William Preston Age 31
Regimental No.563006 Private 82nd Employment Company, Labour Corps
Formerly 50526, Private Manchester Regiment
Died 17 September 1918, Salonika - illness
Buried Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria, Salonika
Personal Background
Records indicate that William, born in August 1886, was the son of Janet Preston and, along with a sister, Maggie, born 1881, was brought up in his grandparents' home in Maxton. Their grandfather, Edward Preston, was a roadman and died in 1900.
The 1891 Census for Maxton shows the grandparents, Edward and Margaret, Janet, then aged 26 and working as an agricultural labourer, and her brother John, aged 24, also a roadman, and both Janet's children, Maggie and William. Ten years on, the 1901 Census shows only the grandmother, Margaret, William, now aged 14 and still at school, and his elder sister, Maggie, aged 19, dressmaker, living at West End cottage, Maxton. Grandmother is listed has having her own means - possibly some kind of pension following her husband's death the previous year?
Further research has found that William's mother, Janet, married Thomas Robertson, a Railway Porter from Edinburgh in August 1891 and moved to the city. By 1901 she and her husband were at Dumbiedykes Road in Edinburgh, with their three children, another Margaret, aged 9, Janet, aged 6 and Andrew, aged 4 and were still there in 1911, so it would appear she had left her first two children with her mother, where they had grown up and were settled.
William's sister, Maggie, married William Cockburn, Blacksmith, and in 1911 William was living with them and their baby boy, James, in Maxton. He seems to have followed his grandfather and uncle John into their trade, as his job is listed as road surfaceman.
However his Uncle John married Jane Henderson at The Green Farm, St Boswells, in 1897 and in 1901 they were living at the East End, Maxton and his occupation was now Cab Driver. The Henderson family ran a cab hire business, which may account for either the change of job, or explain how John and Jane met. And at a later date, as can be seen below, William and Margaret Cockburn were also living at The Green.
Military Background
There is some indication that William enlisted at Grove Park in Kent and served at some point in the Royal Army Service Corps, which was originally formed to provide manpower to unload British ships and operate the docks in France. Two railway labour companies were also formed. He is also listed in the Manchester Regiment, before finally being in the Labour Corps. Formed in January 1917, the Corps grew to some 389,900 men (more than 10% of the total size of the Army) by the Armistice. Of this total, around 175,000 were working in the United Kingdom and the rest in the theatres of war. The Corps was manned by officers and other ranks who had been medically rated below the “A1” condition needed for front line service. Many were returned wounded. Labour Corps units were often deployed for work within range of the enemy guns, sometimes for lengthy periods.
William was stationed in the Balkans, which was a very highly pressured area, with threats from various factions all around. Conditions would have been poor, and he contracted pneumonia. In those days, with no antibiotics, despite being moved to hospital in Salonika, it was not possible to save his life.
His name is listed in the Commonwealth War Graves Index for Mikra Cemetery. In this he is identified as a cousin of Mrs William Cockburn, of The Green, St. Boswells, whom we now believe to be his sister. However, having confirmed that he did have family, a very odd note does appear on the Register of Soldier's Effects. He was in credit to the tune of £40. 5. 9d. which was a significant sum and may have been a long accumulation of wages due. He was also entitled to a War Gratuity of £7.10.0d but this is marked as UNISSUED. Normally soldiers would nominate a next of kin on their initial sign up papers.
There is also a note that Medals were returned and that he died intestate.