Thousands of the name Macpherson (or variant) took part in the Great War with a total of 494 recorded as having lost their life in the service of King and Country. The Army lost 458, the Air Force 4 and the Navy 24 with the Mercantile Navy losing 8 men. A breakdown of the Commonwealth countries involved records that Australia lost 61 Macphersons, Canada 80, New Zealand 8, South Africa 6 and the British West Indies 3. The United Kingdom lost a total of 336. An unknown number who served in the armed forces of the United States of America also were lost.

      The youngest recorded serviceman was John Eden McPherson, Boy 2nd Class, of HMAS Tingira. From Victoria, Australia, he was aged 14 when accidentally drowned on the 16th March 1919. Private James McPherson, of the 105th F Bn. Canadian Infantry, was aged 15 when he died of measles on the 13th May 1916. The eldest serviceman on record is Second Hand George McPherson, aged 56, from Banffshire, who was accidentally drowned while serving on HM Drifter Pittendrum on the 13th January 1917. Duncan McPherson, from Stirlingshire, a Mercantile Marine Steward aboard SS Normandiet, was 67 when he died as a result of an attack by an enemy submarine on the 21st April 1918. One service woman is registered as lost, she was Nursing Sister A. Macpherson, of the Canadian Army Nursing Service, who died on the 30th May 1918 and is buried at the Bagneux British Cemetery, Gezaincourt-Somme, France.

      19 Macpherson names are displayed on the Arras Memorial ‚ Pas de Calais, 14 on the Loos Memorial and 29 on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, with a further one on both the Ypres Reservoir Cemetery and Ypres Town Cemetery Extension. Private James McPherson of Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, aged 19, of the 2nd Bn. Seaforth Highlanders, who lost his life at Ypres in 1915, was one of eight brothers serving. Private Robert Macpherson, of Wishaw, Lanarkshire, aged 22, of the 2nd Bn. Royal Scots Fusiliers, who died in 1918, was the youngest of five brothers who served. Several native Scots died serving with Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and South African Forces.

      Macphersons lost whilst serving with overseas forces included Lieutenant Duncan Stuart Ross Macpherson, aged 25, killed in action at Festubert on the 23rd November 1914, and recorded on the Bethune Town Cemetery ‚ Pas de Calais as serving with the 7th Gurkha Rifles. He was the only son of Major General Sir William Grant Macpherson whose portrait, biography and medals are on display as items 59b-/e. Lt Duncan's medals are displayed at Panel 60 item b.

From the Database of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission