Queen's Own cameron Highlanders

[ianmccallum]

Hi Ron,

I just today came across your post regarding 7761 Sergeant Simon McLeod. There is a small entry regarding him in the 79th News of January 1915. It simply states that he died from wounds in the General Hospital, Boulogne on 5 November.

Ian

[Ron Abbott]

Hi Ron,

I just today came across your post regarding 7761 Sergeant Simon McLeod. There is a small entry regarding him in the 79th News of January 1915. It simply states that he died from wounds in the General Hospital, Boulogne on 5 November.

Ian

Ian, many thanks for taking the time to let me know (I wasn't previously aware) Much appreciated.

Ron

[Felderland05]

Ian,

 

Just come across this thread so here is a long shot!  My paternal Grandfather was Ernest George Ross, who lived and worked in Paisley.  He was born on 17/04/1895 and died 18/02/1974.  The only other information I have is from some research on WW1 medal cards, where I found Private E.G. Ross 4391 (Scottish Horse) and 315211 (Black Watch).  I don't know if that is him!  Any information from your book  that may assist in identifying his unit / regiment would be of great interest.  Thank you,  David.

[WD61JG]

Dear Ian

I am hoping to track down a WW1 era photograph of my great grandfather Pte Thomas McCall - Cameron Highlanders 22679, as I only have a couple of photographs of him as an old man.

 

He was in the 2nd Battalion Cameron Highlanders and served in Salonika from September 1916.   

 

Just wondered if there was any group photographs at all, that I might be able to pick him out from and/or any additional mention.  I believe he contracted malaria at some point.

 

Also interested in any general photographs of the 2nd Battalion in Salonika, as there seem to be virtually none on internet!

 

Many Thanks

 

Tom

 

[charlie962]

Ian

Would you be kind enough to see if there is anything for  15782 William R Urquhart who enlisted 23.11.14 and  joined 6th Bn 29.9.15 and was killed in action 12.5.16.(Kink salient, ?)

I have seen his Service Record, CWGC, SDGW and Soldiers effects records. Many thanks in advance

Charlie962

[neilston]

Hi Ian

Could you please see if there is anything on Lance corp John Laird of the 6th Battalion Cameron highlanders no s/12813 Reported missing 26th Sept 1915 at LOOS ?

 

Very many thanks  and kind regards 

Matt

Neilston war memorial Association 

[Ron Abbott]

On 1/12/2015 at 09:28, Ron Abbott said:

Morning Ian & Patrick,

I'm looking into an ancestor, namely Simon McLeod (Serjeant No. 7761) of the 1st Bn. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders.

Apparently died of wounds on 5th November 1914 and is buried at the Wimereux Communal Cemetery.

Service number indicates that he joined the army circa late 1906.

Can you advise whether anything is recorded regarding Simon's death?

Where was the battalion posted since the start of WW1? I'd also be interested in knowing where the battalion was posted since 1906.

Simon McLeod also had two brothers serving in the same regiment (both of whom survived WW1), namely William Urquhart McLeod (Corporal 8960) and Alexander George McLeod (Private 23747 or 23444 (?).

Alexander was in the 7th Bn. however I don't know which battalion of the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders it was that William served in.

Is there any mention in the chronicles?

Although William survived WW1 and remained in the army until his discharge in 1932 as a WOII, he re-enlisted in the army in 1940,

He (William) was apparently wounded (shot in the right foot) in 1915.

They also had another brother (Ewen McLeod) serving in the Middlesex Regiment (for some unknown reason) who was also allegedly wounded five times including being bayoneted.

Many thanks in advance.

Aye/Ron

 

Further to my previous post, although three of the brothers served in the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders, they had another brother called Ewen Mcleod (sometimes known as Evan McLeod) and I long wondered what he was doing in the Middlesex Regiment, and was thinking he may also have served in the Camerons, however I've got the newspaper cutting (Edinburgh Evening News d.d. 23rd August 1916) explaining his background.  Although it transpires that he wan't a Cameron he had served in the 4th RSF and then later on in the Middlesex Regt.  The newspaper cutting is not very clear when i try and upload it but it reads : -

 

"Edinburgh Man's Record. Five Times Wounded. Mr & Mrs Simon MacLeod, 42 Watson Crescent L/Corp Ewen McLeod, Middlesex Regiment. In the first instance a bullet shattered his officer’s periscope and sent pieces of glass into his back. He was treated in Rouen General Hospital, France. In action at the Battle of Loos and in the German second line, he received a bayonet wound in the palm of his right hand, and was sent back to England and treated in a Manchester hospital. Then he was bayoneted in the foot and treated at a Le Treport hospital. His next injury was not serious, a field cut. The last was a bayonet wound in his right leg. Treated at a Norfolk hospital.

 

At first I thought it was  a bit of a tall story, an exaggeration perhaps, but lo and behold, I've since found that the records of him being wounded at least three times in the Casualty Lists, albeit that one contained a 'typo' with his service number as E McLeod 7707 instead of the correct E McLeod 7797.  

 

I know it's not Cameron Highlanders related, but hope you won't mind me posting it, for sake of completeness for that side of the family's WW1 service.

