Howie John Cunningham 1896

John Cunningham Howie
1896-1979

Father Nm: William Howie, b. 1864, Kilmaurs, Ayrshire d. 30 Apr 1928, Bedfordshire
Mother Nm: Jane Blencowe, b. 19 Nov 1862, Evesham, Worcstershire d. May 1948, Eastern Cheshire

Marriage Dt:

K comments:
Spouse comments: Catherine Constance Farnell born 16 Dec 1899, Kelvinside, Glasgow died 1976 Essex.

Children.

Born 1896

06 Nov 1896, Lanarkshire

1901 CENSUS

17, Lawrence Street, Govan, Partick, Lanarkshire

William Howie Head Married Male 37 1864 Commercial traveller woollen worker Kilmaurs, Ayrshire, Scotland
Jane Howie Wife Married Female 37 1864 – England
William Howie Jr Son Single Male 10 1891 Scholar Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland
Margaret E Howie Daughter Single Female 8 1893 Scholar Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland
John C Howie Son Single Male 4 1897 – Partick, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Mary Ann Thompson Servant Single Female 15 1886 General servant domestic Portsoy, Banffshire, Scotland

 

WW1

 

Manchester Regiment

Kings Own Scottish Borderers

Private 2082, 2752433 1st/7th Bn. Manchester Regiment, 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers

1915
  • 23 June. The date of entry into the Balkans is in his medal records. The 1/7th  Battalion had landed prior on 6 May 1915.war diary.

Note:

  1. In late May 1915 the division was numbered as 42nd (East Lancashire) Division –  and the brigades were also numbered, the Manchester becoming 127th (1st Manchester) Brigade.
  2. John 1/7th Bn and William 1/6th Bn were ultimately in the same Brigade but only in 1916.
  • 6-13 August. The Battle of Krithia Vineyard

    Map of the peninsular showing the location of Krithia Vinyard
  • The rest of 1915 was engaged in trench warfare.
  • 19/20 December.  After the evacuation from Gallipoli, the battalion returned to Egypt with less than half the strength with which it had set out.
1916
  • Suez Canal Defences for the whole of 1916, rebuilding its strength and taking part in the Battle of Romani (4–5 August).
1917
  • January. Granted a Commission as a 2nd Lieutenant
  • 7 February. Gazetted as 2nd Lieutenant with the Kings Own Scottish Border Regiment.
    SPECIAL RESERVE OF OFFICERS.
    The undermentioned, from Officers Cadet
    Units, to be 2nd Lts. 25th Jan. 1917 : K. 0. Sco. Bord.—John Cunningham Howie

Note: A lack of this man’s service record makes it difficult to determine his war experience after this commission. I believe his Medal Index Card may be a clue along with a Gazetter notice in 1920 which placed him with the 3rd Reserve Battalion of the KOSB. The MIC card below

The Card tells us several things, he was to enter the Balkans on 23 June 1915. He earned his medals with the service in the Balkans in 1915-1916. He was commissioned in 1917. One unusual remark is he is “ineligible for Oak Leaf ? Gallantry Actions.  This explanation from War Forum member Kenf48  makes sense to me

Officers had to apply for their medals.  

There was probably some correspondence regarding the mention in dispatches and the application for an emblem, this was refused.  It may have been for example at some point in his service, probably as another rank he may have received a ‘gallantry card’ and believed this entitled him to the oak leaf.

Administratively the cards were occasionally used to record policy decisions which is probably what happened here.

1918-1919
Medals
Awarded the 1914-15 Star the Victory and British War medals
Sources
    1. Find My Past  and BFA database
    2. Familysearch.com
After the War
1920
  • 30 July. London Gazette John retains his rank of Lieutenant 3rd Kings Own Scottish Borderers
1921 Census

10, Oakwood Avenue, Gatley, Stockport Etchells, Cheshire

John Cunningham-Howie Head
Male 1896 24 Lanarkshire, Scotland Manufacturer Coloured Goods (Cotton) Director have
Catherine Constance Cunningham-Howie Wife
Female 1900 21 Kelvinside, Lanarkshire, Scotland House Wife Home Duties
John Alfred Cunningham-Howie Son Male 1921 – Stockport Etchells, Cheshire

1927

Edinburgh Gazette notices records John C. Howie, a Director of Esslemont & Macintosh Limited, Drapers, Aberdeen

1939 Census

9 Warwick Close, Hampton, Twickenham M.B., Middlesex

John C Cunningham-Howie (Howie) 06 Nov 1896 Male – Married 159 1
Catherine C Cunningham-Howie (Howie) 16 Dec 1899 Female – Married 159 2
John A C Cunningham-Howie (Howie) 17 Apr 1921 Male – Single 159 3
Death 1979

Q4 1951, Twickenham. Ealing, Middlesex.

At the time of his death, John was Chairman of the Conservative Party for his area. see article from 7 Dec 1955

Gallery

There are service records in the National archives for this person they can be viewed and download from their website https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/