During the conflicts of the 20th Century former pupils of the George Watson's Boys' College answered their country's call in their hundreds and many made the ultimate sacrifice.
In World War I 605 died, 19.5% of those who served in the armed forces.
In World War II 202 died, 11.2% of those who served in the armed forces.
In addition, one former pupil of George Watson's Ladies' College was killed in World War I, another was killed during World War II and a pupil died in the Korean War. This Roll of Honour provides some of the facts and the faces behind the stark statistics. It also includes the six members of staff who died in World War I and another, who had taught at George Watson's Ladies' College, who died in World War II.
These biographies are not complete and there are also a number of photographs missing, together with a few records that have not yet been traced. If you have any further information we would welcome it, please contact us.
We continue to work hard to find out more about these Watsonians. Some of the photographs you will see here have been taken from newspapers and from the school magazine, The Watsonian, when they were still at school. Most of the information you will find here has been taken from A Memorial Record of Watsonians who served in the Great War (1920) and The Watsonian War Record 1939-1945 (1951). These two volumes were published to record and honour Watsonians who had served and who had died. Additionally, John Hamblin researched the Watsonians during the Second World War (1939-46) in more detail and we are pleased to share his research here too.
You can view the War Records by selecting one of the following links. Alternatively, you can search the Records using the form below, completing as much information as possible.
Your search for former pupils returned 804 record(s).
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| Name | Regiment | Buried | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|
George Cameron McEwan |
Seaforth Highlanders | CABARET-ROUGE BRITISH CEMETERY, SOUCHEZ | The younger son of Mr. D. McEwan, Blackhall, was born in 1896, and attended G.W.C. 1907-14. He was one of the foremost scholars of his year, leaving with a College Bursary, and taking a good place in the Edin. Univ. Bursary list. He was, moreover, a keen footballer and got his cap in the 1913-14 XV. He intended studying for the I.C.S., but joined the E.U.O.T.C. for training. He had risen to the rank of Sgt., when he was gazetted to the 10th Seaforth Hrs. in Nov. 1915. Crossing to France in Aug. 1916, he was attached first to the 2nd and then to the 7th Bn. for service. He fell in the first wave of the attack on Vimy Ridge, and was buried, overlooking the battlefield, Apr. 9, 1917. |
John Gibson McEwan |
R.A.F. | PRAGUE WAR CEMETERY | John G. McEwan, Sergeant, Royal Air Force, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander McEwan, 5 Minto Street, Edinburgh, was born on 9th April 1922. On leaving school in 1938 he entered the service of The Union Bank of Scotland, Ltd., and in due course passed the Associates examination. While waiting his call to the R.A.F., he was an enthusiastic member of the Home Guard and became the youngest platoon-sergeant in the Bankers' Company of the 6th (Edinburgh) Battalion. On returning to this country from Canada, where he had received his air training, he proceeded to Italy and was there attached to the Bomber Command of the South African Air Force. He was reported missing and presumed killed on an operational flight over Hungary on 10th September 1944. |
Eric Knox Armstrong McFarlane |
R.A.F. | HELIOPOLIS WAR CEMETERY | Eric K. A. McFarlane, Flying Officer, Royal Air Force, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter McFarlane, 55 Morningside Drive, Edinburgh, was a pupil at Watson's from 1917 to 1923, when he went into business with his father as a manufacturer's representative. Joining the R.A.F., he saw much service in the North Africa campaign. He was killed in action near Cairo on 6th March 1944 and is buried in Heliopolis Military Cemetery. He was thirty-seven years of age. |
Arthur Burns McGregor |
Seaforth Highlanders | CAMBRAI MEMORIAL, LOUVERVAL | The fifth son of the late J. McGregor, Edin., was born in 1885, and entered G.W.C. in 1890. On leaving he joined the staff of Messrs. Miller and Richard, typefounders, Edinburgh. Joining the 2/4th Seaforth Hrs., he crossed to France early in 1917, and in the unsuccessful attack on Cambrai Nov. 20, 1917, he was reported wounded and missing, and thereafter presumed dead. |
David Stuart McGregor |
6th Battalion Royal Scots | STASEGEM COMMUNAL CEMETERY | David Stuart McGregor was born in 1895, the son of David and Annie McGregor, of Ferragon, Craigs Road, Corstorphine. He was commissioned and served as a Lieutenant in the Royal Scots. The citation for the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross in The London Gazette, of 13 December, 1918, records the following:
“For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty near Hoogmolen on 22nd of October, 1918, when in command of a section of machine guns attached to the right flank platoon of the assaulting battalion.
