chrissparrow Posted 27 October , 2009 Share Posted 27 October , 2009 Can anyone help me with the circumstances of the death of Capt. the Hon. Charles St. Clair? Perhaphs he is mentioned in the battalion war diaries? KIA 20th Dec 1914/ buried Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner. Many thanks, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 27 October , 2009 Share Posted 27 October , 2009 Chris His Battalion was part of the Indian(Meerut)Division in 1914. The War Diary for 1 SH from Aug 1914 is at Kew under WO95/3941. You might be able to get a digital section of it for 3.50 or if not copies of 10 specific pages for 8.50 through the NA Catalogue. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissparrow Posted 27 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 27 October , 2009 Thanks for that. Was hoping someone may have a copy of the diaries? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 27 October , 2009 Share Posted 27 October , 2009 Chris Have you Googled to see if there is a book on the Regt in WW1? This might then be in your local Library. There is a possibility of a photo,if you require one,in this website: http://www.ww1photos.com/SeaforthHighlanders.html He is listed in the 1st battalion as having a photo available for a fee. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Robertson Posted 27 October , 2009 Share Posted 27 October , 2009 Chris, What is your interest in him? The name of the Hon. CHARLES HENRY MURRAY ST. CLAIR appears on the Bonchester Bridge and Edrom War Memorials in the Scottish Borders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissparrow Posted 27 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 27 October , 2009 Thanks, the link is great - no photo of him yet, but several others of use! Thanks Derek, He is an Old Boy of the school I teach at and I will be passing his grave on Friday, so thought I would pay my respects. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissparrow Posted 27 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 27 October , 2009 Thanks Derek, He was an Old Boy of the school I teach at and as I will be passing his grave on Friday thought that I would pay my respects. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Robertson Posted 27 October , 2009 Share Posted 27 October , 2009 Bonchester Bridge: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Robertson Posted 27 October , 2009 Share Posted 27 October , 2009 Edrom: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 27 October , 2009 Admin Share Posted 27 October , 2009 Chris Bond Of Sacrifice says killed in action in the trenches near La Bassee 20th December 1914. Mentioned in Sir John French's dispatches 31st May 1915. Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart714 Posted 28 October , 2009 Share Posted 28 October , 2009 Heres what I have on him - Stuart. Captain The Hon Charles Henry Murray St Clair Date of death – 20th December 1914 Service – 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders Place of burial – Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, Cuinchy, grave V C 18. Aged 36 at date of death. Son of the Rt. Hon. Charles William, 15th Baron Sinclair and Margaret Jane, Baroness Sinclair, of 55 Onslow Square, London; Nisbet, Duns, Berwickshire; Herdmanston, Pencaitland, Haddingtonshire. Part of Captain St Clair’s military career can be found within the following entries in The London Gazette and the Supplement to the London Gazette: - 6 May 1898, page 2822 – ‘Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany’s) Gentleman Cadet the Honourable Charles Henry Murray St. Clair, from the Royal Military College, to be Second Lieutenant, vice P A Gore, killed in action. Dated 7th May, 1898.’ (LG) - 6 February 1900, page 810 – ‘Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany’s) The undermentioned Second Lieutenants to be Lieutenants – The Honourable Charles H M St. Clair, vice G W Murray, placed on temporary half-pay. Dated 26th December 1899.’ (LG) - 6 March 1900, page 1526 – ‘Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany’s) The promotion to the rank of Lieutenant of Second Lieutenant the Honourable Charles H M St. Clair in antedated to 12th December, 1899, vice J P Grant, promoted.’ (LG) - 12 March 1901, pages 1769-70 – ‘Staff. The undermentioned appointments to the Staff made in South Africa are confirmed – Lieutenant the Honourable C H M St. Clair, Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany’s) to be Aide-de-Camp to Colonel (local Major-General) H A MacDonald, C.B; D.S.O; Aide-de-Camp to the King, commanding a Brigade, vice Major R D Whigham, the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Dated 3rd January 1901.’ (LG) - 10 September 1901, page 5949 – ‘Mentioned in Despatches – Lieutenant the Honourable C H M St. Clair.’ (LG) - 3 June 1902, page 3609 – ‘Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany’s) The undermentioned Lieutenants to be Captains – The Honourable Charles H M St. Clair, vice A C B Alexander, placed on temporary half-pay on account of ill-health. Dated 19th April 1902.’ (LG) - 24 June 1902, page 4120 – ‘Staff. Lieutenant the Honourable C H M St. Clair, Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany’s) to be a Signalling Officer, and to be graded for pay, Rate XV, Scale B, Article 115, Royal Warrant 26th October, 1900, whilst so employed. Dated 1st February 1902.’ (LG) - 17 July 1906, page 4888 – ‘Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany’s) Captain The Honourable Charles H M St. Clair is seconded for service on the Staff. Dated 27th June 1906.’ (LG) - 7 April 1908, page 2670 – ‘Commands and Staff. The undermentioned Officers to be Staff Captains. Dated 1st April 1908 – Captain The Honourable Charles H M St. Clair Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany’s) vice Brevet major A J G Moir, The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment).’ (LG) - 3 May 1912, page 3179 – ‘Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany’s) The undermentioned Supernumerary Captains are restored to the establishment – The Honourable Charles H M St. Clair. Dated 16th April 1912.’ (LG) - 22 June 1915, page 6001 – ‘Mentioned in Despatches – St. Clair, Captain Hon. C H M. (killed).’ (SLG) Recorded in the Bond of Sacrifice (Clutterbuck, 1916, 1, 346-347) as follows: ‘Captain the Honble. Charles Henry Murray St Clair, 1st Battn Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s) younger son of the Right Hon. Charles William St Clair, fifteenth Baron Sinclair, was born on the 19th December, 1878, and was educated at Eton and the R.M.C; Sandhurst. He was gazetted to the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders in May, 1898, becoming Lieutenant in December, 1899. He served with his battalion in the South African War of 1899-1902, being present in the advance on Kimberley, including the engagements of Magersfontein, Paardeberg, Poplar Grove and Driefontein. During the operations in the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal in 1900-01 he was attached to Brigadier-General Sir Henry Rawlinson’s column as Signalling Officer, and was present at the action at Wittebergen. For his services he was mentioned in Despatches (“London Gazette” 10th September, 1901) and received the Queen’s medal with five clasps and the King’s medal with two clasps. From 1903 to 1906, having obtained his company in April, 1902, he was Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion of his regiment, and in 1906-07 was A.D.C to General Sir Bruce Hamilton, commanding the IInd Division at Aldershot; whilst from 1908 to 1912 he was Staff Captain on the Headquarters Staff of the Scottish Command. In the latter year he was posted to the 1st Battalion of his regiment at Agra, India. Captian St. Clair landed in France with the Indian (Meerut) Expeditionary Force on the 13th October, 1914, and served in the North of France until 20th December, 1914, when he was killed in action in the trenches near La Bassee. He was mentioned in Sir John French’s Despatch of the 31st May, 1915. Captain St. Clair, who was a member of the King’s Bodyguard for Scotland (Royal Company of Archers) and a Knight of the Order of St. Ernestine, of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, belonged to the United Service and Bath Clubs, London, and to the New Club, Edinburgh.’ Recorded in De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour (Volume 1, 317) as follows: ‘St. Clair, Hon. Charles Henry Murray, Capt; 1st Battn. Seaforth Highlanders, yr s of Charles William, 15th Baorn Sinclair, formerly 57th Fott (with which he served in the Crimea and Indian Mutiny) by his wife, Margaret Jane, yr dau. of James Murray, of Bryanston Square; b 19 Dec 1878; educ. Eton and Royal Military College, Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 2nd Battn. Seaforth Highlanders, 7 May, 1898, and promoted Lieut. 12 Dec. 1899; served in the South African War, 1899-1902, took part in the advance on Kimberley, was present with the Highland Brigade at Magersfontein, and also in the demonstration at Koodoosburgh against the right of the Boer position, and in the final scene at Paardeberg (17-26 Feb; mentioned in Despatches), Poplar Grove and Dreifontein; was attached to Brig-Gen. Sir H Rawlinson’s Column as signalling officer during the operations in the Orange Free State and Transvaal, 1900-1, including the actions at Wittebergen (1 to 29 July) and received the Queen’s medal with five clasps and King’s medal with two clasps. He became Capt. 19 April, 1902, served as Adjutant 2nd Battn, Seaforth Highlanders, June, 1903-6, was A.D.C to Gen. Sir Bruce Hamilton, commanding 2nd Division at Aldershot, June, 1906-7, and Staff Capt. Scottish Command, 1908-12, in which last year he was posted to the 1st Battn. of his regt. then at Agra. He landed in France with the Indian (Meerut) Expeditionary Force, 13 Oct. 1914, and served in the north of France until the 20 Dec. following, when he was killed in action in the trenches near La Bassee; unm. He was mentioned in Despatches by F.M Sir John French, 31 May, 1915. Capt. St. Clair was a member of the King’s Bodyguard for Scotland (Royal Company of Archers) and a Knight of the Saxe-Ernestine Family Order.’ Unfortunately his service records have not survived within the Military Records held at Kew, London. His Medal Card noted his entry into a theatre of war as France on 12th October 1914. Address for correspondence given as Lord Sinclair of 55 Onslow Square, London, SW7. Awarded 1914 Star with clasp, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissparrow Posted 28 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 28 October , 2009 Thanks Stuart - great effort! Pleasing to know I had most things right on him, although we still have no exact cause of death: Captain the Hon. Charles Henry Murray St. Clair (363). St. Clair was born in 1877 the youngest son of Charles William, 15th Baron Sinclair and Margaret Jane, Baroness Sinclair. He came to Summer Fields in 1887 and went on to Eton in 1891. St. Clair was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders from Sandhurst in 1898 and served in South Africa 1899-1902. He was then appointed Adjutant and ADC to General Sir Bruce Hamilton. From 1908 he was on the Staff of Scottish Command. In 1912 he was posted to India from where his regiment returned on October 13th 1914. He went to France shortly afterwards as a Captain with the 1st Battalion. St. Clair was killed on December 20th 1914, aged 36, having been mentioned in despatches. He is buried at Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, Cuinchy. (No Time to Spare? p 24 - Chris Sparrow) Why does no one give prep/junior schools - surely the formative years? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart714 Posted 28 October , 2009 Share Posted 28 October , 2009 Chris From 'The Indian Corps in France' by Lt Col Merewether and Sir Frederick Smith (1917) - the 1st Seaforths were in the area of the "orchard" Germans counter-attacked with the result of 'Captain the Hon. C St Clair, who was in command of B Company, threw back his men into the communication trench, which he lined, facing to the right, but was himself shortly afterwards shot dead.' (page 186) Hope this helps Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissparrow Posted 30 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 30 October , 2009 Thanks Stuart, Have just got back - my fellow traveller has photos of the grave and the two other Seaforths buried next to him who died on the same day. I will post them hopefully on Monday. Windy Corner a very interesting Cemetery. Well done on finding the information on him being shot - rounds off the story of this fine man very well. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart714 Posted 3 November , 2009 Share Posted 3 November , 2009 Chris Would be interested in copy of photo St Clair's headstone. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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