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Those known to have served with 6th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Clarkson Thomas. Pte.
- Duke Andrew Davidson. L/Cpl. (d.30th April 1942)
- Emmanuel Frank. Pte. (d.8th August 1944)
- Fraser MID. Howard Jeffrey. Sgt.
- Geddes John Wilson. CQMS.
- Grant Donald. F/O
- Harrower Douglas Stewart. Cpl. (d.16th May 1940)
- Hughes William Hugh.
- Jenkins George Fredrick. Pte. (d.29th May 1944)
- Kelly James. Pte.
- Lindley Walter.
- McIntyre Hoodless. Lt. (d.26th Sep 1944)
- Morrison Charles. Pte.
- Murray Patrick. Sgt.
- Stewart Douglas Haig. Pte.
- Stuart John. CSM.
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
Records of 6th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders from other sources.
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Want to know more about 6th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders? There are:1349 items tagged 6th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Pte. Douglas Haig Stewart 6th Btn. Gordon Highlanders Dad, Douglas Stewart served throughout the war. As a territorial he was already enlisted at the start of the war and saw service in the B.E.F.
He saw action in Belgium and was evacuated from Dunkirk. From there he saw service in North Africa and then went on to serve in Italy.
He was very proud of his connection with the Gordon Highlanders.
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Pte. Thomas Clarkson 6th Btn. Gordon Highlanders Tom Clarkson gave his war memories to the Gordon Highlanders museum.
He was conscripted in 1940, serving with the 6th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders and served in North Africa and at the Battle of Anzio.
He was taken prisoner there when he was wounded in the leg and spent the rest of the war in a prisoner of war camp.
He was part of the forced march as the Allies moved into Germany and was eventually liberated by the Americans.
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Sgt. Howard Jeffrey Fraser MID. 6th Btn. Gordon Highlanders   My grandfather, Howard Jeffrey Fraser (1924-1961) of the 6th Gordon Highlanders, likely served alongside the Seaforth Highlanders. He served in Java and at Monte Cassino.
He was born in Dehra Dun, India in 1924 the younger of two brothers. His mother, a nursing sister met her husband to be, George Fraser, a dentist working in the same area and they became engaged and subsequently married in India. They decided to send their sons home to the United Kingdom for schooling at Panel Ash College and as parents saw very little of their children between the ages of 8 to 17.
On leaving school Jeff Fraser returned to India briefly to visit his parents following which, he returned to the United Kingdom and joined the Gordon Highlanders, 6th Battalion as a private soldier to fight in the Second World War.
He was a jocular individual not much taken with authority to all accounts but nevertheless acquitted himself with some distinction being Mentioned in Dispatches and receiving some extensive wounds from shrapnel in an action that was fought at Monte Cassino in Italy.
Following a period of convalesance, he was posted to the Far East where he saw further action against the Japanese. During this period he was attached to the 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders and had reached the rank of Sergeant in charge of a mortar platoon.
In Java he contracted pneumonia. When he resumed service the pneumonia returned and left him in a weakened state. Nevertheless, he completed his service in 1946 returning to the United Kingdom on conclusion of hostilities.
Post war, he secured employment as a trainee manager on a tea plantation and returned to India living and working in the Darjeeling district. On a brief home leave, he met his future wife and they married in 1951 returning to India together where they had three children and he was promoted to Tea Plantation Manager on the Teesta Valley Tea estate.
Sadly, his war wounds and the damage caused to his lungs by pneumonia impacted on his health and he died in December 1961 at the age of 37 while still in India.
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CSM. John "Jock" Stuart 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders My dad, Big Jock Stuart, was born in March 1904 in Gamrie. He later lived in Macduff. He married my mother, Barbara Wilson, at the Doune Kirk Macduff on the 29th of April 1931.
He served for many years in the 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders in India. He then served in the 6th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. I think he was recruiting in Keith at one time and was for a time provost serjeant in the 6th Battalion.
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Pte. Frank Emmanuel 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders (d.8th August 1944) Frankie Emmanuel was a very charismatic only child, a bit of a clown with a devil may care attitude, good looking and loved teasing people and carrying out pranks. He got into trouble after dressing up as an army captain and going out on the town. It was said when he was caught he tried to make light of it and his punishment was to be sent to the front line. His death was devastating to family and friends.
