Queen's Own cameron Highlanders

[Rob Bulloch]

Daddypubs welcome to the forum. The Honour Roll in the 1st Bn Cameron's History has him listed as the date you gave 20th April 1916.

Cheers Rob.

[Daddypubs]

Cheers for that. Don't suppose you saw anything else whilst mooching.

[Rob Bulloch]

DP. With your GG Uncle DOW's it would be difficult to pin down when or were he was actually wounded. In late April the battalion was in the Hohenzollern

Redoubt area, and in early May they were in a salient known as the "KINK" Sorry not to much information but I hope it is of some help.

Aye Rob.

[neilston]

Hi Ian

Can you check out this one for me please we have the following guy down for our new war memorial to be erected in Neilston East Renfrewshire next year

Private reg number S/15636 James Brown- James died 1915 May 13th was Born 1898 Neilston : Enlisted & Resided at Parkhead Glasgow who D.O.W ; he is on the Neilston Public school 1914 Roll of Honour grave ref FRANCE BETHUNE; was 19 years and served in the 1st Queens Own Cameron Highlanders, The 1st Son of James and Agnes Brown Neilston.

We also have a James Brown injured at loos hill 70 1915 Sept. with the other Neilston lads. Also note to parents ( James and Agnes Brown owners of the mason arms Neilston). telling of fighting in the trenches. Church list gives number as james as number 3026 enlisted September 1915: In a letter home to his parents at the masons arms Pte James Brown intimates having been wounded.he tells how his Coy chased the Germans out of two trenches and he was making for the 3rd line when he was held up by the barbed wire and before getting free from entanglement was struck by shrapnel.

Was there two James Browns from Neilston who were in the 1st Cameron highlanders?

We do have a few double named lads but in different regiments

Can you help with this please

Thanks

Kind regards

Matt

[Daddypubs]

That's great, cheers Rob

[sws]

Hello

I am researching my church war memorial in Edinburgh and was wondering if anyone had any information on two who are on the roll of honour. They are;

L/C James Mckenzie 6th Bn died 16/9/16

Private David Thomson 5th Bn died 25/9/16

I would be grateful for any information

Many thanks

Stuart

[Patrick Watt]

Hi Stuart

3/5866 Lance Corporal James Mackenzie - Born 1874 in Dundee, Forfarshire, the son of Daniel and Jessie Munro McKenzie. Husband of the late Helen Roxburgh Mackenzie. Enlisted at Edinburgh into the Cameron Highlanders Special Reserve and proceeded to France on 27 December 1914 as a reinforcement for the 1st Cameron Highlanders. Later transferred to the 6th Cameron Highlanders and killed in action in the battalion attack on Martinpuich on 15 September 1916. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

S/10973 Private David Smith Thomson - Born 30 March 1892 at 89 Albert Street, Edinburgh, the son of Robert Thomson and Mary Hampton Thomson (nee Simpson). Enlisted at Edinburgh probably on 31 August or 1 September 1914 and was posted to the newly created 5th Cameron Highlanders (commanded by the chief of Clan Cameron, Sir D. W. Cameron of Lochiel). He went to France with this battalion on 10 May 1915 and was killed in the fighting for the Hohenzollern Redoubt during the Battle of Loos on 25 September 1915.

Hope this helps

Patrick

[sws]

Thanks Patrick

You have been a great help indeed. Super detail. This will really help me

Thanks again

Stuart

[gjbarclay]

Hi. I'm writing the biography of Brigadier George Patrick Rose-Miller (just Miller until 1929). He was posted as a 2nd Lt to the 1st Battalion, arriving on 6 June 1916. I am trying to pin down the date of a photograph in an album in the Highlanders Museum at Fort George, which shows two officers (both 2nd Lts I think), one of whom is GPRM (age 18 or 19); the other man is a little older. The handwritten caption is 'Miller and Davidson on the La Bassee road'. It's not certain that Davidson is 1st Bn QOCH - the kilts are under aprons - and I can't find a 'Davidson' in the lists of officers in the Historical Records or the 79th News, who would have been with the battalion at the right time. The battalion moved south to the Somme on 4th July, so a photo near La Bassee would have to be taken within that month. A 2nd Lt Davidson joined the battalion on 8 September and died on the 25th, but nowhere near La Bassee. I'd be grateful for any help in finding Davidson, or maybe showing that the photo was later but mis-captioned. The photo of GPRM is either going to be of a raw young man in June or of a veteran of High Wood in September, with the MC. Thanks.

