Glenfarg War Memorial Project

David Brough MM

Fitter/Gunner 192723 354th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery (firstly, Cpl 93204 Royal Field Artillery)

Born 12 October 1891 Abernethy, Perthshire, Scotland.
Died 8 October 1918 6th General Hospital, Rouen, France.

David Brough, the son of Colin (a stonemason) and Catherine (née Miller) Brough, was born on 1 October 1891 in Abernethy, Perthshire, Scotland.

The 1901 census shows the family living on Smiddyhill Road (Church Hill, now Church Brae), Glenfarg, Perthshire. Apart from his father and mother, aged 44 and 43 respectively, his siblings Elizabeth (18) a domestic servant, Alexander (15) a mason's apprentice, Annie (13), Colin (10) and John (5) are also shown with David, aged 8. However, on 3 October 1907 his mother died, aged 49, of a cerebral tumour.

The 1911 census shows the family still together, but with the addition of a daughter Catherine, age 9 (i.e. born in 1902, after the last census). They are living at 'Cottage (Deas)', next to the United Free Church, the first of two cottages now called Churchill cottages (originally Church Hill, now Church Brae.) This is probably the same house as the 1901 census, the next house on that census being shown as Bountree, where William Deas, the local builder, and his family were then living; this is simply listed as a 'Private House' on the 1911 census.

His elder sister Annie (23), is now the housekeeper for the household, his elder brothers Alexander (26) and Colin (20) are masons, his younger brother John (15) an apprentice joiner, whilst David himself is an apprentice blacksmith.
His eldest sibling, Elizabeth (27) is not on this census, but it seems that she remained in or returned to the village to live with their father Colin at The (Corbett) Institute, Glenfarg (outside which the war memorial is now situated.)

Colin Brough senior died at that address on 18 December 1934, aged 78,
and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission grave registration documents of 1919/1920 for David's gravestone give 'Mrs E. Brough', presumably Elizabeth, as the correspondent, at that address. Elizabeth (Lizzie) never married, being described as 'Housekeeper' and 'single' on her death certificate – presumably housekeeper for her father. She died suddenly of a coronary embolism on 23 April 1948 at Bountree, possibly whilst visiting, and her brother-in-law William Davidson (he had married Elizabeth's sister Catherine Brough on 31 August 1922) of the Smithy House, Glenfarg, registered her death.

David Brough enlisted at Kirkcaldy and went into the Royal Field Artillery. His medals index card shows him as Corporal 93204 and that he entered the theatre of war in France on 19 July 1915. On 18 September 1917 his rank was reduced to Gunner. He transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery at some point and his rank and service number were Fitter/Gunner 192723.

He qualified for the three WW1 service medals and at some point won the Military Medal, but without knowing which brigade(s) in which he served it is difficult to establish where and when he won this. The CWGC records have him as being with 354th Siege Battery, which were part of the 21st brigade Royal Garrison Artillery in 1918. For their movements, the War Diary (WO 95/469) for June 1915 – July 1919 at The National Archive, Kew, London, would have to be consulted.

David Brough died of wounds on 8 October 1918 in the 6th General Hospital, Rouen, France, and is buried in St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen.