Muchty Remembers

Born: 13 December 1892, Dunshelt, Auchtermuchty.

Son of Jeanie Hardie, Dunshelt, Auchtermuchty. 

Army Number: 169

Rank: Private

Regiment: 5th Battalion Scottish Rifles (Cameronians)

Died: Killed in action, in France, 23 May 1916. Aged 23.

Buried: Buried at Cambrin Churchyard Extension,  Pas de Calais, France. Row L, Grave 11.

War Memorial. Parish Church Plaque. Church Roll. Photograph. Dunshelt Hall Memorial.

 

David Hardie was the son of Jeannie Hardie, born 1865, Dunshelt.

Jeannie, or Jane, was the daughter of David Hardie, born Falkland 1840, and Jane, born 1838, Arngask, died about 1885. She had two older brothers, Richard, born 1861, and Andrew, born 1853.

In 1891 Jean Hardie was living in Well Wynd, Dunshelt, a factory winder, with her widowed father, David Hardie, a wood cutter. In 1901 she was still at Well Wynd, with her father, a railway surface man.

 

In 1861 David Hardie, senior, was living at "142 Houses", Auchtermuchty, as a farm miller, with his wife Jane, and son Richard, born 1860, Auchtermuchty. In 1871 David Hardie, now a labourer, was living in (Dunshelt) Auchtermuchty, with his wife and children, Richard, Andrew and Jeannie. In 1881 David Hardie was living in Dunshelt, stoker at the Farina Mill, with his wife and two children, Andrew, born Dunshelt, an apprentice mason, and Jane, born Dunshelt, a linen factory winder. By 1891 David Hardie was a widower, living in Well Wynd (Dunshelt) Auchtermuchty, with his daughter Jeannie Hardie, a winder in a linen factory and young David Hardie, aged 8, given as born in Auchtermuchty.

The senior David Hardie's father, also David Hardie, born 1838, Falkland, was the 4th of 7 children of Richard Hardie, Linen handloom weaver, born 1808, Falkland, and Janet Suttie, born 1805, Auchtermuchty.

 

David Hardie enlisted in Glasgow in 1915 with the Scottish Rifles (Cameronians) and served with the 5th Battalion. In the Church Roll he is given as serving with the Canadian Scottish Rifles. 1st/5th Battalion Scottish Rifles was stationed in Glasgow as part of the Lowland Division. It was mobilised in November 1914 and crossed to Le Havre, where it joined the 19th Brigade of the 6th Division, and then moved to the 27th, 2nd and 33rd Divisions. It saw action at the Battles of Albert, Bazentin and High Wood in July 1916.

After heavy losses in July 1916 1st/5th and 1st/6th Battalion were amalgamated to form the 5th/6th Battalion Scottish Rifles.

David Hardie was killed on 23 May 1916 and was buried at Cambrin Churchyard Extension, Cambrin, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France. His British War Medal, inscribed Private 169 David Hardie, survives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cambrin Cemetery, Bethune, Pas de Calais, France.                      Memorial plaque, Auchtermuchty Church