Brown, George James Rankine (1894 - 1917)

Second Lieutenant, 2nd Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

Buried at Amara War Cemetery

Commemorated at Bellahouston Academy Roll of Honour

Lieutenant Brown died age 23 on 21 May 1917. He was part of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force and is buried at Amara War Cemetery in Iraq.

George was one of the four sons of the Rev. John Brown, D.D., and Margaret Romanes Brown of Bellahouston Parish Church, whose sons all died in their country's service.

Born at Bellahouston manse, he received his education at the High School of Glasgow. Before joining the army he was engaged in the service of the Burmah Oil Company, Glasgow. He was trained in the Officer Training Corp of Glasgow University, and on 11 January 1916, received his commission in the 11th Royal Highlanders (Black Watch).

His training was further continued in Edinburgh and at Kinross, until in September 1916, he left for India. There he spent ' as is bright and informative letters to his people at home showed ' a most enjoyable time, travelling through a considerable part of India, and visiting many places of historic interest. In March 1917, he was selected to go to Mesopotamia, and there on the 21st April, received gunshot wounds in the chest, from which he died on the 21 May 1917.

Memorial: Lieutenant Brown grave; Bellahouston Academy Roll of Honour 1914-1918 and the Scottish National War Memorial.

Here is his entry in the University of Glasgow's Roll of Honour - http://universitystory.gla.ac.uk/ww1-biography/?id=1424