Daniel Boyle was born on 11th May 1877 at Boyd Street, Largs. His father was Daniel, an agricultural labourer and his mother was Margaret, m/s McGarigle. They were married in Largs in 1872.

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The 1881 census shows Daniel living at 36 Boyd Street, Largs with his parents and five siblings, two were step siblings. On the 1891 Largs census, Daniel was living with his family at 8 Gateside Street and at age 14, was working as a mason's labourer, along with his father and stepbrother. On the 1901 census, Daniel is living at the same address and his occupation is recorded as 'quarryman'. In 1905, Daniel's father died in Largs when the youngest child in the family, Annie, was just 6 years old. The 1911 census shows Daniel working as a stone quarryman and living at Innes Park Road, Skelmorlie.

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He enlisted for service in Greenock and served with 2nd Battalion Royal Scots before being transferred to the 469th Home Service Labour Corps, likely to be for reasons of illness or injury.

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On 22nd July 1917, Daniel took his own life aged 39, at Castle Hill School, Edinburgh. His death certificate states 'death by hanging - suicide. Found dead at 11am' and his death was registered by the Commanding Officer of the Detachment. The assumption is the Home Service Labour Corps used this building during the war, bearing in mind its close proximity to Edinburgh Castle. He is buried at Comely Bank Cemetery and is remembered on the Inverkip War Memorial.

 

The Inverkip connection is yet to be established.

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Daniel's mother died a year later in 1918 in Johnstone, Renfrewshire and his sister the following year, age 35.

Private Boyle's story is one of the saddest discovered while doing the research. The turmoil he must have experienced for him to take his own life is unimaginable.