleming, Chartered Accountants, Edinburgh. After qualifying in 1937 he received an appointment with Technicolour, Ltd., London, and in 1940 returned to Edinburgh to join the firm of Harkness, Beaumont & Co. Ltd., manufacturing chemists, in which his father was at one time managing director. Entering the R.A.F. in 1942, he was posted to Bomber Command, and was killed in action in his first operational flight over Germany in November 1944.
A younger brother of the above, was born in 1897, and attended G.W.C. 1904-13. Adopting his father's profession, he had served one year of his bank apprenticeship when he enlisted as a Pte. in the 9th R.S. in Nov. 1914. He was promoted Cpl. in 1915, and in 1916 held the rank of L/Sgt. in his Bn. After a period of strenuous service in France, he fell near Arras on Apr. 9, 1917, at the successful attack on Vimy Ridge.
The only son of Mr. J. J. Graham, Edin., was born in 1897, and attended G.W.C. 1902-9. He studied for the Civil Service, and, entering in 1915, was stationed first at Bradford and then in the Inland Revenue Office, Edin. Released for military service in Feb. 1917, he joined the R.F.A., but later transferred to the M.G.C. He went to France in Dec. 1917, and during the March retreat, and thereafter, acted as a runner. In the great Advance his tank got a direct hit, and he and two comrades were instantaneously killed near Morlancourt, Aug. 10, 1918.
The elder son of Mr. J. Grant, West Calder, was born in 1897, and attended G.W.C. 1913-15. He was an apprentice C.A. when war broke out. Enlisting in the 1st Cameron Hrs., he was promoted Cpl., and went to France. He was killed on March 15, 1918, while gallantly defending an outpost against a night attack.
The only son of Mr. A. Grant, Assistant Secy., Local Government Board of Scotland, was born in 1890, and attended G.W.C. 1903-7. He studied accountancy, and in 1914 duly qualified as a C.A. He was for a time in the Audit Dept. of the English L.G. Board, but in Feb. 1915 he joined the London Scottish, and, crossing to France, was wounded at Loos, Sept. 1915. He was specially selected by the War Office for accountancy work, and gazetted to the R.A.S.C., and ultimately was appointed to the Investigation Dept. Supplies Directorate at G.H.Q. While on special duty at Lille, shortly after its liberation, he was prostrated by influenza. Septic pneumonia supervened, and he died after a week's illness.
A nephew of the famous Dr. Joseph Bell, was born in 1887 as the younger son of the late Rev. William A. Gray. He attended G.W.C. 1900-6, where he was a notable member of a group of which 'Sandy' Morrison was the feudal chief. After studying at Edin. Univ., he became a sub-editor on the Sheffield Daily Telegraph, and then went on his travels, visiting Spain and S. America. He eventually settled in Saskatchewan to real estate and journalistic work. Enlisting in the Canadian forces, he crossed as a Pte. in the 28th Bn. Can. Infy. Thereafter he transferred to the 8th Can. Hrs., and here he died in the triumphant attack on Vimy Ridge, Apr. 1917, he was a Lt. in the 29th Bn. Can. Infy.
A son of the late J. T. Gray, was born in 1885, and attended G.W.C. 1891-1901. He was a keen golfer and a prominent member of the Watsonian Golf Club. He rejoined his old corps, the L. and B. H., shortly after it was mobilised, and went to France, and thence to Salonika. Returning home in 1916, he was gazetted to the A. and S. H., and, crossing to France in Oct. 1917, was killed while bringing his men off patrol, Nov. 23, 1917.
The elder son of Mr. W. Gray, Bolivia, was born in 1896, and attended G.W.C. 1910-15. He was a prominent member of the O.T.C., reaching in two years the position of C.S.M. A splendid shot, he was one of the 1914 VIII. that won the Brock Shield and the Schools Trophy. Gazetted to the 3rd Cameron Hrs., he was killed while going to the help of a brother officer July 17, 1916.
