Corporal, 9830, Patrick Nangle – Survived the War

1st Royal Scots

Patrick Nangle at Ranikhet, Northern India in 1911 – © Helen Nangle

Synopsis of Military and Civilian Life

Patrick Nangle was born on 2 July 1890 at 55 Scott’s Row, Craigneuk, Dalziel, Lanarkshire to Patrick Nangle (senior) and Frances (Fanny) Conners or Nangle. His father was a Furnaceman, presumably at one of the local steel works in the area, his mother and father having come from Ireland. Life was clearly hard for the family, 5 of his siblings dying in infancy. There were further hardships when his father was imprisoned in 1902 for child neglect and later for assaulting his mother, the parents separation and his fathers attempts at suicide.

Press Cutting from the Edinburgh Evening News dated 24 December 1904 – © British News Archive
Press Cutting from the Edinburgh Evening News dated 22 December 1904 – © British News Archive

Patrick was to follow in his fathers footsteps and joined the 3rd Battalion Royal Scots as a Territorial on the 25th July 1906 shortly after he left school, it appears that he provided them with a false age stating that he was 18 years old at the time as he said he was born in 1888, when in fact he was just 16. He was given the Service number of 618. At the time he was described as follows :-

  • Height – 5’3″
  • Weight – 100lbs
  • Chest – 33″ with expansion of 2″.
  • Complexion – Pale.
  • Eyes – Grey
  • Hair – Dark
  • Religion – Roman Catholic
  • Marks and Scars – Oval Scar on Right Knee.
  • Occupation – Painter at Cromwell Street, Leith, Edinburgh.

Shortly after on the 13 October 1906 he was to join the Regular Army. There is little information about his service due to the destruction of the Service Records but it is known that he was Court Marshalled for Desertion on 11 May 1909 at Edinburgh for which his punishment was 21 days imprisonment and stoppage of pay. There is a possibility that this may have been girlfriend related as he was later married on the 23rd August the same year.

He was certainly stationed in India in 1911 as the below picture shows him in The Royal Scots Detachment, Tug of War Team who were champions at Ranikhet, Standing Camp, which was a hill station in Uttarakhand State, northern India looking onto the Himalayas.

The Royal Scots Detachment Tug of War Champions at Standing Camp, Ranikhet, India in 1911 – © Helen Nangle.

Little is known of his service in the Great War as his service documents were more than likely destroyed in the Blitz of WWII, however it is known that he served in the 1st Battalion, The Royal Scots and his service number by then was 9830. Patrick was sent to the France / Flanders Theatre of War on the 19 December 1914 and he probably served there until around December 1915 when the 1st Battalion were sent to the Salonika Front.

He was awarded the Military Medal on 11 December 1918 and the Croix de Guerre late on 21 July 1919, the Military Medal being awarded for his service on the Salonika Front (also known as The Macedonian Front), although there are no documents available explaining the circumstances of his award. On the 2 August 1919, he was placed in the Reserve under ‘Class Z’. There were fears that Germany would not accept the terms of any peace treaty, and therefore the British Government decided it would be wise to be able to quickly recall trained men in the eventuality of the resumption of hostilities. Soldiers who were being demobilised, particularly those who had agreed to serve “for the duration”, were at first posted to Class Z. They returned to civilian life but with an obligation to return if called upon.

Post Great War Service

The following information was sent to the family from the Ministry of Defence dated 12 December 1989 following a request from his family. It shows that he re-enlisted into The Royal Scots in December 1920 and discharged again in July 1927, he then re-enlisted again in August 1939 at the outbreak of WWII and discharged in July 1942, his service being no longer required. During that time he had the service numbers of 3046775 and D/13961 and achieved the rank of Warrant Officer 2nd class (Company Sergeant Major).


He died at Edinburgh on the 20 January 1956 of an apparent Coronary Thrombosis.

Family

Patrick Nangle was born on 2 July 1890 at Wishaw, Lanarkshire. The following family information is taken from the 1891 and 1901 Census and family research.

His family is shown as follows :-

  • Wife – Helen Mitchell Stevenson or Nangle, born 6 June 1890 at Pomarium Street, Perth, died 2 August 1974.
  • Son – Patrick, born 23 May 1910, died 27 May 1993
  • Daughter – Elizabeth Sutherland, born 11 September 1917, died 12 November 1917
  • Daughter – Jean Stevenson Purves, born 25 July 1920, died 22 July 1997.
  • Daughter – May Duerden, born 23 May 1922, died 21 April 1979.
  • Daughter – Helen Mitchell Stevenson, born 1924.
  • Daughter Frances Connor, born 29 October 1927, died 29 March 2005.
  • Daughter – Alexandra Banks Stevenson, born 3 January 1929, died 7 July 1930.
  • Son – William, born 1931.
  • Son – Stanley Smith born 1936.
  • Father – Patrick Nangle, born c.1857 at Ireland – General Labourer / Furnaceman.
  • Mother – Frances (Fanny) Connor or Nangle, born c.1866 at Ireland, died 16/4/1947.
  • Brother – Thomas, born 22 March 1885 at Preston, died 29.11.1952.
  • Brother – Patrick, born 8 May 1886, died 10 December 1886.
  • Sister – Elizabeth, born 28 January 1888 at Wishaw, Lanarkshire, died 25/1/1965.
  • Sister – Margaret, born 14 March 1892 at Edinburgh, died 16 July 1972.
  • Sister – Alice, born 9 October 1894 at Edinburgh, died 21 February 1896.
  • Brother – Joseph, born 14 November 1896 at Edinburgh, died 10/9/1898.
  • Brother – Peter, born 4 July 1898 at Edinburgh, died 20 July 1901.
  • Brother – Henry Edward, born 4 September 1900 at Edinburgh, died 25/9/1900.
  • Sister – Frances, born 26 March 1904 at Edinburgh, died 24 February 1996.

Addresses

  • 1890 – 2nd July – 55 Scott’s Row, Craigneuk, Dalziel.
  • 1891 – Kirk Loan, Corstorphine, Edinburgh.
  • 1901 – 1 Hermitage Place, St. George, Edinburgh.

Medals

Patrick Nangle was awarded the Military Medal, Croix de Guerre, the 1914-15 Star, Victory and the British War Medals for his service in the Great War.

Memorials

Patrick Nangle was not killed during the war so he is not remembered on any war memorial.

Links to Additional Information

References

Groups

Contributors:-

  • Vincent Stuart.
  • Helen Nangle Ross, Granddaughter.
  • Ann Bell (Documents)
  • Janice Brown (Documents)
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