William McCall DSO and bar,MC, Croix de Guerre

[Richard Bain]

The inscription on the stone below which is in New Cumnock Old Cemetery reads

161694

Major

William McCall MC

Royal Artillery

21st November 1941

His obituary in the Cumnock Chronicle of 28/11/41 gives his decorations as DSO and bar, MC and Croix de Guerre. He seems to be our village's "Forgotten Hero"

He joined the Gordon Highlanders in 1914 and the London Gazette of 28/8/1915 records his 2nd Lieutenancy. That of 18/6/1917 his MC but mentions no action.

He finished the war as Lieut. Col. with the Army of Occupation in Cologne (1st Battalion Gordons?) He then trained as a PE teacher and came to live, work and marry in our village. The older people remember him as a strict disciplinarian, but no mention of his war service.

East Ayrshire Library service does not hold The Distinguished Service Order by General Sir O'Moore Creagh and I'm lost for the Croix de Guerre.

He may have been a Territorial between the wars and he re enlisted in 1941 and rose to the rank of major. He died of a heart attack in Lincolnshire on active service.

Please help me to give him the recognition he deserves.

[rflory]

The only William McCall who received a DSO in the Great War was a Lt. Col. in the RAMC. The William McCall in the Gordon Hldrs in the Great War and the William McCall in the RA in WWII both received the MC but if your man received the DSO why is he only listed as having received the MC in the CWGC listing? He should be also listed for the DSO and Bar.

I also think that the William McCall who served in the Occupation of Germany as a Lt . Col. is the RAMC Lt. Col., DSO and not the Gordon Hldrs William McCall who is listed in both the November 1918 and December 1919 Army Lists as a Captain.

I haven't found the evidence yet to support my conclusions but I think that the records of a couple of different officers with the name William McCall have been mixed together - I am unable to document that a single William McCall received the DSO/Bar and MC - I may be wrong.

Regards. Dick Flory

[Matt Dixon]

Please help me to give him the recognition he deserves.

Are you looking for confirmation of his medal entitlement or something else? Are you looking to have his headstone amended if you can prove he was entitled to the other gallantry awards?

I have no doubt that all the Pals will be more than willing to assist you in researching this brave man, but I am not sure exactly what it is you are looking for.

[Richard Bain]

Thanks to Dick and Matt for their prompt replies. It looks like we're unravelling the threads of a detective mystery here - we could call it "Who was William McCall?". This might explain what I'm trying to do Matt - find out the story of the man buried at New Cumnock.

I've recently found his Death Notice which goes McCall - suddenly on the 21st of November 1941, in Lincolnshire, on active service, Major William McCall DSO, MC, Royal Artillery, dearly beloved husband of Jean Timpany, 76, Burnside, New Cumnock.

His wife was alive at his death and, one would assume, have been involved in writing the announcement of his death for our local paper. Surely she would have known about his decorations Dick, but, no bar and no Croix de Guerre?

Anyway, we can agree on the MC, but awarded for what and where?

Thanks again,

Richard

[Matt Dixon]

I would suggest you try searching the London Gazette on line, you should find mention of the award of his DSO.

Does the school still exist? They may well have an archive which may have some mention of his awards.

I would also try contacting the regimental association/ and or the regimental museum. They probably won't have anything specific on him, but they may well be able to point you in the right direction to find something.

If he is a local man, try your regional library and look up Parish records, did he get married in the area, did he have any children, are there any local relatives still alive.

Try contacting your local history society, and look on the web for your county genealogical society. I have done this many times, and on the whole they are mosy useful.