A school in Scotland is hoping to find Manx relatives of a former pupil who died in the First World War.

Students at Perth Academy have discovered the name of a former pupil David Ogilvie Gordon, who died in action in 1916 aged 18, written on a family headstone at Douglas Borough Crematorium.

Retired teacher Dave Dykes has been helping with the school project ’Flowers of the Forest’, which aims to commemorate the 168 students and staff who died during the First World War.

The school has put together a biography of Mr Gordon, an apprentive watchmaker. He was the son of Anne Gordon and of David Ogilvie.

Mr Dykes explained said: ’David Ogilvie Gordon is commemorated on a family headstone in Douglas, and his family must have settled in the Isle of Man at some time after David’s death.

’If there are still descendants of the family living in the area, they may also be interested in David’s story, or may even be able to add something themselves.’

Students have discovered that David Gordon was the son of Mr David Gordon, the principal warder of the Criminal Lunatic Department at Perth Prison.

David Gordon junior was a private in the Highland Cyclist Battalion, attached to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

Battalion

The battalion landed in France in May 2016 and after training, went into the trenches at Fauqissart.

The Perthshire Advertiser reported his death in July 1916, saying: ’He was killed at his post of duty as a sentinel at the corner of the front line trench, and no passing could more become a soldier.’

He is buried at Pont-du- Hem cemetery in La Gorgue.

The school has also asked for help from the Isle of Man Family History Society.

You can email Mr Dykes at [email protected], with any information regarding Mr Gordon’s Manx connection.