Bridge of Weir Memorial

PTE ADAM M^cLEOD 11^TH A.&.S.H.

S/19544 Private Adam McLeod Walton

11th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

missing presumed dead 22nd August 1917

aged 19

Tyne Cot Memorial
St Machar's Church Memorial, Bridge of Weir
Freeland Church Memorial, Bridge of Weir

Son of Adam McLeod and Jessie Walton
Burngill, Bridge of Weir

His Life

Adam McLeod was registered by his mother Jessie Walton, a thread mill worker, as Adam McLeod Walton, illegitimate, born on 6th June 1898 at Ewing's Land, Bridge of Weir. There are no recorded details for the father, but his army service record states this as Adam McLeod, address unknown, consistent with his middle name. His mother Jessie was the daughter of Matthew Walton and Mary Montgomery Law from Kilbarchan.

In the 1901 census he was 3 years old and living at McLean's Land, Bridge of Weir. His grandmother Mary Walton (born 1851, Glasgow), was the head of the family, married (although her husband was not in the family home) and working as a charwoman. Her 3 daughters Mary 23, Jessie 22 (Adam's mother) and Jane aged 19 were all single factory girls working at a thread mill and her son David was 14 and a grocer's message boy. Everyone in the family had the surname Walton except Adam who was recorded as Adam McLeod.

By 1911 Mary Walton was 59, a widow and still the head of the family, now at Ladeside Place, Laighlands, Bridge of Weir. Her single daughter Jessie (29) was a charwoman and Mary now had two grandsons - Adam (12) and John (8), both with surname Walton.

Adam was an apprentice currier to Hugh Reyburn in Bridge of Weir when he was called up for service with the 11th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders on 23rd March 1917, still in his 18th year. The 11th Argylls formed part of the 45th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. He was posted to France on 20th July 1917 and was officially reported as missing presumed killed on 22nd August 1917, barely a month after he arrived in Flanders. It was almost a year before his death was confirmed to his mother. The 15th Division was engaged in fighting in Third Ypres (Passchendaele) at the time. On 22nd August, at 4.45am, the 11th Argylls were on the right flank of an attack with the 13th Royal Scots. The Divisional history states:

"On the right the fate of the leading companies of both the 13th Royal Scots and 11th A. & S. Highlanders will never be known. So heavy was the machine gun fire that no information could be sent back or supports sent up. Of the Argylls only three officers came back (McClure, Chesney and Muirhead), all three being badly wounded."
Adam is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in the Ypres Salient, Belgium.

His mother Jessie later married John MacLeod, an inspector with the Post Office Engineering Department.

The field of battle where Adam McLeod Walton fell on 22nd August 1917. The 11th Argylls were attacking Beck House and Borry Farm.

