#birse

James Charles Birse was born 17 October 1884 in Old Machar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; the 3rd of six children born to my Great Great Aunt Isobel Milne and Alexander Birse.

1891 Scotland Census Parish: Aberdeen Old Machar; ED: 29; Page: 35; Line: 12; Roll: CSSCT1891_54

The 1901 census shows James at age 16, living in Edinburgh with the Purvis family employed as a “Whole Sale Druggist”.  

At 19, on 30 April 1904, James left Glasgow aboard the Buenos Ayrean destined for Quebec, Canada. He spent some time in Grand Rapids, Michigan before enlisting in the Canadian Overseas Battalion in London, Ontario, Canada on 17 August 1915.

31 March 1916, upon arriving in the UK, James wrote a letter to his Brother George about Edinburgh “Auld Rekkie” “She is still my favorite city and I have visited quite a few during my twelve years of rambling.”

6 October 1916 in a letter sent to his brother, George from a hospital in England where he was recovering from a gunshot wound received two weeks earlier.

“Well, I am thankful to say I have nothing to worry me at all- unless it is that I am getting well too rapidly. You know it isn’t very much to look forward to – another trip to H_ll. That is what it is over in France – at least on the Somme.“

James returned to duty 12 December 1916.

He was killed in action on 5 November 1917 during the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium. His widowed mother, Isobel Milne Birse was notified on 24 December 1917.

James is buried at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. His name also appears on the monument with the rest of the Birse family in the Allenvale Cemetery in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Date: Saturday, January 26, 1918 Paper: Muskegon Chronicle (Muskegon, Michigan) Page: 11

The Michigan newspapers announced his death as at the Battle of Cambrai, and while the cemetery monument reads Passchendaele. Since he died on 5 November 1917 it is clear that the family had the accurate information inscribed on the stone.