James Macallan
Rank: Captain
Service No: N/A
Date of Death: 09/02/1917
Age: 31
Regiment/Service: Royal Army Medical Corps (attd. 6th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment)
Cemetery: Amara War Cemetery
Additional information: Son of Andrew and Janet Alexander Macallan of ‘Underwood’, Douglas Avenue, Burnside, Rutherglen. Born at Rutherglen.
Rutherglen Lore information: Son of Andrew Macallan, National Bank.
Soldier’s Effects information: Executor Andrew Macallan Esq.
Glasgow University information: James Macallan was born on the 13th March 1886 at 88 Main Street, Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, the fourth son of Andrew Macallan, Banker and Law Agent, and Janet Macallan (nee Alexander) who married on the 13th September 1870 in Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire. The family lived in the National Bank House in Rutherglen. James was educated at Stonelaw Higher Grade School in Rutherglen before moving onto the High School of Glasgow and then the University of Glasgow in 1904 to study Medicine.
James took classes in studied Anatomy, Botany, Chemistry, Midwifery, Physics, Physiology, Surgery and Zoology and he graduated MB ChB on the 14th October 1910. Assistantship in New Cumnock, Ayrshire, and Nantwich, Cheshire, were followed by valuable hospital experience. When war broke out James was Senior Surgeon at Wigan Infirmary.
James joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in November 1914, and was attached to an East Kent Regiment. During the Dardanelles campaign he had charge of a hospital at Malta. After the evacuation he was sent to India, acting as Medical Officer to the troops at Meerut and at Delhi.
When the new Mesopotamian campaign was initiated he was transferred to the Persian Gulf, and in the advance on Out-El Amara was attached to the 6th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment. On the 6th February 1917, Captain James Macallan was wounded by gunshot in the head, and died of his wounds on the 9th February 1917. His is buried in the Amara War Cemetery in Iraq.
1901 census information:
Address: 88 Main Street, Rutherglen.
Father: Andrew (55) writer and bank agent, born about 1846 in Thornhill, Perthshire.
Mother: Janet (54) born about 1847 in Kirkintilloch.
Sister: Jessie B A (29) teacher, born about 1872 in Kirkintilloch.
Sister: Ella T (27) born about 1874 in Coatbridge.
Brother: Alexander (25) writer, born about 1876 in Coatbridge.
Sister: Bessie A (23) typist, born about 1878 in Longridge.
Brother: Andrew (21) apprentice mechanical engineer, born about 1880 in Longridge.
Sister: Nellie M (19) born about 1882 in Longridge.
Brother: Thomas A (17) foreign merchants clerk, born about 1884 in Longridge.
Self: James (15) born about 1886 in Rutherglen.
Brother: John (12) born about 1889 in Rutherglen.
1911 census information:
James in living in New Cumnock.
Newspaper transcript – Cpt. James Macallan, R.A.M.C. Cpt, James Macallan (died of wounds) was born in Rutherglen in 1885, and was educated at Stonelaw H.G. School, Rutherglen, the High School of Glasgow, and Glasgow University, where he graduated M.B., Ch.B. in 1909. He thereafter acted as assistant to Dr. Gemmell, New Cumnock, and Dr. Matthews, Nantwich. He afterwards obtained an appointment in Wigan Infirmary, and when war was declared he was senior surgeon there. He joined the Army in November 1914, and acted as medical officer for an East Kent regiment. When fighting commenced at the Dardanelles he was sent to Malta, where he had charge of one of the hospitals. When the forces were withdrawn from the Dardanelles he was transferred to India. Thence he was sent to Mesopotamia. Cpt. Macallan was the fourth son of Mr Andrew Macallan, solicitor and bank agent, National Bank House, Rutherglen. There are two other sons on service, one of whom was wounded on 1st July last, and is still in hospital.
Also commemorated on the memorial at Stonelaw High School, Rutherglen, Rutherglen Old Parish Church, Glasgow High School, University of Glasgow and on the family headstone in Rutherglen Cemetery.
