Dunbar, Lance Corporal John

Surname:	Dunbar
Forename(s):	John
Rank:	Lance Corporal
Service number:	30096
Regiment:	Royal Defence Corps 214 Coy
Date of death:	13 June 1919 Aged 52
Place of death:	Kingussie
Buried Commemorated	Kingussie Parish Churchyard Kingussie War Memorial and Kingussie and Insh Memorial in Kingussie Parish Church.

Background

John was born on 25 March 1867 in Inverness son of Alexander Dunbar, slater, and Catherine Dunbar m.s. Macmillan.

John was a slater and contractor. John married Helen Macdonald on the 13 June 1893 at Holm Mills, Inverness. Census records suggest that he spent most of his married life in Inverness and in the 1911 Census he was living with his wife and family in Tomnahurich Street, Inverness and his employment is described as a slater.

1914-1915 Valuation Roll gives John’s address as Waterloo Cottage, High Street, Kingussie where he is Tenant/ Occupier.

War Record

The Royal Defence Corps was introduced by a Royal Warrant of 17 March 1916. It had been created “To carry out duties connected with the local defence of the United Kingdom, including those hitherto performed by the Supernumerary Territorial Force Companies, as well as those allotted to the Observer Companies…“

John Dunbar, a Slater, aged 52, died on 13 June 1919 at Waterloo House, Kingussie having suffered from Bright’s disease for 6 months. Bright’s disease would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. John and his wife Ellen had nine childern six of whom survived and all were born in Inverness. His death was announced in the Courant of 20 June, 1919.