The
Carmichael Family - those who went to war
In
common with other families, the Great War brought many changes to the lives
of the Carmichael family. Alexander and Archibald were quick to sign up. Alexander
joined the Black Watch in 1914 and Archibald, the Cameronians in the same year.
Although a large and disparate family, the Carmichaels were close and kept in
regular contact with each other by letter and through family visits whenever
time and money enabled them. Henry Carmichael's brothers, Peter and John, also
had sons who joined up as soon as they were able.
Peter's
son, James Stirling Carmichael also joined the Black Watch at the outbreak of
war and John's son, Donald Bayne Carmichael, joined the Royal Field Artillery.
Henry and Catherine Carmichael's eldest son Daniel, had a son of his own, and
by the outbreak of war, this new generation of Carmichaels, John Henry or Jack
as he was known to the family had also enlisted with the Royal Field Artillery.At
the outbreak of war Henry, in his sixty-fourth year, continued his work in the
gardens at Craiglockhart Hydropathic. Although assisted in the gardens by his
son Robert, with so many young men enlisting for military service, Henry must
have found the work hard and unrelenting.
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