John McGregor Drummond was killed in action on 14 November 1944 near the farm now known as Koudenhoek near Holthees. He was a Corporal in the 1st Battalion of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers (Service No. 14214543), aged just 20. He was initially buried at Cemetery A. vd Wijst in Overloon and re-interred on 13 May 1947 in grave II. B. 6 in the Overloon CWG Cemetery. The inscription on his grave reads “Dearly beloved youngest son of Alexander and Jessie Drummond.”

Military Career

It isn’t known when John McGregor Drummond enlisted, but given his age, he would not have served with the KOSB when they took part in the Battle of France and were evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940. The 1st Battalion of the KOSB then took on a defensive role, patrolling in Sussex.
 
With the allied invasion of Europe in 1944, the 1st battalion KOSB was there at the forefront, returning to France on D-Day, 6th June, landing at ‘Queen’ Beach. They fought through Normandy and around Caen until the town capitulated, and then advanced north through Belgium and the Netherlands to the Rhine and Bremen.
 
The Battalion entered the Netherlands from Belgium on 21 September at Budel, where the troops were given a great welcome by the inhabitants. They moved on to Liessel on 24 September where they undertook patrols of the area east of the Deurne Canal.  On 28 September the Battalion took up positions further north covering a cross roads at Milheeze, then on 1 October they moved further north again to St Hubert where they were again very well received by the inhabitants. They remained here until 12 October carrying out patrols but also undergoing training and having time to relax a little.
 
On 12 October they moved to an area just west of St Anthonis. On this day the 8th Brigade attacked towards Overloon and by 1700 hours the 1st Suffolks had captured the town and had taken up a position just to the South of it. On the 13 to 15 October the Battalion took part with other Battalions in clearing woods to the west and south of Overloon. During this action 3 men were killed and 12 were wounded. The following day the Battalion continued south through more woods, but that afternoon they were ordered to take over the positions of the 4th KSLI east of Overloon in the Smakt area. During the take over one man was killed and 3 wounded by Nebelwerfers (Moaning Minnies).

They remained in this position until 4 November.  From here, they could patrol the area west of the railway line and observe movements of Germans on the east side and target them. They were often heavily shelled and mortared but also made good use of the Artillery to retaliate. Mines on the railway crossing points prevented attempts to cross the railway. On one occasion, on 22 October, when a platoon did cross to see if the enemy had withdrawn from the houses in Smakt, they were surprised by enemy machine guns concealed in the houses. One officer and 19 other ranks were presumed killed or taken prisoner with only 5 being able to escape. In this period 33 men were wounded, 10 were killed and 21 were missing.
 
On 4 November the Battalion handed over to the 2 Royal Ulster Rifles and 2 Lincolns and moved to just outside St Anthonis. Here the routine was 48 hours rest and sleep, and the remaining 72 hours spent in cleaning weapons, ammunition and kit and checking stores and equipment. Some enjoyed 48 hours in Brussels, and most could attend the cinema in Mill.
 
They remained near St Anthonis until 9 November when they moved back to the Overloon area. On 14 November they moved into positions west of the railway line in the area of Smakt which were held by the 2 Lincolns. The take over began before first light when they took over exposed forward positions and standing patrols thought to be under enemy observation. The take over was completed by 1415 hrs. However Corporal John McGregor Drummond was killed by a sniper in the Farm at 794328. This was the current farm named Koudenhoek 2 Holthees.

Geoff Hogg, who was in the same Battalion and was also 19 at the time, was able to shed more light on this incident. He was in a slit trench with Corporal Drummond who told Geoff to bail out the water in the trench while he decided to see if there was any straw in a nearby barn to put in the bottom of their trench, making it more comfortable. He thought he would be OK  as there had been no reports of enemy activity in the area. Geoff saw Corporal Drummond leaving the barn laden with straw under both arms, then fall after hearing rifle shots. He knew there was a sniper about and immediately ran for help zig zagging any snipers that may be out there as he had been trained to do, then dived into bramble bushes cutting himself all over. Smoke was sent into the area where Drummond had fallen but when the stretcher bearers went in, the sniper (whom they never found) started firing through the smoke at them without success.

Medics looked after Geoff and gave him some brandy. He asked how Drummond was and was told not to worry about him and that he was OK. Geoff was sent back to his trench minus the straw! It was only in 2014 when Geoff’s son did some research on the history of the KOSB that he found that Corporal Drummond had died that day and is buried in Overloon Cemetery. Geoff couldn’t believe that he had been killed by the sniper and thought he’d survived the war. Geoff survived the war and celebrated his 100th birthday in 2025. Read here the biography of Geoff Hogg. 

John Drummond was initially buried near houses today at Schaartven along with 9 other men from his battalion and 11 others from other battalions. All were reburied in Overloon on May 13, 1947.

John Drummond’s Family Background

John McGregor Drummond was the son of Alexander Francis Drummond and Jessie Ann Watson. Alexander had been born in 1878 in Rothiemay and Jessie in 1887 in Ord. Rothiemay is a village east of Keith while Ord is south west of Banff, both in the old County of Banffshire (now divided between Aberdeenshire and Moray) in Scotland.
 
