Heslop's Local Advertiser 15/05/1917
Peter McGuiggan
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Peter G. McGuiggan was born 1891 in the parish of St. Joseph’s, Gateshead, County Durham, one of 6 known children he was the eldest of 2 sons and 4 daughters. His father Peter McGuiggan Snr was born in Ireland in 1838 and married at Gateshead in 1883 to Mary McCoy born at Felling in 1866, the daughter of Irish immigrants William and Mary McCoy. His father was employed as a fitter’s labourer whilst they were living at 3. Grahamsley Street, Gateshead, sister Maggie (18) as a domestic servant. Peter McGuiggan Snr died in 1902 aged 64 years.
Peter married in 1911 Ellen Laffey born at Gateshead in 1891 and with whom he had 2 sons John J born in 1912 and Peter Jnr in 1915. He and his family lived at 66, Fleming Street, Gateshead.
Peter G. McGuiggan enlisted at Gateshead in 1914 assigned as Gunner 2915 to the Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery. In January 1915 he was transferred to “C” Coy 78th Brigade R.F.A. which comprised of 244,245 and 246 Batteries R.F.A. and the Brigade Ammunition Columns, attached to the 17th (Northern) Division with the rank of Driver, responsible for two horses.
The 17th Division was originally designated to Home Defence however this was reversed and they departed to France in January 1915 initially in reserve before taking up the front line in the area south of Ypres on the salient. They were involved in the fighting on the Bluff near Ypres and on the Comines canal, part of what is officially known as the Actions of Spring 1916. July 1st 1916 they fought during the Battle of Albert capturing Fricourt and at Delville Wood. In 1917 as part of the Arras offensive they were engaged during the 1st Battle of the Scarpe April 9th-May 4th 1917. The R.H.A. and R.F.A. followed the 17th Division in all their encounters with the enemy.
Driver Peter G. McGuiggan Royal Field Artillery was killed in action April 19th 1917 during the Battle of the Scarpe. His body was taken from the battlefield for burial at Tilloy British Cemetery, Tilloy-Les-Mofflaines, Pas de Calais France. The cemetery was begun in April 1917 by the fighting units and burial officers, Plot I rows A to H represent the first casualties buried there. Driver McGuiggan is at rest grave I. E. 34.
His wife living at 66, Fleming Street, Gateshead received all monies due to him, his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal and a pension for herself and their 2 sons until she remarried in 1923 to ex Private William Carruthers, 1st Border Regiment, native of Byker, Newcastle-upon-Tyne born in 1887. With William she had a daughter Mary born June 19th 1924 and son James born 1927.
Ellen Carruthers-McGuiggan nee Laffey died at Gateshead in 1933 aged only 42 years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Heslop's Local Advertiser 15/05/1917 reports:
Gunner Peter McGuiggan, R.F.A., killed in action, April 19th. Son of Mary and the late Peter McGuiggan, late of Felling.
Peter McGuiggan is remembered at Felling on F32.24, where his name is given as ‘McGuigan’.
