On this day, 91 years ago, the guns on the Western Front fell silent. But on this day, as on every day since the war had begun back in August 1914, British soldiers continued to die. Soldiers Died in The Great War records that 513 officers and men died on the 11th November 1918. Of these, just 20 were killed in action, the remainder dying of sickness or wounds.
52489 Pte James Lavin of the 2/10th Battalion, Royal Scots Regiment was one of the twenty men to be killed in action. He died not on the Western Front, but in Russia, and he is commemorated on the Archangel Memorial. His partial service record survives in the WO 363 series at the National Archives, and now on-line via Ancestry.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records that he was the son of Mr and Mrs Michael Lavin of 102 Beechgrove Terrace, New Stevenston Road, Carfin, Motherwell in Lanarkshire. CWGC also includes extensive information about the memorial and hostilities in Russia.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
Sources:
Ancestry.co.uk (MIC)
Army Ancestry
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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1 comment:
My Great uncle James was a reservist who worked in the coal mines. He was called up and left Scotland in August 1918. His two brothers were killed in a drowning accident and it is only recently I discovered James died on Armistice day.
The story as told by my father is that James was drawn out a hat along with a few other men to fulfill their quota of reservist volunteers.
R.I.P. James Lavin.
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