[Rob Bulloch]

GJ. Listed in the casualties among officers of the 1st Bn. 2nd. Lt. G.W.S DAVIDSON. Killed or DOW. Near High Wood with working parties (Battle of Morval) 25th Sept 1916.

Entry for Lieutenant. J.M. DAVIDSON. Wounded 6th Oct 1914 In trenches at Vendresse, on the Aisne.. 22/23. Oct 1914 Lieutenant J M DAVIDSON (severely)

There is another Davidson he was a member of the A&SH attached 1st Bn.

I hope this is of some help. Aye Rob.

[Wingerdave]

Oh, this seems almost to good to be true......... so i'm hoping it isn't

My great-uncle Pte. William Scales (4th Btn 22nd May 1915 - December 1915 then to 1st Btn after disbandment of 4th) was killed on the 25th October 1918 in Mazinghien by shrapnel, that much i know...(A German shell hit his billet).

BUT..... he was injured sometime after December 1915 and well before his death. Is there any reference to his injury ?

His service numbers were for the 4th : 3311 and for the 1st : 200662

Hoping there's something to find.

Cheers,

Dave.

[gjbarclay]

Hi Rob and thanks for your response. Sorry not to get back to you before now - we have the builders in and life is very hectic! Do you have dates for the A&SH Davidson's attachment? GPRM's daughter, who is helping me with the biography thought that the tartan just visible below the kilt apron might be different from the Cameron one, and I had a look to see if there might be a Black Watch Davidson at the time (as 1st BW and 1st Camerons were, as I'm sure you know, together in 1st Brigade. I couldn't find one. Thanks. Gordon.

[Rob Bulloch]

Gordon. Sorry I could not find an attachment date for 2nd Lt. J.S. Davidson A&SH Att 1st Bn. He was among the KIA or DOW on the 11th November 1914. at the VERBEEK FARM the Battle of NOONEBOSSCHEN.

When he received his wound Lt. J.M. Davidson was a member of "C" Company also he was 3rd Bn Att 1st Bn.

Again not much but I hope it is of some help.

Aye Rob.

[gjbarclay]

Thanks for this. I'm afraid this Davidson to early for the photo, which must be 1916 sometime. Gordon

[Wingerdave]

Ian or Rob,

I'm bumping this message.

My great-uncle Pte. William Scales (4th Btn 22nd May 1915 - December 1915 then to 1st Btn after disbandment of 4th) was killed on the 25th October 1918 in Mazinghien by shrapnel, that much i know...(A German shell hit his billet).

BUT..... he was injured in his leg sometime after December 1915 and well before his death. Is there any reference to his injury ? I know that's quite a span but there's no one left to ask in the family.

His service numbers were for the 4th : 3311 and for the 1st : 200662

Hoping there's something to find.

Cheers,

Dave.

[Patrick Watt]

Hi Dave

I just saw this and checked the 79th News for a mention of William Scales in a casualty list. He appears in the casualty list for October 1917 (79th News, Vol.140, p.132)

With a list of other 4th Cameron Highlanders with 200*** numbers:

200662 Pte W. Scales (severe)

As to timing of his wound - all the 4th Camerons men who were reported as missing in the same list were listed as casualties of 31 July 1917 (the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres). However, the 1st Cameron Highlanders, with whom he was killed in 1918 were not there in 1917. So, he must have been serving with one of the service battalions (5th, 6th or 7th Camerons). The lists for the 5th Camerons all cover action on 3 May 1917; those for the 6th and 7th Camerons are for the 9-11 April and 23-28 April (All phases of the Battle of Arras).

Now, as far as I know TF 200*** numbers were issued to men who had not been transferred to any other Cameron Highlanders battalion by February 1917. This included: men posted as missing and no body as yet being found; men posted to the 19th Infantry Base Depot in Etaples; men posted to Number 1 Entrenching Battalion in March 1916 and still with that unit a year later. There are probably other reasons too.