 

 

 

[Guest Rossco]

Hi Ian, some help if possible with family members in Cameron Highlanders.

6118 CSM Hugh Mackenzie D Company 5th Battalion missing presumed dead 27 September 1915 at Loos.  Family information he served 23 years in 1& 2 Battalions pre-war and re-enlisted at outbreak of war.  Stated to have last been seen advancing towards a German counter-attack on 27/9 armed with grenades.  Can you confirm circumstances if possible.

9396 Sergeant Hugh Mackenzie 1 Battalion dob 29 October 1892 at Gibraltar whilst father (above) on garrison duty.  Awarded Military Medal about 18 September 1918 near Bethencourt.  Are there more precise details of this action?

 

Thanks in advance

Rossco

 

[SSherry78]

On 29/03/2014 at 10:00, Patrick Watt said:

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

An important update on this two years on.   By chance I found a photo of Patrick which was printed in Glasgow Evening Times on 20th Jan 1917's Roll Of Honour.

[Marblebar]

This is a fascinating site and I have enjoyed reading the detail so many of you seem to know how to access. In Australia I was given a metal box which contained some military items and post cards and a few sepia photographs but little else of information. What I did learn was the items belonged to my Grandfather, an Australian who paid his fare back to England in 1908 and went north and enlisted in the Cameron Highlanders. His name was Reginald McCann and the number on the medals is 7856.  He did not return to Australia until 1921. We understand he was demobilized in 1919 and joined the labor corp for some years. Any information or suggestions of where to search or tips on how would be hugely appreciated as not much about his service was known to the family back in Australia.

[gordon92]

His Medal Index card can be accessed here: Reginald F McCann

 

He appears to have served in the 2nd Batt who were in Batum, South Russia where he was mentioned in dispatches.  This thread discusses Cameron Highlanders in Russia a bit more: 

 

[Marblebar]

Thank you Gordon 92, we could not have found the medal Index card without your help...Terrific tips for learners.

I was reading about the Salonika expedition which is not well written up in any modern books, and additionally wondering what they did in India? Where they a peace keeping corp?

 

Small world, another Australian friend just found out his grandfather Thomas Helm was also in the Cameron Highlanders, and he too joined the labor corps after being demobilized. He is going to try and learn whatever he can about his Grandfather now this has piqued his interest. I wonder after all they would have endured why  these men wanted to be in a labor force--what did it do?

[Marblebar]

[Marblebar]

7856 in India. He served in the Australian Army in WW2 and I notice on his discharge papers he had gunshot wounds. He would have picked these up during his time with the Cameron's, is there any way to find more about wounds such as these.

[Marblebar]

7856 McCann discharge papers from WW2, but he was an instructor in WW2 and did not see combat so we presumed these wounds came from his time with the Cameron's.

[JJAussie]

Hi all,

 

I'm new to this very interesting website and remarkable forum.

 

I'm searching for information on a Alex/Alexander John Jones (from Liverpool, Lancashire area) who was a Private in the Cameron Highlanders in the 5th (Service Battalion) having enlisted at Glencourse(?) Inverness in early September 1914. I have his military record and he landed in France on 10 May 1915 and was then wounded on 20 September 1915  and returning to England (I think on the same day) to be hospitalised for more than a month. He subsequently was in the 3rd Cameron Highlanders in England and then entered officer training in 1916 and was "discharged" from the Camerons to join the 4th (Res) Seaforth Highlanders. He later served in France in 1917 in a Labour Coy and was wounded a second time.

 

I'm interested in what happened to him in France between 10 May 1915 and 20 September 1915 and where he was on 20 September when he was injured. As a secondary matter, I am searching for any particular connection with the name Sutherland which I understand was very significant to him as a consequence of what occurred during his war service.

 

With apologies for any mistakes I have made with military and regiment language which is completely foreign to me. I have found getting even this far very difficult and gone around in many circles so I hope it all makes sense to people with expertise.

 

With thanks

JJ

 

[clk]

Hi JJ,

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

The war diary for the 5th Cameron Highlanders is available for download (£3.45) from the National Archive (see here), or via Ancestry (here)

 

Regards

Chris

[JJAussie]

Hi Chris

 

I am so grateful to you. I have just spent many hours silently reading every word of the meticulously kept diary of the 5th Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders between May and October 1915. This has filled in the blanks left by my limited knowledge and has ended many years of wondering. I tried to find relevant war diaries several years ago but, defeated by my own lack of understanding of things military and Scottish regiments (with more mistakes than I care to admit), and being from the outback of the far-flung antipodes, I had given up ever reading these records; then you provide them within a couple of clicks.

 

I am sure you have heard it all before but I also am in awe of these men.  Although not specifically referred to in the diaries, after taking a second and closer look at his war records, it seems that Private Alex Jones was wounded on the first day of the Battle of Loos on 25 September 2016 (not 20 September as I previously thought) after nearly 4 months on the front. This was a battle that I had never even heard about until now.

