Sjt
William Crawford McQuarrie
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 03/06/1887 |
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Place of birth: Girthon, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Serjeant |
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Service number: s/5034 |
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Enlistment place: Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Princess Louise’s (Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders), 11th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 22/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Borry Farm, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 30 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 141 |
Distinctions and medals 4
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Military Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
William was born in Girthon, Kirkcudbrightshire in 1887. He was the illegitimate son of Mary McQuarrie, the gamekeeper’s daughter. He enlisted and joined the Princess Louise’s (Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders), 11th Battalion, part of the 45th Brigade, of the 15th (Scottish) Division. William soon rose through the ranks and was promoted to Sergeant by the time he married Agnes Jane in January 1915. He was known as a brave man. In December 1916 he was decorated with the Military Medal.
Robert Lindsay Mackay, a companion of William in the 11th Battalion wrote in his diary:
“Here, I have in this party, a sergeant, McQuarrie, of 'D' Coy., one of the bravest and best gentlemen I have ever met. He has been utterly invaluable to me on this job. Lord knows all he has done. He'll certainly not get his deserts in this world. I have more respect for this man than for any other dozen I have ever met.”
At 04.45 a.m. on August 22nd 1917 the 45th Brigade attacked with the 11th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and 13th Royal Scots. They came down from the Frezenberg Ridge and advanced towards Zonnebeke. Within thirty seconds a German barrage came down on the line Frezenberg-Square Farm, causing considerable casualties. Moments later the assaulting battalions, suffered more casualties, due to very heavy machinegun fire. The machinegun fire was so heavy that no information could be send back. Flares went up indicating that some parties had reached Potsdam, Vampir, and Borry Farm, but these positions were never consolidated. After a while both the Royal Scots and the Argyll and Sutherlands started falling back. The men who managed to return were rallied and formed a line along the Railway Dump - Beck House road.
Robert Lindsay Mackay noted in his diary:
“Zero Hour was 4.45 a.m. it was a sight I will never forget. God knows how anybody got over at all.
This continued for half an hour, when the light was just making itself apparent. Then we noticed a few Royal Scots falling back, and then, nearer us, one or two Argylls. More and more came, so J.F.C.Cameron got his Lewis gun ready and looked after the left half of our front. I took the right half, intending to stop the men, and get them to reform, or if necessary, to dig in where they were. At this time I noticed large numbers of Boche, and a counter-attack was developing on us, and across our front from the direction of Zevencote. The Boche were really getting busy, and their snipers made it difficult to move. I had to go at the double all the time - that, however, did not mean much as the bits of wire, and the mud and other obstructions made me relatively slow. Got all our fellows who remained, (the others I could not but presume to be either dead or wounded or prisoners), together and spread them out with guns along about 500 yards parallel to the Frezenberg-Beck House Road. Our attack on Beck House and Borry Farm was a failure. These places could not be touched by our artillery. A big shell of ours could bounce off them! Their garrison probably exceeded that of our battalion. J.F.C.Cameron, in his escapade of the previous day when he got within 30 yards of Beck House found it garrisoned, and saw about another 50 men enter it.”
Sergeant William McQuarrie, 30, went missing on the 22nd of August 1917. He was later declared killed in action. William left behind his wife Agnes and their 4-year-old daughter, Freda.
Robert Lindsay Mackay, a companion of William in the 11th Battalion wrote in his diary:
“Here, I have in this party, a sergeant, McQuarrie, of 'D' Coy., one of the bravest and best gentlemen I have ever met. He has been utterly invaluable to me on this job. Lord knows all he has done. He'll certainly not get his deserts in this world. I have more respect for this man than for any other dozen I have ever met.”
At 04.45 a.m. on August 22nd 1917 the 45th Brigade attacked with the 11th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and 13th Royal Scots. They came down from the Frezenberg Ridge and advanced towards Zonnebeke. Within thirty seconds a German barrage came down on the line Frezenberg-Square Farm, causing considerable casualties. Moments later the assaulting battalions, suffered more casualties, due to very heavy machinegun fire. The machinegun fire was so heavy that no information could be send back. Flares went up indicating that some parties had reached Potsdam, Vampir, and Borry Farm, but these positions were never consolidated. After a while both the Royal Scots and the Argyll and Sutherlands started falling back. The men who managed to return were rallied and formed a line along the Railway Dump - Beck House road.
Robert Lindsay Mackay noted in his diary:
“Zero Hour was 4.45 a.m. it was a sight I will never forget. God knows how anybody got over at all.
This continued for half an hour, when the light was just making itself apparent. Then we noticed a few Royal Scots falling back, and then, nearer us, one or two Argylls. More and more came, so J.F.C.Cameron got his Lewis gun ready and looked after the left half of our front. I took the right half, intending to stop the men, and get them to reform, or if necessary, to dig in where they were. At this time I noticed large numbers of Boche, and a counter-attack was developing on us, and across our front from the direction of Zevencote. The Boche were really getting busy, and their snipers made it difficult to move. I had to go at the double all the time - that, however, did not mean much as the bits of wire, and the mud and other obstructions made me relatively slow. Got all our fellows who remained, (the others I could not but presume to be either dead or wounded or prisoners), together and spread them out with guns along about 500 yards parallel to the Frezenberg-Beck House Road. Our attack on Beck House and Borry Farm was a failure. These places could not be touched by our artillery. A big shell of ours could bounce off them! Their garrison probably exceeded that of our battalion. J.F.C.Cameron, in his escapade of the previous day when he got within 30 yards of Beck House found it garrisoned, and saw about another 50 men enter it.”
Sergeant William McQuarrie, 30, went missing on the 22nd of August 1917. He was later declared killed in action. William left behind his wife Agnes and their 4-year-old daughter, Freda.
Sources 7
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"Passchendaele The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C. Uniform London, 2018, page 62 - 63 Sources used |
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"The Diaries of Robert Lindsay Mackay - Ypres 1917" (firstworldwar.com) https://www.firstworldwar.com/diaries/rlm.htm Sources used |
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"The Fifteenth (Scottisch) Division 1914 - 1919", Stewart J. & Buchan J., William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London, 1926, page 180 - 185 Sources used |
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/categories/39/?name=William_McQuarrie&death=1917-8-22&count=50&keyword=S/5034&location=3257.3250&name_x=ps_1&priority=scottish Further reference |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1634129/mcquarrie,-william/#&gid=null&pid=1 Sources used |
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The long long trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/princess-louises-argyll-sutherland-highlanders/ Sources used |
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War Diary http://www.nmarchive.com/view-diary/front-line-n-of-ypres-roulers-rly/1944-1701/1764199/page/356 Further reference |