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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

6th Black Watch


Simon Jones

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I am hoping to resurrect this thread, in case anyone with access to Crieff and/or Perthshire papers can verify it by finding a reference to the death of Pte William McCorist.

He was probably the first British soldier to be taken prisoner on the Somme but served in 6th Black Watch as 1727 Pte William Nicholson. He died in captivity 12/8/1915, age 21, son of John and Ann McCorist, of 61, East High St., Crieff, Perthshire.

The interrogation report located by Jack Sheldon does not name him but states that he was a confectioner or baker, age 22, and that he had been in the Territorials for four years. I think a TF Battalion number 1727 could be compatible with that but how could a man join the Territorials in 1910 and serve for four years under a false name?

Was 61 East High Street, Crieff a bakers?

Any info gratefully received.

Regards

Simon

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I have been officially invited to the 11th November Remembrance service at Crieff so I'll inquire. My friend John ( 87) and from Crieff will know. It's ok, his memory is better than mine!!

Aye

Malcolm

post-129-1130947910.jpg

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He is named with the other Black Watch on one of the five panels.

SNWM lists him under his middle name which he served under.

Surname NICHOLSON

Firstname William

Service Number 1727

Date Death 12/08/1915

Decoration

Place of birth Crieff Perthshire

Other 6th Bn.

SNWM roll THE BLACK WATCH (ROYAL HIGHLANDERS)

Rank Pte

Theatre of death F.& F.

NAS Will Ref SC70/8/154/7

Aye

Malcolm

post-129-1130948225.jpg

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Martin,

Thank you, I have indeed been to Colindale in the past but Crieff is probably closer to Liverpool!

Macolm

Very interesting, that partially explains his pseudonym. Any idea if 'McOrist' on the memorial is incorrect?

Many thanks

Simon

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It would seem so. He was related in some way to:

Muthill is just down the road from Crieff.

Casualty Details

Name: McORIST, PETER ISAAC

Initials: P I

Nationality: Australian

Rank: Private

Regiment: Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

Unit Text: 37th Bn.

Age: 21

Date of Death: 21/02/1918

Service No: 5157

Additional information: Son of Peter and Jessie McOrist, of go, Wilson St., Princess Hill, Victoria, Australia. Native of Muthill, Perthshire, Scotland.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: II. D 35.

Cemetery: TROIS ARBRES CEMETERY, STEENWERCK

Aye

Malcolm

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Malcolm,

Do you have a pic showing the names of the Seaforths who died from the Crieff Memorial?

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Surname KEDDIE

Firstname Alexander

Service Number 903

Date Death 09/08/1915

Decoration

Place of birth Muthill Perthshire

Other 6th Bn.

SNWM roll THE BLACK WATCH (ROYAL HIGHLANDERS)

Rank Pte

Theatre of death F.& F.

NAS Will Ref

Could it have been him?

Aye

Malcolm

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Just discovered SNWM is no longer searchable for - say - 01/07/1916.

What does SDITGW say for 08/08/1915 and 09/08/1915?

for 6th Black Watch.

Aye

Malcolm

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I have the details of the raid, 7 men from RIR 109 including their names, who captured McCorist. It is part of the NAM talk I am giving Saturday. Unfortunately I am in the process of p[acking and fly out tomorrow but if no one else provides the details I will pass them along.

The raiders took a total of 109 minutes to complete the raid and suffered no losses.

Ralph

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I have the details of the raid, 7 men from RIR 109 including their names, who captured McCorist. It is part of the NAM talk I am giving Saturday. Unfortunately I am in the process of p[acking and fly out tomorrow but if no one else provides the details I will pass them along.

The raiders took a total of 109 minutes to complete the raid and suffered no losses.

Ralph

Ralph

I wish I was going but will be in Edinburgh.

I mentioned in the earlier thread that I am using this raid as the prologue for my book on tunnelling at La Boisselle and would dearly like any German accounts other than what I have from the history of RIR 109. I can't exactly work out if the raiders crossed at the point of the mine blows or elsewhere, and there are the anomalies with the British accounts and the claim that Nicholson/ McCorist was blown out of the trench by the mine.

Good luck with the talk.

regards

Simon

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Right, John has just told me there were three bakers in Crieff, Alexanders, Taylors and Campbells. The only one remaining is Campbells. The one in the High Street was Taylors Bakers and Grocers with the bakery down a small lane off the High Street. There were houses above and beside the shop so he may have lived there.

I'll have a look when I'm up there a week on Friday.

Aye

Malcolm

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Malcolm

Many thanks! I await with bated breath.

Regards

Simon

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Hello,

There are 3 newspapers that cover Crieff. The most local one, which is based there, is the Strathearn Herald. It is a very small paper, so you are very unlikly to find a photo of the chap. The next is the Perthshire Advertiser. Its usually good for finding entries in, but once again there are few photo's. Last but not leasted, is the Perthshire edition of the Peoples Journal. It's a lot easier to find info in because after about mid 1915, they have a page dedicated to local soldiers. [The other two can have them scattered about a bit.] The good thing about this paper is that there were a lot of photo's published in it.

All three papers can be searched in Perth. I will be going there in the next week or so to do some research, do you want me to have a search for you. I will be looking for info for another forum member, so it's no problem.

I also have a wee book on Crieff and the Great War, it has a list of all names on the memorial, but does not give any idea as to when and where they were killed etc. I will dig it out on the off chance that there is some information in it.

Regards,

Stewart

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Stewart,

That would be brilliant. The main thing I am trying to establish is whether William Nicholson McCorist is described as a baker/ pastry chef or confectioner. The German interrogation report does not name the soldier but says he is a 'Konditor'.

Regards

Simon

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Hello Simon,

That's no problem. I hope to do some research this Saturday, if I can get away. I know Crieff very well, I went to school there. As a Cadet, I have been to the War Memorial many times.

Regards,

Stewart

P.S If I find a photo of the chap, would you like a copy ?

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Hello Simon,

                  That's no problem. I hope to do some research this Saturday, if I can get away. I know Crieff very well, I went to school there. As a Cadet, I have been to the War Memorial many times.

    Regards,

        Stewart

P.S If I find a photo of the chap, would you like a copy ?

Stewart

Yes!!

Simon

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  • 2 weeks later...

:) Hello,

Going to Library in Perth tomorrow, for an hour or so. I will let you know if I have any luck.

Fingurs crossed,

Stewart

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Hello,

Only had an hour in the Library, so I did not get a chance to go through all the newspapers that I wanted to. I did find the group photo, which should appear attached. Both Pte Keddie and Nicholson appear in it.

Pte Keddie died in a British Field Ambulance, his death notice appeared in the Peoples Journal, on 21 Aug. 1915, page 8. On the same page was a list of Casualties of the 6th Black Watch, there was only one listed as ''Missing'', which read-

''Pte W. Nicholson, Crieff.''

I checked up until the end of October 1915 ,I ran out of time. there was no Family notice of his death, it probably appears later as it can take some time for information to be passed on as you will know.

The positive things are that we are still heading in the correct direction. we cannot rule Pte Nicholson out. Also, I found out that there had been, during this period, a Co-op bakers in East high Street, Crieff. {I do not yet know at what number}

All the best, hope to go to Perth sometime next week. Will let you know how I get on.

Regards,

Stewart

post-3488-1132842051.jpg

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