Siblings

1901 Census		1911 Census		Birthplace
Name	Age	Name	Age
Adam	3	Adam	12	Bridge of Weir
		John	8	Bridge of Weir

Sources

Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Scottish National War Memorial
Adam McLeod Walton birth certificate 6th June 1898. Regd Bridge of Weir. 26th June 1898.
1901 UK Census: Parish Kilbarchan: Ward: Bridge of Weir. Pages 14-15. 559/0B 003/00 014 and 015.
1911 UK Census: Parish Houston West. Ward: Bridge of Weir: Page 4 lines 30-33; 559/0B 001/00 004.
Adam M Walton Army Service Record:
Adam McLeod Walton born 1889, Bridge of Weir. Private, 5'4¼"tall, 128lbs, chest width 35½" with 3" expansion, good physical development and a linear scar in the occipital region. Apprentice currier and resident Barngill, Bridge of Weir. Enlisted Paisley 23rd March, 1917 , one brother and no sisters. 4 nieces and 4 nephews at Maclellan Street, Glasgow and 2 uncles and 3 aunts at (1) Maclellan Street, Glasgow and Mable Street, Molkilloch(?).
War Diary: WO95/1944/2 11th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. 1 Jul 1915 - 31 Aug 1918. National Archives.
- 21 Aug 1917: FRONT LINE N of YPRES-ROULERS RLY. Coys reported in position & 10/11 HLI relieved 4.30 A.M. Front Coys (L and Right) occupying a line with right astride FREZENBERG Rd near D.25. central. Left NE of & opposite BECK HOUSE. Front Coy Hdqrs at LOW FARM. Communication all day very precarious. Line laid by 2 Lt R.L. MACKAY, held & was of great value.
  About 3 P.M. daylight patrol of Corporal PRESTON & his men went forward to BECK house. Bombing party following to cover patrol. BECK house found occupied & bombing party sent bombs into windows causing great splashes of water& causing Bosche to run out. These were caught by an L.G. Fire which awaited them. Bosch bombing party approached on other side of BECK house unseen - Bombing encounter took place over the house and parties, having obtained their information, retired.
  8.30 P.M. Heavy shelling of FREZENBERG Ridge. Capt J.H. PORTEOUS commanding 'D' Coy, being in the front line for first time, was killed by a sniper about 6 P.M.
  9.30 P.M. Support Coys moved up by Platoons to take up ATTACK positions behind C & D Coys respectively.
- 22 Aug 1917: 1.30 A.M. Coys took up their assembly positions along tapes laid out by Capt MacClure M.C. & an RE Officer. 2 Platoons R.S.F. to act as moppers up got in position also 4 Guns 48 M.G.C. Bn reported ready in assembly positions, despite M.G. fire, sniping & Artillery at 4.15 A.M.
  4.20 A.M. O.C. R.S.F. platoon detailed to mop up BORRY Farm wounded by shell fire.
  4.45 A.M. Barrage opened and Battalion advanced. Almost immediately heavy M.G. Fire & sniping fire opened on entrance to Battalion Hdqrs at LOW FARM. a 4" shell landed on LOW FARM wounding 5. R.S.M. Gilchrist wounded by sniper while actually standing inside Bn Hdqrs.
  5 A.M. Capt W.F.L. MacClure carried in wounded reported D Coy held up in front of BECK HOUSE. No reports received from right.
  6.5 A.M. Information from wounded parties of our men that their Coy was held up opposite & NW of BECK HOUSE. Apparently Left Front Coy had gone through past Beck House. Right Coys supposed to have gone on towards BORRY. Telephone disconnected. Runners impossible. Report of situation sent by Pigeon.
  6.10 A.M. Troops on Right & our own men seen coming back in small groups, held up by Lt J.F.C. Cameron M.C. & 2/Lt R.L. Mackay - despite the heaviest M.G. & Sniping fire - & placed in position roughly along original assembly line. 2/Lt A.R. Chesney passed through, wounded.
  6.15 A.M. A general withdrawal of all Troops who had not yet passed BECK House was apparent (reported by Pigeon).
  6.45 A.M. General situation would appear to be small bodies of men along whole Bde Front are back & fighting on original assembly line. 44 Bde held up by Hill 35.
  7.0 A.M. Got connected up with 13 RS on right & 44 Bde on left. For the next 4 hours situation remained the same. Line was composed of about 40 rifles & six Lewis Guns under Lts Cameron & Mackay. The line was reorganised by the greatest gallantry by these officers under incessant fire & consolidated with a view to possible counter attack.
  9.10 A.M. Right Flank Bn reported on line D.25.d.9.3. - D.25.d.3.9 to D.25.a.8.4.
  1.30 P.M. Sniping decreased. Still no reports from Coys. Some 20 men of D Coy reported back under a Sgt.
  3 P.M. Wire received. Contact Aeroplane reports flares on line D.26.c.4.7 - D.26.c.5.4. - D.25.b.8.8. - D.25.b.6.0. E. of BECK House & bodies of our troops still fighting.
  6 P.M. Word received that 6 Camerons (left) & 6/7 R.S.F. (right) will attack tonight at dusk to take B line.
  7.40 P.M. 6/7 R.S.F. not to move. 6th Camerons to attack on whole front to take Beck House and Borry Farm. The scheme did not materialize, and at
- 23 Aug 1917: 12 midnight: Bn Hdqrs moved to BILL Cottage. Held line with some 140 all ranks including 8 Lewis Guns. This included some men from R.S. and R.S.F. in our line. Evening after a trying day, at end of which Lt J.F.C. Cameron was the only officer in the front line, the Battalion came out with C.O. Adjutant Lt Cameron & some 140 O.R. majority taken back in trains to BRANDHOEK & into TORONTO Camp.
- 24 Aug 1917. Day spent in rest & cleaning up. Casualties: 2 officers in operations were killed. Capt J.H.PORTEOUS & Lt L.J. DOW. Wounded: Capt W.F.C. MacClure, Lt A.R. Muirhead, 2/Lt R.H. Bates, 2/Lt F.C. Stewart, Lt A.R. Chesney, 2/Lt W.J. Denholm. Missing: Lt G.H. Mitchell...
Paisley and Renfrewshire Gazette

20th July 1918: Private Adam McLeod Walton A & S H who resided at Barngill, and was reported missing on 22nd August 1917, has now been officially presumed killed on or about that date. Private Walton, who was only 19 years of age when reported missing, was, prior to enlisting, in the employment of Mr Hugh Reyburn, Bridge of Weir as an apprentice currier.

23rd August 1919 - IN MEMORIAM: In loving memory of Private Adam McLeod Walton, A&SH, reported missing 22nd August 1917 - Inserted by his Mother, Barngill, Bridge of Weir.

Freeland United Free Church. Record Since March, 1918. pub. October 1918.
o Deaths: With the deepest regret we have to note that Private Adam M. Walton, A. and S. H., has been missing since July, 1917, and Private Edward Shedden, Scottish Rifles, since 8th of May last.
The Fifteenth (Scottish) Division 1914-1919. Lieut. Col. J. Stewart and John Buchan. 1926
Adam McLeod Walton. Article in Glasgow and West of Scotland Family History Newsletter, October 2014. Diana Burns.
Medals: Victory, British War.

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PTE ADAM McLEOD 11TH A.&.S.H.