Lives of the First World War

The Four Farquharson Brothers Who Were Killed In Action. Tragedy was to strike four of the Farquharson brothers, whose parents, Alexander and Helen were from Crossroads Cottage, Knockando, Morayshire a small hamlet in the north of Scotland. The first son to die was James, a Butcher to trade he was born on 19 November 1888 at Aberdeen but seems to have emigrated in his later years and enlisted at Valcartier, Quebec Province, Canada on 23 September 1914, it was one of the main centres for enlistment and training. He was to join the 5th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force and made his way to France and Flanders. He was killed in action on 2 March 1916 while part of a Tunnelling Company. He is buried at Royal Engineers Farm Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. The second son to die two months later on 31 May 1916 was Nathaniel Machonachie Farquharson, born on 25 February 1887 at St.Nicholas, Aberdeen, and was employed as a Messenger, he enlisted on 20 October 1905 at Aberdeen and joined the Royal Navy. He was killed in action at the Battle of Jutland while a member of the Royal Marine Light Infantry on board H.M.S. Indefatigable. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Plymouth War Memorial. Donald Farquharson was born on 3 April 1886 at Aberdeen and was a Crane Operator to trade, in his later life he emigrated to Canada, on the outbreak of the war he enlisted at Winnipeg, Manitona, Canada on 31 July 1915, joining the 27th Battalion Canadian Infantry. He was killed in action on the 6 November 1917 and has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Three months later the fourth son was to die. John Farquharson was born on 14 March 1893 and worked as a labourer. During the war he enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve and was a Trimmer on board the H.M. Paddle Mine Sweeper ‘Newbury’. He was killed on the 15 February 1918 and is buried at Aberdeen (Allenvale) Cemetery.

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