J A Beattie Sergeant James Adam Beattie died on 14th December 1917 age 24. Transferred from Northumberland Fusiliers to 2nd Battalion King’s African Rifles. Died on a hospital ship off the coast of Sierra Leone. He was buried at sea and is remembered on the Mombasa British Memorial, Kenya  From The Hexham Herald – 12th   January 1918  Walwick Man Dies of Wounds – Mr and Mrs Beattie of Walwick Farm, Humshaugh, received official information that their son, Sergeant James Adam Beattie, King’s African Rifles, late Northumberland Fusiliers, has died of wounds on a hospital ship, the Dunluce Castle.  Sergeant Beattie was wounded in German East Africa.   Note - James Adam Beattie was wounded at Mtama on 14th October 1917 and died on board the hospital ship, HMS Dunluce Castle, off the coast of Sierra Leone.  He was buried at sea and is remembered on the Mombasa British Memorial, specially erected in memory of men buried at sea.  He was 24 when he died.   James Adam Beattie was the son of Adam Beattie, farm bailiff at Walwick Farm, and his wife, Mary Ellen.  He was baptised at Warden Church in 1893.  He enlisted at Hexham and served on the Western Front with the 2 /4 Northumberland Fusiliers.  In January 1917, he was transferred to the King’s African Rifles to serve in German East Africa, one of many officers and NCO’s from other regiments sent to Africa to boost the native force.    Mrs Beattie received a letter from Nurse Hilda Flynn, serving on the Dunluce Castle, stating that he was one of the bravest soldiers she had nursed and that he had had a very peaceful end, almost sleeping away.   His older brother William Beattie also served in the Army Service Corps 21st Field Ambulance and died at a clearing station in Italy on 2nd October 1918 aged 29 years. He was the eldest son of Adam and Ellen Beattie,  of Walwick Farm, Humshaugh, Northumberland.   (information partly from research by Jen Ogle)

Shaun Beattie