More about John Allison
For reasons unknown John was not listed on the original Dundee Roll of Honour
Lieutenant Allison John 9 Bn A&SH, (Prev 3606 Pte 9 HLI).
Sometime John Allison of Maryfield Cottage, 26 Forfar Road, Dundee a pupil of Morgan Academy
According to the CWGC web entry he was the son of Provost John Allison and Mary Allison, (nee Todd), of Glenburn, Kilsyth, Stirlingshire and he enlisted initially in December1914 to 9thBn HLI, (Glasgow Highlanders) with the service number 3604. He was subsequently gazetted to a commission in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in June1915. The CWGC entry also states that he was educated at Morgan Academy, Dundee; Allen Glen’s School, Glasgow, and Glasgow University.
That he resided and was, in part, educated in Dundee is now clear as the family were resident at Maryfield Cottage, Forfar Road Dundee, (Just yards from Morgan Academy), in the 1890’s but after the Census of 1891 and before the Census of 1901 where for both Census collections the family were in Kilsyth. We know this as John’s sister Elizabeth was born in Dundee in 1897 Hence we can now firmly establish his association to Dundee. More importantly we have through the pages of the 1897 Dundee Directory identified that John’s father was a Director of the drapery firm of Clunas and Allison with premises in Reform Street Dundee and confirming the family home at Maryfield Cottage on Forfar Road.
Additional challenges to researching his story existed in that he is not included on any of the existing rolls of honour for Morgan Academy, Allan Glen’s School Glasgow and Glasgow University. It would seem John has fallen through gaps in previous researches. He is however listed on the Kilsyth Town War Memorial as well as his listing on the CWGC website. Another interesting feature is that both Morgan Academy in Dundee and Allan Glen’s school in Glasgow have very similar historical roots. Both were formed from bequeathments from City residents who made their fortunes elsewhere and left substantial moneys to form school for the education of sons of tradesmen, both schools were initially, in part at least, fee paying or part fee paying, both schools eventually fell under the management of local school boards and both have well documented histories
As to his service we know that there is no service record available but from other sources we know that he initially served as an enlisted man in the 9th Bn Highland Light Infantry but it seems this was wholly in UK as his Medal Index Card clearly states he deploys to the BEF in January 1917 by which time he is a commissioned officer with 9th Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. By November the 9th A&SH were operating near Rouen as a Labour Bn and source of replacement drafts for Bn’s in the front line and there is no mention of John in the War Diary for 9th Bn merely references to labour and construction tasks. The realistic assumption being that John along with many others was drafted to another Bn in the line . Around the 20- 26 November the 51st Highland Division were involved in the attacks towards Cambrai and both 7th and 8th A&SH Bns were in that Division. Neither however list John as a Casualty but he clearly was killed in that area and is interred in a cemetery there. However he may well have been drafted to any of the other Highlander Bn’s in 51st Highland Div. Short of perusing every other Bn War Diary in that sector on that date it would be extremely difficult to identify with which Bn he was serving when Killed.
It seems clear that John should indeed be listed on the GWD RoH and more importantly on the Morgan Academy RoH and indeed quite possibly the Glasgow University RoH. An interesting post script is that Maryfield Cottage on Forfar Road still exists, (pictures attached), although changes in street numbering over the years it is now 18A Forfar Road and 26 Forfar Road today is a 19th century 3 floor tenement
It may also be the case that Hugh Clunas , who also held dress making business in Glasgow, was the partner of John Allison in the drapery business in reform street was the ancestor of Lila Clunas the Dundee school teacher and prominent Suffragette
John is interred in Cemetery: ANNEUX BRITISH CEMETERY
Cemetery/memorial reference: Sp. Mem. 3.
Born in Dundee on 7th August 1889 he was the eldest surviving son of Provost John Allison of Kilsyth and his wife Mary who lived at Glenburn,Kilsyth.
He went to Morgan Academy in Dundee briefly before Allan Glen`s and then Glasgow University to study Law,graduating in July 1911 and becoming a Law Agent in Edinburgh in October 1911.
Thereafter he practised as a Law Agent with Bannatyne,Kirkwood,France & Co,145 West George St Glasgow.
He was a supporter of the High United Free Church Guild and a keen golfer at Kilsyth Golf Club where he was secretary for a time.
He enlisted in the HLI in December 1914 before being commissioned as a 2nd Lt in June 1915 and then Lt in July 1916.He finally went to France in January 1917.
Although the 9th was a Labour Battalion it seems likely that he was deployed to another battalion in the fighting around Cambrai .
He is buried in Anneux Cemetery Sp.Mem.3 and commemorated on Kilsyth War Memorial.
