Mastertons at War
Like any family living through periods when their countries went to war, a number of Mastertons fought in conflicts across the world. Some never returned. These pages are dedicated to those who fought and died fulfilling their duty to their country.
World War I
The Roll of Honour
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
from "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon, 1914
The National Archives records 141 Mastertons who were awarded a World War I Campaign Medal by the Army, and 4 by the Royal Naval Division. Canadian Archives identify 15 Mastertons who joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The Australian War Memorial site has 11 Mastertons and one Mastertoun from Australia/ New Zealand from Embarkation Rolls.
Killed
A total of 28 Mastertons were killed: 20 from Scotland, 4 from England (three of whom are known to be of Scots descent), 2 from Australia (both of whom were grandsons of Scots immigrants) and 2 from Canada (of whom 1 had been born in Scotland, and the other was the son of a Scots immigrant). The names below are listed in order of date of death. Where there is a link, it will take you to their family tree. Those listed in the table are linked to a full tribute page. A CWGC certificate exists for Corporal James Masterton, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, killed 10 November 1917, but this should be "Masterson" - one of the Leith Mastersons, often misrecorded as Mastertons.
The distribution of those who died is: Forfar 9; Cramond 4; Culross 4; Largo 3; Biggar 2; and one each for the Bathgate, Dunfermline (3), London, Newburgh, Newcastle and Peebles branches.
| Name | Battalion and Regiment | Died | Masterton Branch |
| Gilbert Newnes Masterton | 4th Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) | 9th May 1915 | Largo |
| George Masterton | 1/6th Cameronians | 15th June 1915 | Cramond |
| David Masterton | 10th Gordon Highlanders | 25th September 1915 | Peebles |
| George Masterton | 7th Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders | 3rd November 1915 | Biggar |
| James Masterton | 1/3rd Scottish Horse | 3rd November 1915 | Largo |
| George Ellis Masterton | Army Cyclist Corps | 15th May 1916 | Forfar |
| Allan George Masterton | 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion | 24th July 1916 | Cramond |
| James Frederick Masterton | Mercantile Marine | 29th March 1917 | Forfar |
| James Masterton | 78th Canadian Infantry Battalion | 9th April 1917 | Forfar |
| William Hill Masterton | 1/7th Princess Louise's (Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders) | 23rd April 1917 | Culross |
| Forbes Masterton | 189th Machine Gun Coy. R.N. Division | 24th April 1917 | Largo |
| George Masterton | 15th Highland Light Infantry | 25th April 1917 | Forfar |
| Charles Masterton | 2nd R.M. Battalion. Royal Naval Division. Royal Marine Light Infantry | 28th April 1917 | Dunfermline (3) |
| Robert Masterton | 15th Royal Scots | 28th April 1917 | Newburgh |
| William Murray Masterton | 6th Royal Scots attached 16th | 10th June 1917 | Forfar |
| John Lochtie Masterton | 15th Highland Light Infantry | 9th September 1917 | Culross |
| William Anderson Masterton | RAMC attached 1/6 Black Watch | 11th September 1917 | Forfar |
| George Masterton | 8th Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) | 12th October 1917 | Culross |
| Alexander Masterton | 55th Australian Infantry. A.I.F. | 19th October 1917 | Culross |
| William Nimmo Masterton | 4th Royal Scots | 12th November 1917 | Biggar |
| William Low Masterton | Drake Battalion, Royal Naval Division | 30th December 1917 | Forfar |
| James Masterton | 15th Royal Scots | 22nd March 1918 | Bathgate |
| Frank Masterton | 9th Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) | 5th April 1918 | London |
| Alexander Masterton | 1/1st Northumberland Field Ambulance. Royal Army Medical Corps. | 27th May 1918 | Newcastle |
| James Masterton | 8th Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) | 15th June 1918 | Cramond |
| John Douglas Masterton | 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders | 21st June 1918 | Forfar |
| Henry Masterton | 54th Battalion, Australian Infantry Force | 1st September 1918 | Cramond |
| Douglas Masterton | 1st Gordon Highlanders | 23rd October 1918 | Forfar |
James Masterton, a Private in the 14th Battalion Australian Infantry was reported killed in Gallipoli in 1915 but was repatriated after the war ended, having been a Prisoner of War.
Sources
1) Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle. www.snwm.org
2) Commonwealth War Graves Commission. www.cwgc.org
(Nationality British, unless stated.)
Wounded
| Name | Battalion and Regiment | Wounded | Masterton Branch |
| George Masterton | 1st/7th Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)(T.F.) | June 1915 | Cramond |
| James Christopher Masterton | Royal Garrison Artillery | July 1916 | Culross |
| Peter Stewart Masterton | Royal Garrison Artillery | October 1917 | Forfar |
- Masterton, A. 6121, Private. MORE SCOTTISH LOSSES. [Except where otherwise stated, the rank of soldiers in the following lists should be read as Private.] The following casualties amongst non-commissioned officers and men of the Expeditionary Force are reported from the Base under date 21st November:- This list shows 5 killed (all Royal Engineers), 8 died of wounds (5 Scottish) 143 wounded (113 Scottish, of whom 52 are Royal Scots Fusiliers and 39 Gordon Highlanders), 2 wounded and missing and 56 missing (55 Royal Scots Fusiliers and 1 of the Black Watch.) WOUNDED. ROYAL IRISH RIFLES. -...6121 Masterton, A....Scotsman, Edinburgh, 14th December 1914
- Masterton, A. J., 4???, L.-Cpl. HEAVY SCOTTISH LOSSES. [Except where otherwise stated, the rank of soldiers in this list should be read as Private.] The following casualties amongst non-commissioned officers and men of the Expeditionary Force are reported from the Base under date 25th November 1914:- WOUNDED. SCOTTISH REGIMENTS -...Masterton, 4??? L.-Cpl. A.J. , 12th Lancers...Scotsman, Edinburgh, 11th January 1915
- Masterton, C., C.S.M., Australian Impl. Forces. He volunteered in September 1914, and proceeded to Egypt for training. In 1915 he was sent to France, where he was in action at Pozieres, Albert, and Passchendaele. He also served in the Retreat and Advance of 1918, and was severely gassed and invalided to England. Later he returned to Australia, where he was demobilised in 1919, holding the 1914-15 Star, and the General Service and Victory Medals. 322, Crystal Palace Road, East Dulwich, S.E.22. TZ7999C. National Roll of the Great War.
