George MacLellan Carruthers
Rank: 2nd Lieutenant
Date of Death: 10/08/1917
Regiment/Service: Lancashire Fusiliers (11th Bn.)
Memorial: Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
Additional information: Son of Jessie Carruthers, of “Olinda,” 7, Mitchell Drive, High Crosshill, Rutherglen, Glasgow, and the late William Carruthers. F.I.C.
Rutherglen Lore information: Son of Mrs. Carruthers, Olinda, High Crosshill, Rutherglen.
Soldier’s Effects information: Executor James Smith Carruthers Esq.
Glasgow Necropolis information: Carruthers was gazetted a temporary Second Lieutenant on 26th April 1917 and undertook his initial training with the 3rd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers at Withernsea. He was posted to France on 21st June 1917 and reached 11th Battalion on 28th June.
6 weeks later in the Battle of Pilkem (Third Ypres) he went into action commanding No 2 Platoon ‘A’ Company. At 5am, 25 minutes after the attack started, Carruthers and his platoon captured some houses and secured 2 machine guns and 60 prisoners. He does not feature again in the battalion war diary until the day’s losses are recorded and he is noted as the only officer killed that day.
Parents William Carruthers and Jessie W Maclellan.
Educated and the Royal Technical College, Glasgow. Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry. Occupation – worked for BF Goodrich Rubber Co., Akron Ohio then chief chemist at the Dunlop Tire and Rubber Goods Co., Toronto.
1901 census information:
Address: Olinda Villa, Rutherglen.
Father: William (47) manufacturer of dentist material, born about 1854 in South Queensferry.
Mother: Jessie (40) born about 1861 in Glasgow.
Brother: William (14) born about 1887 in Glasgow.
Brother: James (11) born about 1890 in Glasgow.
Self: George (9) born about 1892 in Rutherglen.
Brother: John (5) born about 1896 in Rutherglen.