More about Thomas McGregor

Thomas is also remembered on the Cupar War Memorial.

Thomas McGregor was the son of Mrs Mary McGregor of 66 Walton Street, Dundee but he changed his next of kin to his father, Mr James McGregor, who lived at 30 South Union Street, Cupar. On the first day that recruiting opened Thomas McGregor, a Clerk, volunteered to join the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve onboard HMS Unicorn for service in the Royal Naval Division. After initial Naval Training at the Crystal Palace in South London he was advanced to Leading Seaman and then sent to Blandford Camp in Dorset for advanced military training. On completion he was drafted to the Collingwood Battalion which was being reformed at Blandford Camp, training to join the rest of the RND in Gallipoli. The Collingwood Battalion landed in Gallipoli in late May 1915 and took part in the Third Battle of Krithia on 4 June 1915. This was their first and last action because, as they advanced towards the enemy line, they were caught in heavy Turkish artillery and machinegun fire. The number of dead and wounded was very high and the Battalion was disbanded two days later. The survivors were distributed to the other RND battalions to replace their losses and Thomas McGregor was drafted to the Anson Battalion. In October he was evacuated to Alexandria, Egypt suffering from rheumatism and then admitted to the convalescence hospital at Montazah. In January 1916 he returned to the Anson in the Aegean Islands onboard HMS Magnificent, an old battleship converted into a troop transport. In May the Anson Battalion sailed from Mudros to Marseille to join in the fighting on the Western Front. The first major action the RND was involved in was the taking of Beaucourt village in November 1916. Thomas McGregor received gunshot wounds to his left side and was evacuated to the Birmingham War Hospital, receiving treatment until he was sent back to Blandford Camp to recover and build up his strength. He was granted ten days leave on 20 December 1916 and spent it in Dundee. In July 1917 he rejoined the Anson Battalion in France. The RND moved from France to Belgium in October to take part in the Passchendaele battles and Thomas McGregor was killed in action but his body was not recovered. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial and the Cupar War Memorial. His brother, James McGregor, also joined the RND in November 1914, serving in the Hood Battalion at Gallipoli and the Somme, being invalided out in November 1917 after being severely wounded in left thigh, right knee and shoulder in November 1916. By a twist of fate both brothers were wounded in the same Somme battle on 13 November 1916.