Private Peter Paton

Private Peter Paton

2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Service No: 7516

1059

3

4

2

22

Click here for a frameable A4 print

Personal details

Family Information

Son of Peter and Mary Mullen Paton of 2 Cameron St, Coatbridge. Husband of Mary Hillcock Valentine Paton (04/07/1885- ). Father of 2 children, Mary Valentine Paton born 06/11/1911 and Peter born 12/02/1913 and died 20/09/1984. Peter's younger brother Private James Paton of the 1/5th (City of Glasgow) Battalion Highland Light Infantry Died of Wounds on the 22/05/1918. According to the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser dated 01/06/1918 Peter's mother lost 3 sons. Peter, James and Alexander (information to follow on Alexander). From the 1891 Census - Address - 17 Burnbank Crescent, Coatbridge - Peter Paton aged 30, Mary Paton aged 30, Daniel Paton aged 13, Peter Paton aged 10, Alexander Paton aged 7, Maggie Paton aged 1. According to Peter's brother Daniel's grandson Thomas Paton he had a brother William who died at a young age and a sister Rebecca who is buried in Old Monkland Cemetery. Peter's Pension was awarded to his wife Mary on the 18/11/1915. Mary's residence is listed as 1 Victoria Road, Kirkcaldy and also Mary Valentine Barrie with Canada also mentioned as place of residence.

Born / Resided

28 Smith St, Kinning Park, Glasgow / 2 Cameron St, Coatbridge

Died

Killed in Action on the 21/10/1914 at Le Maisnil at the Battle of Armentières

Enlisted

Devonport, Devonshire 1914

Employed

Miner

Age

32 / DOB - 27/02/1882

Buried / Remembered

Ploegsteert Memorial (Panel 9 and 10), Hainaut, Belgium

Cemetery / Memorial Information

The PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL commemorates more than 11,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in this sector during the First World War and have no known grave. The memorial serves the area from the line Caestre-Dranoutre-Warneton to the north, to Haverskerque-Estaires-Fournes to the south, including the towns of Hazebrouck, Merville, Bailleul and Armentieres, the Forest of Nieppe, and Ploegsteert Wood. Most of those commemorated by the memorial did not die in major offensives, such as those which took place around Ypres to the north, or Loos to the south. Most were killed in the course of the day-to-day trench warfare which characterised this part of the line, or in small scale set engagements, usually carried out in support of the major attacks taking place elsewhere.

Additional Information

On the 14/08/1914 the Battalion landed at Boulogne as Lines of Communication troops. On the 22/08/1914 they came under orders of the 19th Infantry Brigade, which was not allocated to a Division but was an independent command at this time. On the 12/10/1914 they transferred with the Brigade to the 6th Division. Peter was Killed in Action at the Battle of Armentières, 13th October – 2nd November 1914. From the 2nd Battalion War Diary - "At 3.30am on the 21st October from Fromelles the Battalion paraded, 2 Platoons "D" Company being withdrawn, and marched to LE MAISNIL via PONT-DE-PIERRE. At 4.15am they halted at LE MAISNIL". SEE PHOTOS x 6 FROM THE BATTALION WAR DIARY 21/10/1914 AND MESSAGES AND SIGNALS x 6. The Battles of La Bassée, Armentières and Messines, 10th October – 2nd November 1914 : The whole British Expeditionary Force is moved to Flanders from the Aisne, as part of an effort to outflank the Germans in France. On arrival it encounters German forces moving to outflank the Allies. These Battles form part of a phase often, but incorrectly, referred to as the “Race to the Sea”. The Battle extends northwards as further forces arrive, with the First Battle of Ypres and the Battle of the Yser taking place at the same time. The British 6th Division of III Corps faced the German attack south of Armentières from the 19th October to the 2nd November. It was gradually forced back. Premesques, Ennetières, Wez Macquart and Radinghem all fall into enemy hands and would remain so until 1918. See Directory for Peter's younger brother James' page and photos for a mention of Peter in the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser. See photos for Peter's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his Birth Record, his Death Record, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Ploegsteert Memorial x 2, his name on the Ploegsteert Memorial Panel List, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Cap Badge and Peter's Pension Records x 6. Finally, I have the Battalion War Diary from August 1914 till November 1915. If information is required please contact me.

Photos

War Diaries

The battalion War Diary is available on the National Archives website.

Creative Commons License

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Comments

John you are absolutely amazing thank you for taking up your time and correcting me about Alexander I will keep looking for him his brother William 1880 to2881 sister Maggie 1890 to 1892 and sister Rebecca married Edward Duffy in 1919 and died 1975 5 months after her husband
Thomaspaton , Coatbridge , 03/10/2022 9:22PM

James was born 5th may 1892 at 17 burnbank crescent coatbridge
Tom paton , Coatbridge , 13/12/2019 10:58PM

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