Details of the Fatal Accident
| Place | Quintinshill, Dumfriesshire, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday 22nd May 1915, 6.30 a.m. |
| Railway Company | Caledonian Railway |
| No. of Fatalities | 227 |
| Cause of Accident | Error by signalman led to multiple collisions. |
| Description | Britain's worst rail disaster, in which a troop train crashed, claiming 227 lives. A distracted signalman forgot about a stationary local train that he had shunted on to the opposite running line so as to let the following express train through. This was necessary because both of the adjacent sidings were already occupied. This led to a multiple collision between a troop train and the local train, also involving two coal trains in the sidings and, shortly afterwards, the following express train, which then ploughed into the wreckage. |
Sources/Further Reading
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission (cwgc.org)
- Gretna - Britain's Worst Railway Disaster (1915), John Thomas (David & Charles, 1969)
- Handful of Dust: Further Accidents and Disasters from Scotland in the 20th Century, William P. Cross (2005)
- Memorial Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh and a cairn near site (also a memorial tree that was subsequently vandalised)
- Red for Danger, L.T.C. Rolt (Sutton Publishing 1955)
- The Guardian, Friday 18th May 2001
- The Guardian, Thursday 2nd January 2003
List of Fatalities
211 of the 227 fatalities that have been identifed so far are listed in the table below together with brief notes on any other information found so far. Because of the large number of entries, the table has been split and further entries can be found by clicking on the links below:
The last column shows the General Register Office (England and Wales), Statutory Register (Scotland), General Register Northern Ireland or Civil Registration for Ireland reference where this has been identified.
| Surname | First Names | Age | Occupation | Residence | Notes | GRO/SR/GRONI/GROIE Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADAMS | James | 23 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name PEARSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/37 Graitney or Gretna |
| ALLAN | Thomas Reed Wilson | 23 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name WILSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/68 Graitney or Gretna |
| ALLISON | Samuel Oglethorpe | 22 | Corporal 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name LAUDER. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/22 Graitney or Gretna |
| ANDERSON | James | 31 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name ANDERSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/194 Graitney or Gretna |
| ANGUS | David Robert | 32 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name ROBERTSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/30 Graitney or Gretna |
| ANGUS | Robert | 18 | Lance Corporal "A" Coy. 1st/7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name MILLER. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/99 Graitney or Gretna |
| ARCHIBALD | David | 18 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name LAWSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/120 Graitney or Gretna |
| ARNOULD | Thomas M. Lorime. | 19 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name MITCHELL. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/36 Graitney or Gretna |
| AULD | John Alexander | 21 | Lance Corporal "A" Coy. 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name MORE. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/46 Graitney or Gretna |
| BAILLIE | Andrew Hunter Forrest | 20 | Private "A" Coy. 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name FORREST. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/205 Graitney or Gretna |
| BAILLIE | William Turnbull | 17 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name BAILLIE. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/121 Graitney or Gretna |
| BALLANTYNE | John Williamson | 21 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name DUNCAN. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/82 Graitney or Gretna |
| BARNET | Thomas Wilson | 20 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name THOM. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/19 Graitney or Gretna |
| BARNETT | Thomas | 21 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name GROGAN. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/50 Graitney or Gretna |
| BATEY | Robert | 18 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name MORRISON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/44 Graitney or Gretna |
| BATTEN | (Lot) Francis | 21 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name REIDIE. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/199 Graitney or Gretna |
| BAXTER | Archibald Scott | 46 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | |
| BELL | Andrew Moodie | 21 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name BELL. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/140 Graitney or Gretna |
| BELLMAN(N) | George | 20 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name WEBSTER. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/81 Graitney or Gretna |
| BIRD | Alfred James | 21 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name WILSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/200 Graitney or Gretna |
| BIRD | Peter Alexander | 34 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name MILLER. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/168 Graitney or Gretna |
| BISSET | William Thomson | 22 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name THOMSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/44 Graitney or Gretna |
| BLACKWOOD | William Russell T. | 22 | Drummer 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name SMITH. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/16 Graitney or Gretna |
| BLAIR | James Allan | 20 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name SUTHERLAND. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/109 Graitney or Gretna |
| BLAIR | John | 22 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name SUTHERLAND. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/108 Graitney or Gretna |
| BONNAR | Charles | 23 | Lance Corporal 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name PIRIE. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/38 Graitney or Gretna |
| BORTHWICK | Robert | 24 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name BORTHWICK. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/122 Graitney or Gretna |
| BRASS | John | 18 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name CRAWFORD. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/78 Graitney or Gretna |
| BROOKSHAW | Fredrick | 16 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name BRUCE. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/171 Graitney or Gretna |
| BROWN | Andrew Ovens | 28 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name PORTEOUS. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/123 Graitney or Gretna |
| BROWN | George Cook | 22 | Lance Corporal 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name DUTTON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/89 Graitney or Gretna |
| BROWN | James | 36 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name WARDROPE. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/124 Graitney or Gretna |
