410258 Ewen CAMERON, Lovat Scouts, 2 SAS & Popski's Private Army

Discussion in 'Special Forces' started by mikky, Aug 11, 2019.

  1. mikky

    mikky Member

    I'm trying to make a time line of the service of L/Cpl Ewen Cameron, 410258, John Ewen Cameron, of the Lovat Scouts and No 2 Commando. Born on the 2nd of March, 1910, at Bridge of Gaur, Rannoch, son of Donald and Catherine Cameron, The Kennels, Rannoch Station, Perthshire. A gamekeeper at Rannoch Lodge Estate, he enlisted in the Scottish Horse at the beginning of the Second World War, later being transferred to the Lovat Scouts, serving in the Faroe Islands, North Africa and Italy. He was killed in action on the 21st of June, 1944, in Italy and is buried at Ancona War Cemetery.. His death is mentioned in detail in Popski's book. There are also a number of photographs online. I'm interested in his career before this and how it all fits together. My mother in law remembers him (she was a child), before the war. Links to various websites that mention him attached.

    Any help much appreciated.

    Mike

    SAS Cameron, John Ewen

    LOCAL HEROES. A tribute for Remembrance Day 2017.

    Corporal John Ewen Cameron
     

    Attached Files:

  2. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Hi Mike, his death is mentioned in the Perthshire Advertiser 12 Jul 44 Eldest son of Mrs and the late Donald Cameron, Finnart, Rannoch and also mentioned in the Dundee Courier 4 Jul 44. Newspaper archives are available at Find My Past or Britishnewspaperarchive sites.

    His birth details from 1910 and his Service Entry in the Death category are available at the Scotlandspeople website. Using the free indexes from its property Valuation Rolls I found:-

    1915, 1920, 1925, 1930 & 1935 Donald Cameron (his father) living at Keepers Cottage & Croft, Little Finnart, Struan Estate, Parish of Fortingall.

    Mrs C Cameron is the occupier at the same address on the 1940 Valuation Roll. I assume Donald passed away between 1935-1940. These entries cost 2 credits to open, but will reveal the fathers occupation and value of property and rent charge.

    I'd imagine the father Donald was a gamekeeper and he learned his trade from him.

    You could spend £15 to obtain his 1939 Identification Entry from Edinburgh.

    He's also a 1 year old on the 1911 Census at Scotlandspeople website.1921 Census will be released in 2021. There's no indication he left a military will.

    I'd search for him on the electoral registers also
    Perth and Kinross, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1832-1961
     
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  3. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    I thought I'd look further at the Valuation Rolls for 1935 & 1940.

    I'm assuming his father's occupation and residence will have been tied to the Struan Estate owner.

    The cottage/croft and most other properties on the estate were owner by a Captain Bruce Canning Vernon Wentworth.
    Bruce Vernon-Wentworth - Wikipedia

    If you could prove Ewan John worked for the estate like his father, I'd start hunting for archives for the Struan Estate or perhaps there's a personal archive for Captain Wentworth.

    Start with the online catalogue searches at the National Records of Scotland and The National Archives in London.
     
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  4. mikky

    mikky Member

    Many thanks indeed amberdog45. Excellent work. I will study that further.

    Thank you.

    Mike
     
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  5. Don Eagleton

    Don Eagleton New Member

    Hi Mike,

    My mother, Catherine May Cameron, was Ewen's sister (one of three plus one brother) and she migrated to Australia after the war with my father who served in Bomber Command with an RAAF squadron. Mum was also a WAAF.

    Whilst it would appear that most of the information you haveabout Ewen is largely correct and I probably can't add much on his early service history (I didn't realist that he spent some time in the Faroes, for example), I may be able to add some further information, which may be of interested to you. One example is a letter (original) written by Popski to my grandmother informing her of Ewen's death. As you may be aware, Ewen was Popski's gunner. Also, photos of Ewen's grave marker at Tolention, where he was initially buried; a menu from the PPA Christmas Lunch at Bisceglie in 1943, various photos, etc, etc.

    One thing I noticed is that you give his rank as Lance Corporal. Ss he had two stripes, I believe that makes him a Corporal.

    If you interested in any further information I would happy to provide what I can.

    I'm interested too, to know the connection your mother-in-law may have had to Bridge of Gaur and to the Camerons, etc.

    Kind regards,

    Don
     
  6. mikky

    mikky Member

    Hi Don Many thanks for getting in touch. Sorry I haven't been on the site for quite some time. Would be interested in any information you might have on Ewan.

    Regards Mike
     
    JimHerriot likes this.
  7. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Mike,

    Don has not logged on since July 2022, so you will have to send him a PM.
     

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