Update

Additional information which has been supplied or come to light is posted on the Democracy of War Update. This supplies full details of the new material and any revisions to the information contained in the book as a result. Click here to go to the Update.

Recently updated information

Frederick Drury Blunsdon- detailed family information for this Regular Navy Petty Officer who was killed in the early weeks of the war when his submarine was blown up has been supplied by Stuart Woodward whose great grandfather was Fred's brother. It shows how this English born son of an old soldier ended up on the Anstruther memorial, through his links with one of Anstruther's most famous golf club making families. Full details on the Update

Andrew Henderson- new photograph on Update  - Andrew Henderson died when the Jane was blown up by a mine which had caught in the fishing yawl's nets. This tragedy was the worst  single local event of the war - killing 5 men from Cellardyke including a father and two sons- one of which was Andrew Henderson. His grandson, Jim Hinde, has kindly provided a photograph of the young Andrew in naval uniform, and details of what happened to his daughter Elizabeth.

Robert Gardner - important new information. Robert Gardner  died when his ship SS Greynog was torpedoed in April 1918. His name is on the memorial and the account of his death is in the book with an accompanying photograph. However I have learnt that two Robert Gardners , Cellardyke schoolmates,  joined up at the same time. One was killed but the photograph in the book is of the Robert who survived . His son has provided an additional photograph which is displayed in the Update  - and he tells me that his father visited his childhood friend  in Granton Harbour the day before he set off in his fatal voyage on the Greynog.
    
Lt. Philip Ray -  Philip Ray, son of the Rev Robert Ray of Cellardyke, was a university student when he joined up as a private soldier. After fighting in the trenches with the Cameronians he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with the Black Watch before joining the Royal Flying Corps. He was shot down and killed over Arras on April 13 1917 after his flight was attacked by von Richthofen's planes - but recent research suggest Philip Ray's plane was shot down by a pilot from another German squadron who had joined the attack. Full details plus a rare, recently found, photograph on the Update

L/Cpl William Tosh - Lance Corporal William Tosh had grown up on farm between Anstruther and Crail, and emigrated to Australia to take up sheep farming. He enlisted in the Australian Light Horse and was killed in Gallipoli on 7 August 1915. Information from the files released by the Australian military archives gives details of his joining up and the arrangements  made after his death - with an unexpected twist, as the files contain a letter from a woman in Scotland looking for her husband of the same name. Full details on the Update

Waid Academy Medal - details of a prize medal presented to Alexander MacRae, a senior pupil at Waid Academy in 1927-28, which commemorates the glorious men and deeds of the 7th Battalion Black Watch