Immediately the troops advanced they were subjected to intense enfilade machine-gun fire from Hill 66 on the right flank. Lt. McGregor fearlessly went forward and located the enemy guns, and realised that it was impossible to get his guns carried forward either by pack or by hand without great delay, as the ground was absolutely bare and fire swept.
Ordering his men to follow by a more covered route, he mounted the limber and galloped forward under intense fire for about 600 yards to cover. The driver, horses and limber were all hit, but Lt. McGregor succeeded in getting the guns into action, effectively engaging the enemy, subduing their fire, and enabling the advance to be resumed.
With the utmost gallantry he continued to ... direct and control the fire of his guns, until, about an hour later, he was killed. His great gallantry and supreme devotion to duty were the admiration of all ranks.” |
Donald Mulloch McGregor |
R.A.F. | EDINBURGH (GRANGE) CEMETERY | A son of the late Councillor McGregor, Edinburgh, was born in 1893, and entered G.W.C. in 1899. For some years prior to the war he was an assistant in the firm of Messrs. McGregor and Coy., Bonnington Mills. In 1917 he entered the R.A.F., in which he eventually held the rank of Lt. Crossing to France in 1918, he proved himself a fearless airman. He was recalled home and posted to an aerodrome, but was the victim of a fatal flying accident shortly after. He was buried with military honours in the Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh, July 21, 1918. |
John McIntosh |
RA | EL ALAMEIN WAR CEMETERY | John McIntosh, Bombardier, Royal Artillery, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Dugald McIntosh, 3 Rintoul Place, Edinburgh, was born on 19th December 1919. He attended Watson's from 1932 to 1936, and on leaving school entered the service of the Edinburgh Savings Bank. Being a Territorial, he was called up at the outbreak of war, went to France and was evacuated from St. Malo. Later he proceeded with his battery to the Middle East and was killed in action at El Alamein on 2nd November 1942. |
James Bennett McIntyre |
R.A.F. | SARRALBE MILITARY CEMETERY | The only son of Mr. W. McIntyre, Edin., was born in Manitoba, Canada, in 1894, and attended G.W.C. 1904-11. On leaving he went to Canada, and was for some time on the Survey Staff of the Canadian Northern Rly. While serving in a bank in Ontario, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Dragoons, Dec. 1915, and later transferred to the R.F.C. in which he attained the rank of Lt. Crossing to France in 1918, he was attached to the 55th Squadron, Independents, R.A.F., and took part in twenty daylight raids into Germany. His machine came down in flames in a fight over Dagsburo, in Lorraine, and his body was interred in Sarrebourg (Lorraine) German Cemetery |
Robert Alexander McKinna |
R.A.F. | RHEINBERG WAR CEMETERY | Robert A. McKinna, D.F.C. and Bar, Squadron Leader, Royal AirForce, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. McKinna, 130 Grange Loan, Edinburgh, was born in 1910 and attended Watson's from 1918 to 1928. On leaving school he entered the office of Messrs. Wallace, Begg & Co., W.S., Edinburgh, and later qualified as a Solicitor. For two years prior to the war he was in practice in North Berwick. Joining the R.A.F.V.R., he rose from the rank of Aircraftman to that of a Squadron Leader, gaining the D.F.C. in March 1943 and a Bar to the D.F.C. shortly after. He was one of the early members of the Pathfinder Force and had taken part in over fifty raids over the Continent. He lost his life during a raid on 23rd September 1943. While at school he was a member of the golf team and won the Coronation Cup as champion of the Braid Hills. On several occasions he won the Gold Medal of the Watsonian Golf Club and represented that Club in the Halford Hewitt Tournament at Deal. He tied one year for the Scottish Universities Golf Championship, won the Highland Tournament at Pitlochry, was runner-up in the Irish Open Amateur Championship, and played for Scotland against Wales. |
Ian McLachlan |
R.A.F. | JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY | Ian McLachlan, Sergeant, Royal Air Force, son of the late Mr. McLachlan and Mrs. McLachlan, 36 Plewlands Gardens, Edinburgh, was born on 23rd August 1921 and attended Watson's from 1931 to 1939. After one session at Edinburgh University he joined the R.A.F. in July 1940, rose to the rank of sergeant in June 1942, and was posted to Bomber Command. On his seventh operational flight he was killed in action over Hamburg on 9th November 1942. At school he was a member of the J.T.C., gained the bronze medallion for life-saving, and was a keen scout and member of the Schoolboys' Club. |