Alexander and Jessie had married at the Christian Institute in Portsoy on 18/2/1916 after banns according to the Established Church of Scotland. Portsoy is a small port just west of Banff on the south coast of the Moray Firth. Alexander was working as a Farm Grieve, which is a Scottish term for a Farm Manager. He was aged 37 and his address was Knockdurn, Fordyce. Knockdurn is a farmstead about 2 miles east of Fordyce and 2 miles south of  Portsoy. His parents were James Drummond, a Farm Servant, and Sarah Drummond (nee Mowat). Both were deceased. Jessie Ann Watson was aged 28 and was working as a Domestic Servant. Her address was Church Street, Portsoy. Only her mother’s name was given. She was Annie Riddoch (nee Watson). W. Drummond and Jane Watson were the witnesses at the wedding.
 
The Banffshire Reporter of 23/2/1916 reported the marriage as follows:
“Drummond-Watson: At the Institute Portsoy on 18th Inst by Rev Wm Browne, Alexander F Drummond, second son of the late James Drummond, Bogmuchals, to Jessie, eldest daughter of Charles Riddoch, Church Street, Portsoy.” Bogmuchals is an area just a few miles south of Fordyce.
 
Alexander and Jessie had children as follows: Charles James W Drummond c October 1914, Jean Watson Drummond c September 1916, Elizabeth Helen C Drummond c August 1918, Robert Riddoch Drummond 1921, John McGregor Drummond on 4/12/1923 and Jessie Ann Watson Drummond 1926. Jessie seems to have been  known as Etta.
 
Charles was born in Portsoy while Jean and Elizabeth were born in Fordyce. It is likely that the family were living at Fordyce until sometime between 1918 and 1921 when they seem to have moved further west along the Moray Firth to Rathven which is just east of Buckie.
 
By June 1921, Alexander and Jessie were living at Woodside Cottage in Rathven. With them were Charles, Jean and Elizabeth. They occupied 2 rooms in Wood Cottage, while another family occupied the other two rooms. Alexander was working as a farm hand for Mr Hay, a farmer. William Hay lived with his family at Woodside Farm which was nearby. Another three of his workers lived at Woodside Farm Bothy.
 
Robert was born in Seafield district which includes Rathven but John was born at Kirkton, Bunchrew, Kirkhill and Jessie also in Kirkhill. Bunchrew lies on the south shore of the Beauly Firth to the west of Inverness. It therefore seems that the family moved there between 1921 and 1923. At John’s birth Alexander was described as a Ploughman.
 
Sadly, John McGregor Drummond was killed in action in the Netherlands on 14/11/1944.
 
A newspaper clipping reported his death of as follows:
Official information has been received that Corporal John MacGregor Drummond KOSB has been killed in action in the Northwest European Theatre of War. He was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs Drummond of Inchberry, Lentran and before being called up to the Army was an apprentice gardener in the service of the Honourable Mrs Walker, of Kingsmill House, Inverness.
 
Inchberry  in Lentran is just a little further west than Bunchrew while Kingsmill House is just south east of Inverness city centre. The Honourable Mrs Walker of Kingsmill House was probably related to Sir Francis Walker of nearby Leys Castle. Indeed, there is a park called Walker Park very near Kingsmill House.
 
After John McGregor Drummond’s death, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission described him as the son of Alexander and Jessie Drummond of Leachkin, Inverness-shire, Leachkin is just on the western edge of Inverness, suggesting the family had moved further east towards Inverness.
 
No marriage was found for Charles Drummond. Jean Watson Drummond married John McKay in Inverness in 1941. They seem to have had two children as follows, both in Inverness: Doreen 1942, Frances Anne 1943. Elizabeth Helen C Drummond married Donald Fraser in 1943. They had children as follows, both in Inverness: Alexander Drummond Fraser 1943 and Donald Fraser 1946. Robert Riddoch Drummond married Mary Jane Mair in Inverness in 1963. They had twins Joan and Julie in 1965 in Inverness. It is thought that Jessie Ann Watson Drummond did not marry.
 
Alexander Francis Drummond died aged 67 in 1947 and Jessie Ann Drummond aged 79 in 1967, both in Inverness.
 
Elizabeth H C Fraser died in 1967 in Inverness.
 
Charles J W Drummond died aged 74 in 1/5/1988. He had worked for British Rail. His funeral announcement mentions his siblings Jean, Robert and Etta.
 
Robert Riddoch Drummond, known as Roddy, died in 4/9/2001 aged 80. He also had worked for British Rail. His funeral announcement mentions his wife Mary (Molly) Mair and daughters Joan and Julie and sister Etta and late siblings Charlie, Jean, Bessie and Jack.
 
Jessie Ann Watson Drummond died in 2006 in Inverness.

From Scotland’s People website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; Scottish Census Records
From FindMyPast: Electoral Rolls; Military Records
King’s Own Scottish Borderers website
1st KOSB War Diaries  (Royalscotskosbwardieries)
Aberdeen Press and Journal 2/5/1988 and 6/9/2001
Newspaper clipping and photo from Roy Fraser, John’s great nephew.
Information from Geoff and Malcolm Hogg

Research Nicole van Loon, Elaine Gathercole