We Will Remember

David Thomson Marjoribanks

By Hazel Marjoribanks

My great, great, grandparents, William & Susan Marjoribanks/Marchbanks lived and died in 35 Livingstone Street, Addiewell, and are buried in West Calder Churchyard.

My father, William Marjoribanks, researched the family history over many years, and I continued with his research. 

Susan and William had 13 children and their youngest son, David Thomson Marjoribanks, was born 6/6/1879 in 35 Livingstone Street. David was killed in action 14/09/1914 and as this is the centenary of his death, I decided to see what else I could find out about him, as all my Dad had were his medals, death plaque etc. which I inherited, and that he had been killed in France or Belgium.

David’s service records were destroyed in WW2, and it has not been an easy quest, but I have now almost completed his life jigsaw, with thanks, for a few pointers along the way. He enlisted about 1902/3 with the 1st Cameron Highlanders, and is buried in Chauny Communal Cemetery, France.  His name is included in DeRuvigny's Roll of Honour, Glasgow Evening Times' Roll of Honour and from the Glasgow Evening Times' archives, I also managed to get a copy of the only photo of him, which had appeared in a publication, (Addiewell is also mentioned in the newspaper clip). This was totally unexpected, and I think my dad would have been chuffed to have seen this.

We were disappointed to find his name was not on the West Calder War Memorial, but as his parents were dead by 1914 and his siblings were scattered in West Lothian, there must have been no-one to put forward the inclusion of his name, on the Memorial.  It would have been the final piece of his jigsaw to have been able to do this, but for David and all the young men killed in action.

We Will Remember