Private James Gillan of Bridgeton (1898 - 1916)

Private James Gillan was born in Bridgeton in 1898. He lived with his parents, brother and two sisters at 22 Montgomerie Street in 1911. By 1916, they were living in nearby Oswald Street.

James’s father, William worked as a fitter in Singer's sewing machine factory. The factory was located in Bridgeton between 1869 – 1884, before it moved to it's more well known location in Clydebank.

James also worked for Singer's before signing up to the Machine Gun Corps on 12th May 1915. According to the 1911 census, His brother Fraser was a railway signalman, and his sister Janet was a weaver. The rest of his siblings were at school.

James’s mother Annie received official notification that he had been reported missing, in France on 1 July 1916, but was now presumed dead. He was a young man of only nineteen, like many of the brave soldiers who lost their lives.

The Evening Times Roll of Honour is an invaluable resource for family historians trying to trace family members who fell or were injured or reported missing during World War I.

During the War, Glasgow's Evening Times newspaper printed short biographies of service personnel who were reported as missing, killed or wounded. Many of these biographies were accompanied by a photograph of these long-gone heroes, often now the only one that exists.

James can be found in both the City of Glasgow Roll of Honour and that of the Evening Times, which printed a portrait of James along with some information about him.

There is also an entry on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website commemorating James. He is buried or commemorated at Thiepval Memorial in France.