John Laurie Gavin does not have a likeness. If you have one, please link to it in the comments section.

John Laurie Gavin cap badgeCorporal John Laurie Gavin

Royal Engineers 2/1st (Lowland) Field Company
Service No: 412127 / 2374

John Laurie Gavin grave

1479

0

4

0

47
Personal details

Family Information

Son of Thomas and Mary Harvie Laurie Gavin of Calder Avenue, Coatbridge. In his Will dated 26/06/1915 John left all his property and effects to his mother with the exception of a gold buckle ring in the possession of his mother which he gave to Miss Florence Elizabeth Oliver of 12 Percy St, Ibrox, Glasgow. John had a Canadian uncle Albert who visited the Gates family in 1911. He was an accountant. From the 1901 Census - Address - Calder Cottage, Calder Avenue, Coatbridge - Thomas Gavin aged 39, Mary Gavin aged 33, Maggie W Gavin aged 10, James Gavin aged 8, John L Gavin aged 3. John's Pension was awarded to his mother Mary of Birnam Lodge, Woodburn Ave, Airdrie on the 22/08/1919.

Born / Resided

Coatbridge / 104 Dunbeth Rd, Coatbridge.

Died

Killed in Action on the 01/01/1917 during an enemy air raid in Egypt

Enlisted

Coatbridge 1914

Employed

(No data. If you have details, please add a comment)

Age

19

Buried / Remembered

Kantara War Memorial Cemetery (A. 151), Egypt.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

In the early part of the First World War, Kantara was an important point in the defence of Suez against Turkish attacks and marked the starting point of the new railway east towards Sinai and Palestine, begun in January 1916. Kantara developed into a major base and hospital centre and the cemetery was begun in February 1916 for burials from the various hospitals, continuing in use until late 1920. After the Armistice, the cemetery was more than doubled in size when graves were brought in from other cemeteries and desert battlefields. KANTARA WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY contains 1,562 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and 110 from the Second World War. There are also 341 war graves of other nationalities in the cemetery, many of them made from the Polish hospital and concentrated in a distinct Polish extension.

Additional Information

The 2/1st (Lowland) Field Company (412th) was part of the 52nd (Lowland) Division. The Division were part of the campaign in Egypt and Palestine from January 1916 until April 1918. They moved to Egypt after being evacuated from Gallipoli and concentrated at Abbassia near Cairo. It subsequently moved to El Kantara and on the 2nd March took over No. 3 Section of the Suez Canal defences. John was Killed in Action during an enemy air raid on New Year's Day 1917. SEE PHOTOS x 20 FOR THE 52nd (LOWLAND) DIVISION BOOK AUGUST 1916 - FEBRUARY 1917. On the 1st August 1914, the Royal Engineers consisted of 1,056 officers and 10,394 men of the Regular Army and Special Reserve, plus another 513 and 13,127 respectively serving with the Royal Engineers of the Territorial Force. By the same date in 1917, it had grown to a total manpower of 295,668. In other words, it was twelve times bigger than the peacetime establishment. Grave photo donated by Mick McCann at britishwargraves.co.uk. John is also remembered on the Coatbridge Technical College, Coats Parish Church and Coatbridge High Schools Rolls of Honour (see photos). See photos for John's Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, John's Pension Records x 3, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his Headstone Report x 2, Kantara War Memorial Cemetery and the Royal Engineers Cap Badge. John's grave inscription reads "FATHER IN THY GRACIOUS KEEPING LEAVE WE NOW OUR LOVED ONE SLEEPING". Finally, see photos x 12 for the 52nd (Lowland) Division Order of Battle (the Division he was serving with when he died) and Newspaper clippings x 5 (Coatbridge Express x 2, Coatbridge Leader x 2 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1).

Photos
John Laurie Gavin Medal Index CardJohn Laurie Gavin remembered at homeJohn Laurie Gavin remembered at homeJohn Laurie Gavin remembered at homeJohn Laurie Gavin remembered at homeJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photoJohn Laurie Gavin additional photo

Creative Commons License

We have made this information and the images available under a Creative Commons BY-NC license. This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement: © coatbridgeandthegreatwar.com

Comments

There are no comments yet for Corporal John Laurie Gavin. Be the first to leave one.


Do you have any information about or memories of Corporal John Laurie Gavin that you would like to share?

Or even if you would just like to leave a message to say you've been here, please leave a comment below.

*Please note that all comments are verified by a moderator before appearing on the site. All fields are required except links to photos.