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L/Cpl. Andrew Davidson Duke 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders (d.30th April 1942) My father Andrew Duke was killed on the 30th April 1943 in Tunisia. I was born four days later.
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Pte. James Kelly 6th Battalion, D Coy. 17 Platoon Gordon Highlanders   James Kelly (Grandfather) joined the 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders in 1943 after working as a toolmaker in Wigan. James, after initial training, was sent to North Africa with the 6th Battalion and spent most of his time in North Africa guarding Italian and German prisoners. James met his two brothers by accident in Souse Tunisia, Bill who was serving with the RAF and Mick in the Royal Corp of Logistics, an unexpected meeting in a foreign land.
Jim was sent to Italy and again spent time guarding German and Italian prisoners. Little is known of his time in Italy other than he spent weeks in the backs of trucks and developed blood clot in his leg from lack of movement and activity!
In 1945 he was sent with the Battalion to Palestine. The family story told to us was that on guard duty one day a Jewish or Palestinian sniper lay in wait near the guard post where James was on duty in the dark. One of James's platoon was with him when his partner lit a cigarette. James told me that there was a loud crack and his partner was hit however he said he saw where the flash came from and said he directed fire from other positions onto this position. In the morning there was a significant blood trail but no body and he assumes someone must have dragged the body away in the night!
James always said his time in Africa and Italy were easy compared to the time he spent in Palestine. James remained a private throughout the war as he was illiterate until his return to his wife Elsie who taught him to read and write! James retuned to his pre war job as toolmaker until his retirement and passed away in 1988 in Standish, Wigan.
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Lt. Hoodless McIntyre 6th Btn. Gordon Highlanders (d.26th Sep 1944) I have a letter from Major Lewis Smith (Kings Own Scottish Boarderers) describing how Hood lost his life. He had only recently joined the 6th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, he was second in command and they were somewhere in the Gallic Line, Italy. He had volunteered to go forward after the wireless operator had been injured. He died on 26th September 1944 and is buried at the War Graves Cemetery in Fienza, Italy.
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CQMS. John Wilson "Jocky" Geddes 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders My late father John Geddes was captured at St Valery 12th June 1940. He spent some time in Stalag 383 although I'm not sure just how long. He was a prisoner with others from his home village of Aberlour in Banffshire, Scotland who have all now sadly passed on. This photo which was taken on repatriation and I believe all were in the same camp. On the back row extreme right is George McConnachie and in the front row from left is Jock McConnachie (his brother) who gained the MM, next are twin brothers Leslie & Thomas Gray, not sure which is which, then my father John Geddes and Charles Morrison. I would be pleased to get any info on anyone who can make connections with any of the men in the photo.
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F/O Donald Grant 50 Sqd I have been left my uncle Donald Grant's RAF navigator's air bomber's and air gunner's flying log book.I found reading it really interesting, not just because he was my uncle, but the details of training, bombing raids and the eventual winding down of the war in Europe and return to peacetime.
At the start of his log he writes; After retreat to Dunkirk with 6th Gordons in 1940, volunteered for 9th Gordons but was sent to 1st Bn London Scottish in Kent, July 1940, saw "Battle of Britain" dog fights every day. Hated London Scottish, crazy about bayonet practice. I volunteered for commandos and airborne troops.
However, how he ended up in the RAF is a mystery. The log goes on though his training as, Wireless operator, Air gunner and Signals leader. It goes on to list all his ops, targets, aircraft, successes and failures.
On his third ops on 29th May 1943, he writes; Wuppertal, bloody shaky do, back on 2 engines, caught by searchlights over Cologne. First one engine hit by flak and knocked out, 2nd engine caught fire over North Sea - terrific flames. Pilot told us to fix on our 'shutes and be ready to bail out. Dived plane for at least 5000ft and fortunately fire went out.
My uncle went on to be on 32 bombing ops in total and survived the war and passed away only a few years ago. I hope many other people find this as interesting as I have. If I can help give anyone information from this logbook please contact me.
Donald Grant Summerd Hill
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