So....I think there are two possibilities,

1) Pte Scales was sent to No1 Entrenching Battalion on 12 March 1916 and remained there until being sent to one of the 5th, 6th or 7th Cameron Highlanders sometime between the end of February 1917 and the beginning of April 1917. Then he was wounded, evacuated, convalesced, probably posted to the 3rd or 8th Cameron Highlanders in Scotland and from there sent to the 1st Camerons some time in 1918.

or

2) He was sent to No1 Entrenching Battalion and was still serving with them when he was wounded (either sometime in 1917. Then the recovery pattern would be the same as above.

It's quite a tricky one this. The 4th Cameron Highlanders roll book only details him going to Number 1 Entrenching Battalion on 12 March 1916 and then nothing else. I will double check to see if there are any other patterns discernible in the posting of 200*** men in 1917 late on.

Hope this is of some help,

All the best

Patrick

[Wingerdave]

Hi Patrick,

Yes, that was a great help. thank you.

This ties in the information about his wounding that circulated in the family. The only facts that we had was that he recieved a leg wound, severe enough to get him sent home for rest and recuperation, including some leave with his parents. Then he was sent to the South Coast for medical assessment. He had a girlfriend from the London area who was, in the phraseology of the period, "no beter than she should have been". She cared enough for William to kick him in the leg and open up the wound to delay his return to France for a few weeks.

William's father (my great grandfather) wrote to powers that be offering to go to France in his place. No empty gesture, but born of desparation to keep young William from further harm.

I was rather hoping he had been one of the men directly transfered to the 1st in march 1916, but there you have it. Apparently he saw a lot more of the French countryside (what was left of it).

Again, Patrick, thanks a lot, and any other info about his whereabouts between march 1916 and early 1918 is welcome (this is going to muck up my timeline for him)

Dave.

[SSherry78]

Hello,

Im looking to find out more about my Great Uncle Patrick Sherry's Service Record.

Rank: Private Regiment: Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders Battalion: 5th Battalion Number: S/21277

He fell on 5th Jan 1917 and his grave is in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. However I cant find out any further information and wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction!

[Rob Bulloch]

SS Your GU is listed on the Honour Roll of the 5th Bn Camerons.

Extract from the 5th Bn war diary.

Jan.4th.1917. Relieved the 7/8th Kings Own Scottish Borderers in support, VILLA CAMP. Mostly tents with a few huts almost un-fit for use. Made improvements.

Jan. 6th.1917. Relieved the 11th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in the front line. Left Sub-Section. Left Sector. Post bad and very muddy. Practically no wire. Two (2) other ranks wounded.

Jan. 8th.1917. Relieved by the 11th A &SH. Moved back to reserve at ACID DROP CAMP.

Jan 10th.1917. Relieved the 11th. A & SH in the front line. Casualties. Other Ranks three (3) Killed. Eight (8) Wounded.

Not much I'm afraid But I hope it is of some help. Aye Rob.

[SSherry78]

Thanks Rob

[Patrick Watt]

Hi SSherry78

I had a wee look at this and found the following:

Patrick Sherry

born 23 December 1898 at 23 Nimmo's Row, Longriggend, Airdrie

parents: Arthur Sherry and Jane Mallin (married 1880 in Airdrie)

1911 - Back Row, Greengairs, New Monkland

enlisted into the Cameron Highlanders at Glasgow as Private S/21277 in the first week of November 1915 (just before his 17th birthday)

died 5 January 1917 at the 17th Casualty Clearing Station.

buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery

parents address from CWGC 55 Calton Street, Tollcross, Glasgow

Might be worth checking the war diary for the week before 5 January to see if there were any men wounded, and where.

Hope this helps

Patrick

[SSherry78]

Hi Patrick,

Does his signing up papers still exist? I have found his Brothers papers but nothing about Patrick.

[Patrick Watt]

Not that I could find. This was all cobbled together from various sources.

Patrick

[Malcolm]

Hi all,

I am trying to get information on:

Private James Alexander McNicol, aged 35, son of William and Janet McNicol, Dorback Lodge, Nethy Bridge. He died of wounds I believe in a casualty clearing station 30th December 1916 and is buried at Dernancourt.

Aye

Malcolm.

[Rob Bulloch]

Malcolm. You probably have this information. I have James Alexander as S/25294 6th Bn. Cameron. Born Glenbuchat Aberdeen shire. Enlisted Nethy Bridge Inverness-shire.

I will have a look and see what the Bn was doing previous to his DOW Date and get back to you. Aye Rob.