- Masterton, D. Tpr., WOUNDED SOLDIERS AT MILNATHORT. The following wounded soldiers have arrived at Tillyrie Hospital, Milnathort:-...Tpr. D. Masterton. 1/3rd Scottish Horse....Scotsman, Edinburgh, 8th November 1915
- Masterton, George., Lance-Corporal. DUNFERMLINE:- Lance-Corporal George Masterton, 1/7th Black Watch (T.F.), son of Mr William Masterton, mechanic, Ross Lane, Dunfermline, shrapnel wound to left hand. Scotsman, Edinburgh, 23rd June 1915
- Masterton, J., 920 The following casualties among non-commissioned officers and men of the Expeditionary Force are reported from the Base under date 13th January:-WOUNDED.- GORDON HIGHLANDERS...Masterton, 920, J. ...Scotsman, Edinburgh, 27th February 1915
- Masterton, J., 5503, WOUNDED. CAMERON HIGHLANDERS, 1ST BATTALION. -...Masterton, 5503. J....Scotsman, Edinburgh, 8th November 1915
- Masterton, J., 29687, Act. Bdr.- WOUNDED. ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY. -...Masterton, 29687., Act. Bdr. J. (Glasgow);...Scotsman, Edinburgh, 25th December 1916
- Masterton, J., 8444 WOUNDED.- GORDON HIGHLANDERS...Masterton, 8444, J. (Tillicoultry.)...Scotsman, Edinburgh, 23rd September 1916
- Masterton, J., 10359, WOUNDED IN GLASGOW - A further contingent of 126 wounded soldiers arrived in Glasgow yesterday, and (with the exception of a few who were taken to Merryflats Hospital) were accommodated in Stobhill No. 4 Hospital. Those belonging to Scottish regiments are:- SCOTS GUARDS...Masterton, 10359, J. Scotsman, Edinburgh, 4th January 1917
- Masterton, J., 306175, , Gnr.- WOUNDED. R.G.A. -...Masterton, 306175., Gnr. J. (Glasgow);...Scotsman, Edinburgh, 13th September 1917
- Masterton, P.S., 126134 Gnr.- WOUNDED. R.G.A. -...Masterton, 126134., Gnr. P.S. (Dundee);... Scotsman, Edinburgh, 30th October 1917
- Masterton, R., 4605, Under Date 6th February. WOUNDED. ROYAL SCOTS-...Masterton, R. 4605....Scotsman, Edinburgh, 4th March 1915
- Masterton, S. A., 542, WOUNDED. 2ND AUSTRALIAN LIGHT HORSE: -...Masterton, 542. S.A.....Scotsman, Edinburgh, 3rd June 1915
- Masterton, W., 35, C.S.M. The following casualties among non-commissioned officers and men of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force are among those reported under various dates:-. WOUNDED. ROYAL SCOTS-...Masterton, 35. C.S.M. W. ...Scotsman, Edinburgh, 10th June 1915
- Masterton, W., 35, C.S.M. MEDITERRANEAN FORCE. WOUNDED. ROYAL SCOTS, 5TH BATTALION (T.F.)-...Masterton, 35. C.S.M. W. ...Scotsman, Edinburgh, 2nd November 1915
- Masterton, W., Ldg. Smn., R.N.V.R.: ROYAL NAVAL DIVISION (CLYDE). WOUNDED.-...Masterton, W., Ldg. Smn.,R.N.V.R.... Scotsman, Edinburgh, 28th July 1917
- Masterton, Sgt. W.J., 1941, MORE WOUNDED IN GLASGOW - A party of 100 wounded soldiers reached Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow, by special train yesterday morning. The men belonged to British regiments, and of the total number, 31 were members of Scottish battalions. All were stretcher cases. The work of transferring them from the adjoining railway platform to the wards was carried out smartly by the men of the R.A.M.C. attached to the Third General Hospital, and they had the use of motor ambulances belonging to St Andrew's Ambulance Association. The following are the names of the men of the Scottish regiments:- BLACK WATCH...1941 Sgt. W.J. Masterton... Scotsman, Edinburgh, 4th November 1914
- Masterton, W., Cpl.,2nd London Regt. (Royal Fus.) he volunteered in August 1914 and in the following month was sent to Malta, but in January 1915, was transferred to France, where he was in action at Hooge, Grandecourt and Bourlon Wood and was wounded. He was invalided home and after a period in hospital, was discharged in March 1919, holding the 1914-15 Star, and the General Service and Victory Medals. 322, Crystal Palace Road, East Dulwich, S.E.22. TZ7999A. National Roll of the Great War.
Prisoners of War
- Masterton, J. 896. PRISONERS OF WAR. 14TH BATTALION INFANTRY...Masterton, 896, J. ...Scotsman, Edinburgh, 27th September 1915
- Masterton, W. 40792, PRISONERS OF WAR IN GERMAN HANDS. THE BLACK WATCH.- ...Masterton, 40792, W. (Dunfermline.)...Scotsman, Edinburgh, 28th July 1917