BLAIR, Hugh McGill
| Service Number: | 746 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 August 1914, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 5th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Stirling, Scotland, April 1886 |
| Home Town: | Newport, Hobsons Bay, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Craig's School, Stirling, Scotland |
| Occupation: | Blacksmith |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 25 July 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Pozières British Cemetery Grave IV. O. 28., |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Williamstown Pictorial Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 746, Melbourne, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Oct 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 746, 5th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Orvieto embarkation_ship_number: A3 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 746, 5th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Orvieto, Melbourne | |
| 3 May 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 746, 5th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 9 May 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 5th Infantry Battalion | |
| 25 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 746, 5th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 746 awm_unit: 5 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1916-07-25 |
Help us honour Hugh McGill Blair's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by John Edwards
"...746 Sergeant (Sgt) Hugh McGill Blair, 5th Battalion, of Newport, Victoria. A native of Stirling, Scotland, Sgt Blair was employed as a blacksmith prior to enlistment. He embarked with the Battalion from Melbourne on HMAT Orvieto on 21st October 1914. He was killed in action in France on 25th July 1916 and is buried in Poziers British Cemetery, Ovillers-La- Boiselle." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
NOK Mrs D Blair (mother) 80 Temple Park Gardens, Edinburgh.
He is remembered on the West Calder, Scotland, war memorial.
Biography contributed by Amee Blair
Blair Hugh McGill, was born in Stirling, Scotland but moved to live in Newport, Victoria. Before the war McGill was employed as a blacksmith.
McGill enlisted for the war on the 17th August, 1914 and embarked from Melbourne on the 21st October, 1914 on the HMAT Orvieto. After training in Eygpt, McGill was sent to join the campaign at Gallipoli. McGill was promoted to sergeant during his time with the 5th Battalion.
McGill was killed during fighting on the 25th July, 1916 in France.
Biography contributed by Allen Hancock
Hugh McGill is mentioned in a letter written by Corporal Gordon Inglis to his mother in Melbourne from the British No 17 General Hospital in Alexandria in June 1915 and published in the Footscray Chronicle on 31 July 1915.
"I was wounded the day we landed (Sunday, April 25), about 2.30 p.m. and was taken aboard a ship on which they put 850 aboard, with only one doctor, without any instruments, and a couple of army medical chaps. My condition was pretty bad, and I owe my life to Hughie Blair, who had a slight scalp wound, and saw me on the beach in a dying condition. However, he cared for me and got me aboard and made me comfortable — going without himself. He nursed me night and day, never leaving me. My lieutenant, who was aboard, wounded in three places, used to come down and see me, and the doctor always followed his visit. I expect he sent him.
I got very bad on the Wednesday night, so they decided to take me away from where I was below up on deck, where so many were taken only to be buried. But, no. Hughie would not let them touch me. He would have killed them had they touched me. Well, we arrived here on Thursday night, and I still lived, so the following morning I was carried ashore by Hughie, and put in an ambulance waggon and brought to this hospital on April 30."
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