Lest we Forget – Private George Ewan

Remembrance Day, on the 11^th of November, is a day of reflection dedicated to honouring those who lost their lives during war and conflict. In keeping with Remembrance, our November blog focuses on George Alastair Walker Ewan of the 8^th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders who lost his life during the Second World War. Private Ewan was buried in an unmarked grave, however, last month his grave was identified 80 years after his death in Italy.

Private George Ewan was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1915. His Scottish parents, Thomas Ewan, a farmer, and his wife Christina Walker Alister, returned the family to Dollar, Scotland in the summer of 1916. George Ewan had a sister called Catherine who was five years older than him. Sadly, their mother Christina died in 1919 only three years after their return to Scotland.

In June 1940, Ewan joined the army and spent two years on home defence duties with a Territorial Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. At the end of 1941, Ewan was transferred to the 8^th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. In October 1942, Ewan’s battalion was posted to North Africa where he fought in the second battle of El Alamein. Many battalions were stationed at El Alamein, including the 1st, 7th and 8th. This battle, fought near the Western frontier of Egypt between the 23^rd of October and the 4^th of November 1942, saw a turning point in the North African Campaign during WW2. In 1940, Italy had invaded Egypt from its colony of Libya which threatened Britain’s vital strategic assets, ultimately starting the conflict between the Allies and Axis armies in Northern Africa. However, the second battle of El Alamein saw the Allies’ first tangible victory against Italy and Germany.

In late June 1944, Private Ewan was wounded in the Vaiano area and was initially presumed missing. However, this was later revised and recorded that he was presumed to have died from his injuries on or around the 21^st of June 1944. He was buried in the civilian cemetery at Castiglione del Largo in an unmarked grave, possibly by German soldiers or local civilians, and he was listed as an unknown British soldier in the cemetery records. After the war, Ewan’s remains were moved from Castiglione del Largo to a war cemetery at Bolsena. During this move, Ewan’s cap badge identified him as a soldier of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, however, no other identifying artefacts were found and so Ewan’s identity remained unknown.

Private Ewan’s grave was identified 80 years after his death, when an independent researcher submitted evidence of his final resting place to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). The research was reviewed with further research by the National Army Museum (NAM) and the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC, also known as the ‘War Detectives’) which concluded that it was indeed the grave of Private George Alastair Walker Ewan of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. A rededication service with military honours was organised by the JCCC on Wednesday the 16^th of October 2024 at Bolsena War Cemetery and was attended by Private Ewan’s cousins.

This remarkable story shows how incredible historic research can be as the work of the independent researcher, the NAM, and the JCCC has allowed for Private Ewan’s death during WW2 to be honoured with a marked grave and given his family answers to what happened to him.

Written by Caitlin Stewart, Digital Content Volunteer