Sorrowing wife

Anne Brown has been researching her family tree, in particular the life and death of John Reid, who was her grandmother’s first husband.

“John William Reid was born in 1886, the son of Alexander Reid and Elizabeth Beedie,” she says. “He married Jane Barrie Campbell Esplin, a linen weaver who was born on November 15, 1887. They married on December 26 1915 in Albert Square United Free Church, Chapel Street, Dundee. It was in this church that John’s memorial plaque was erected.

“The property is now owned by TSB, but the building is no longer in general use. There is no sign of the plaque in the building. The bank’s archive department can find no trace of it.

“John was attached to the Royal Engineers, 205th Field Company, Sapper No 88881 and he may have worked underground for the Battle of Arras 1917 as the Houthulst Forest Battle of Ypres, 2nd Battle of Passchendaele was fought on October 22 1917 with Houthulst on the 26th.

“My research with the War Graves Commission has shown that John died of wounds on November 24 1917 in a field hospital in Boulogne.

“He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas De Calais. I cannot find out what caused his wounds.

“I know that lots of the archive material was lost and this information may no longer be available, but I would love to find out exactly what happened to him. I would welcome suggestions as to where I could go next.

“I have read the death announcement in the newspaper which is held in Dundee Library and it says: ‘Inserted by his sorrowing wife’ which is so sad.

“The story passed down through the family is that John and Jane were only together for six weeks. Apparently, wounded members of the armed forces could be sent home if the family sent over the money to repatriate them. In this case the money was sent, but John had died before it got there.”