 

He was, in late 1916 after cadet training, made an officer in the Seaforth Highlanders (Reserve) and returned to the front in the Labour Corps during 1917 when he was again wounded. (I am yet to work out how to find these Seaforth Highlander records but you have put me on the right track now.) The Sutherland connection that I referred to earlier remains elusive but I will keep searching.

 

If it is not too much trouble, can you please tell me how (if it is possible) to work out whether he was in 'A', 'B', 'C' or 'D' company(?) of the 5th Cameron Highlanders in 1915?

 

With thanks for this forum and your help.  Alex will not be forgotten. On ANZAC Day, here in Australia, we will certainly remember him and appreciate what he and the courageous men of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders did in 1915 and at other times.

 

Thanks also for reading.

 

JJ

 

[Patrick Watt]

Dear JJ 

 

There is a service file for Lieutenant Alexander John Jones held at the National Archives in London which is separate to the file you saw online.  The online one covers his service in the ranks but the one in London covers his service as an officer.  The reference number for this item is WO374/38035.  You can order a copy online - it might have very limited information but might contain some material you might find interesting.

 

Incidentally, there are a number of collections of documents of soldiers who served in the 5th Cameron Highlanders which you might find interesting (to add colour to the bare bones of service records)!!  The letters of the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel D W Cameron of Lochiel have been digitised and are available on the Highland Council Archive Centre website here http://www.ambaile.org.uk/en/set/show_content_page.html?category=11&set=21 The Imperial War Museum also have letters relating to this battalion in 1915: see, for example, the papers of Private Thomas Laidlaw; Captain Alexander Ellis; Captain J B Foulis; Lieutenant Rory Macgregor; and Captain James Lorimer.  You can find out more at www.iwm.org.  

 

Furthermore, there are a number of books which shine light on this battalion's time in France.  Specifically, I would concentrate on John McEwen's The Fifth Camerons, John Ewing's Ninth Division and Nick Lloyd's excellent book Loos: 1915.  McEwen's book is great on the training period from September 1914-May 1915.

 

Regrettably, I doubt there is a way to find out which company he served in.  I have a list of C Company soldiers from 1916 but as he was wounded in September 1915 this is of little use!  One company of the 5th Camerons were made up of stockbrokers from Glasgow and, as he was a customs and excise officer, he might have wound up with them - I think they were A Company, 5th Camerons.  Can't be sure though.  

 

You can plot his war quite well from his service record and secondary literature:

 

Enlisted 4 September 1914 at Inverness

Posted to 5th Cameron Highlanders same day at Aldershot

Division transferred to France 10 May 1915

From July the division was posted to the I Corps

25 September 1915 - attacked the Hohenzollern Redoubt at Loos (lots of books on this!)

1 October 1915 - admitted to the Italian Hospital, Queens Square in London (so it took a week from being wounded to being admitted to a UK hospital)

4 November 1915 - discharged from hospital

19 January 1916 - posted to the 3rd Cameron Highlanders in Invergordon

22 November 1916 - discharged to commission in the Seaforth Highlanders and attended officer training at Cambridge University

 

I am happy to have a go at any questions you might have on the 5th Camerons or the 1915 campaign on the western front (that's my area)!!

 

All the best

 

Patrick

 

 

[JJAussie]

Dear Patrick

 

This information is all very much appreciated; it answers some questions but also raises more of course. The file from Kew is being obtained, the letters from the front that are available online browsed (I will need longer) and the books tracked down. A narrative for 1914 - 16 is indeed emerging and is now pretty clear in overview.

 

I will need to keep working on 1917 - 1918 and his 'Seaforths era' but if I have any more questions about the Camerons on the front in 1915 you will be my first option!

 

Again, thanks very much. It is timely that I am making these inquiries almost exactly 100 years later.

JJ

 

[AmericanTommy]

Recently discovered this thread, and figured I'd post some of the Camerons I have in my collection. Currently doing my MA focusing on the relationship between the Central Belt and the Kitchener battalions of the QOCH. This thread has given me a lot of inspiration, thanks to all!

 

John Fraser on the right. On the left is Walter Sutherland, 7th Camerons. Killed on the Somme. His body was never recovered and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. 

Johnnie Fraser on his own, and a group shot.

Edited 16 January , 2017 by AmericanTommy

[AmericanTommy]

Lieutenant Reginald Simpson 6th Camerons.

 

Edited 16 January , 2017 by AmericanTommy

[gordon92]

On 1/16/2017 at 10:23, AmericanTommy said:

Lieutenant Reginald Simpson 6th Camerons.

 

 

Great photos.  Do you have any details on Lt. Simpson?

[AmericanTommy]

He is wounded during the assault on Martinpuich (15 September, 1916). The 6th Battalion's history only gives that mention plus a brief description of him in the Hohenzollern area the previous spring. 

 

Cheers,

 

James

Edited 18 January , 2017 by AmericanTommy

[gordon92]

14 hours ago, AmericanTommy said:

He is wounded during the assault on Martinpuich (15 September, 1916). The 6th Battalion's history only gives that mention plus a brief description of him in the Hohenzollern area the previous spring. 

 

Cheers,

 

James

Do you know if he survived the War?