| BRUCE | Robert Watson | 23 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name WATSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/91 Graitney or Gretna |
| BRUNTON | Robert | 26 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name DALGLEISH. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/105 Graitney or Gretna |
| BURKE | Robert Mowbray Douglas | 18 | Private "D" Coy. 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name STRACHAN. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/74 Graitney or Gretna |
| BURNET | James | 21 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name DEAS. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/85 Graitney or Gretna |
| CAIRNS | Archibald Anderson | 23 | Lance Corporal 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name ANDERSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/125 Graitney or Gretna |
| CAIRNS | Henry Swanney | 23 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name BRYDON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/202 Graitney or Gretna |
| CAMPBELL | Andrew | 20 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name LEARMONTH. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/207 Graitney or Gretna |
| CAMPBELL | Peter | 20 | Lance Corporal 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name BELL. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/41 Graitney or Gretna |
| CARLIN | Richard | 23 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name FROGGO. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/172 Graitney or Gretna |
| CARTER | John | 23 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name GRIEVE. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/126 Graitney or Gretna |
| CLARK | Alexander | 19 | Private "A" Coy. 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name WATSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/45 Graitney or Gretna |
| COLVILLE | Arthur Balfour | 24 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name MACPHERSON.. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/127 Graitney or Gretna |
| COMBE | Lister Scott | 17 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name ROLLAND.. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/63 Graitney or Gretna |
| COOK | James | 27 | Private Highland Light Infantry 8th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name WATSON.. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/53 Graitney or Gretna |
| CRANSTON | James | 25 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name GREIG.. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/128 Graitney or Gretna |
| CUNNINGHAM | John Thomas | 29 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name ROSS.. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/206 Graitney or Gretna |
| DALGLEISH | George | 35 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name IZETT.. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/18 Graitney or Gretna |
| DAWSON | Robert | Lance Corporal "A" Coy. 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | |||
| DICK | James | 34 | Lance Corporal 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name MUIR.. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/203 Graitney or Gretna |
| DOUGHERTY | Thomas Colvin | 21 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name DAVIDSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/129 Graitney or Gretna |
| DUFF | George Campbell | 28 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name ROBERTSON.. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/130 Graitney or Gretna |
| DUFF | Robert Robertson | 25 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name ROBERTSON.. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/131 Graitney or Gretna |
| DUGDALE | Robert Cormack | 20 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name CORMACK.. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/132 Graitney or Gretna |
| DYER | Samuel Stephen | 51 | Sleeping car attendant (on the express train) | , | Mother's maiden name SHERMAN.. | SR 1915 827/12 Graitney or Gretna |
| EDMOND | Thomas | 29 | Private "D" Coy. 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name HENDERSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/83 Graitney or Gretna |
| EDMOND | Thomas | 29 | Private "D" Coy. 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name HENDERSON.. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/83 Graitney or Gretna |
| FALCONER | John A R Pratt | 26 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name PRATT. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/25 Graitney or Gretna |
| FINDLAY | Robert Scott | 28 | Captain 7th Agryll and Sutherland Highlanders | , | Passenger on the express train. Mother's maiden name PRATT. | SR 1915 827/62 Graitney or Gretna |
| FINDLAYSON | John | 28 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | |
| FLETT | William | 36 | Lance Serjeant 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name HEDDLE. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/210 Graitney or Gretna |
| FORD | Herbert Henry | 43 | Engineer (crane department manager Arroll's Works Glasgow) | , | Mother's maiden name HERBERT. | SR 1915 827/15 Graitney or Gretna |
| FORRESTER | Joseph Fulton | 19 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name LEE. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/92 Graitney or Gretna |
| FRASER | Robert Rodger | 22 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name RODGER. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/133 Graitney or Gretna |
| FREW | Daniel McNair | 17 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name MACKIE. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/95 Graitney or Gretna |
| FYFE | John Forbes | 22 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name HENDERSON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/173 Graitney or Gretna |
| GAFFNEY | Michael | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | ||
| GARRIE | George | 20 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name FINDLAY. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/174 Graitney or Gretna |
| GEAR | James | 46 | Serjeant 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name BRON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/175 Graitney or Gretna |
| GIBB | Robert | 21 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name RENNIE. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/24 Graitney or Gretna |
| GIBSON | Alexander Scott | 24 | Serjeant 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name SCOTT. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/134 Graitney or Gretna |
| GLENNIE | Alexander | 23 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name DIACK. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/176 Graitney or Gretna |
| GOODWIN | John | 18 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name BROWN. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/20 Graitney or Gretna |
| GRADY | James | 38 | Private 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name THORNTON. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/177 Graitney or Gretna |
| GRANT | Alexander | 16 | Drummer 7th Battalion Royal Scots | , | Mother's maiden name DUMBER. Commemorated in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh (cwgc.org) | SR 1915 827/178 Graitney or Gretna |