kovalik Posted 20 November , 2008 Share Posted 20 November , 2008 Hello, I am VERY new to WW1 research. I recently received this photo of my great uncle KIA in 05 November 1914. I believe the uniform to be Cameron Highlanders. Could anyone with knowledge of the unit please verify? Would he have been wearing a kilt? Any help would be very greatly appreciated, Regards from Canada, Georgia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Bulloch Posted 20 November , 2008 Share Posted 20 November , 2008 Kov. Could you supply his name and his regimental number if possible. Rob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kovalik Posted 20 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 20 November , 2008 Kov. Could you supply his name and his regimental number if possible. Rob. Yes, of course: Private James McGENN 7351, 1st Bn., Cameron Highlanders who died age 27 on 05 November 1914 Thanks! Georgia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Bulloch Posted 20 November , 2008 Share Posted 20 November , 2008 Yes, of course: Private James McGENN 7351, 1st Bn., Cameron Highlanders who died age 27 on 05 November 1914 Thanks! Georgia I found a soldier with the following details. 7351 Pte james McGinn 1st Battalion Cameron Highlanders. Born Girvan Ayrshire. Enlisted Kilmarnock Ayrshire. KIA F & F 5th November 1914. could this be your G Uncle. Cheers Rob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wainfleet Posted 20 November , 2008 Share Posted 20 November , 2008 Georgia Unfortunately it's not possible to definitively identify the unit from this photo, but it looks like a prewar picture, about 1905-ish. Your man is wearing the slouch hat worn by many units in the Boer War and which continued in use for some years, particularly in Volunteer units. He is also wearing the pre-1903 bandolier, but his jacket has fixed (ie. not detachable) shoulder straps which came in around 1904 (Joe S. will confirm or correct this). You can just see at the bottom of the photo that the jacket is the Scottish cutaway pattern, so he was serving in a Scottish unit when it was taken. He would have been wearing a kilt. However, this might also be a 1914 picture with him wearing old kit owing to the shortages at that time - you can't be sure either way. Regards, W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kovalik Posted 20 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 20 November , 2008 I found a soldier with the following details. 7351 Pte james McGinn 1st Battalion Cameron Highlanders. Born Girvan Ayrshire. Enlisted Kilmarnock Ayrshire. KIA F & F 5th November 1914. could this be your G Uncle. Cheers Rob. Hi Rob, I believe this is him. He was born in Girvan Ayrshire. And he lived in Kilmarnock with his family before his marriage. Everything is correct except the spelling of the last name. I have a question about this in the "Interpreting Service Records etc." section as there are 2 medal cards that seem to be this person's but with different surname spellings. http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...howtopic=111276 May I ask what does "KIA F & F" mean. I assume KIA means "Killed in Action", but F & F? Many thanks for you help! This is all very fascinating. Georgia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Bulloch Posted 20 November , 2008 Share Posted 20 November , 2008 Georgia. F&F France and Flanders and you are correct with Killed in Action. I picked out his name from the Soldiers Died in the Great War and that was the spelling of the name but I think that was quite common, with the number being right it must be a miss spelt name. Cheers Rob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Bulloch Posted 20 November , 2008 Share Posted 20 November , 2008 Georgia. This is a narrative from the History of the 1st Cameron Highlanders. it will give you an idea of the conditions. Verbeek Farm. November 5th 1914. Nov 4th Rained in the evening every thing soon wet through, the road covered with slippery mud, soaking straw and water in the trenches. Very uncomfortable. As a set off to this the Brigadier, who visited the trenches about 10.00 told us it was quite probable that we should be relieved by tomorrow night, and go down country some distance to re-fit. After the men had had their tea, about 7.pm., the camp kettles were sent back to Battalion Headquarters, where the cooks boiled enough potatoes (obtained locally) to feed the battalion: they were issued hot between 9 and 10 o'clock. November 5th. Rain ceased, but a very heavy dew, sun only appeared for the first time about noon. Shelling and sniping on both sides. No visible signs yet of promised reinforcements: hope we wont be disappointed tonight in our relief. Shelling heavier in the afternoon and a good number of of casualties in the consequence, especially on the left of "B' Company. 2nd Lieutenant Cumming was buried in his trench and stunned, but unhurt, but four of his men were killed. Hope this is some help in your research. Cheers Rob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kovalik Posted 20 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 20 November , 2008 Wow. I am new to WW1 research and this board. This is all VERY fascinating and very much appreciated. It is sad though to think under what conditions my great uncle may have been killed. When I received the photo from a distant cousin, it only had a name on the back. Nothing was known about him in this generation, even by his direct descendants. I am very happy to be able to research him and bring his sacrifice back to light among the family, particularly the younger generation like my kids. Regards, Georgia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 20 November , 2008 Share Posted 20 November , 2008 Georgia Unfortunately it's not possible to definitively identify the unit from this photo, but it looks like a prewar picture, about 1905-ish. Your man is wearing the slouch hat worn by many units in the Boer War and which continued in use for some years, particularly in Volunteer units. He is also wearing the pre-1903 bandolier, but his jacket has fixed (ie. not detachable) shoulder straps which came in around 1904 (Joe S. will confirm or correct this). You can just see at the bottom of the photo that the jacket is the Scottish cutaway pattern, so he was serving in a Scottish unit when it was taken. He would have been wearing a kilt. However, this might also be a 1914 picture with him wearing old kit owing to the shortages at that time - you can't be sure either way. Regards, W. A Regular in 1914 is unlikely to be wearing a pre-1903 ammunition bandolier and slouch hat in France and Flanders so I think your original assessment more likely. May well be 1902 and the latter part of 2nd Boer war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wainfleet Posted 20 November , 2008 Share Posted 20 November , 2008 Good point about the regular battalion, but def. not a Boer War photo as the 02 patt. SD jacket (which actually began being used in Aug. 01) in use at that time had detachable shoulder straps. It must be 1904 or a bit later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 20 November , 2008 Share Posted 20 November , 2008 Good point about the regular battalion, but def. not a Boer War photo as the 02 patt. SD jacket (which actually began being used in Aug. 01) in use at that time had detachable shoulder straps. It must be 1904 or a bit later. That isn't necessarily a 'given' as I suspect that regimental tailors sewed them on even when they were issued as removable. The reason they were sewn on later was because removable was so impractical. Every infantry battalion had a tailor on the establishment and such modifications were common both then and in later service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kovalik Posted 20 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 20 November , 2008 Thanks everyone for your information. Being very inexperienced, I just assumed it was a WW1 photo. I think the photo must be post Boer War though. James was born in 1887. By the look of him in the photo, I'd say he is at least 18-22? That would date the photo to around 1905-09? What do you think? Georgia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 21 November , 2008 Share Posted 21 November , 2008 Thanks everyone for your information. Being very inexperienced, I just assumed it was a WW1 photo. I think the photo must be post Boer War though. James was born in 1887. By the look of him in the photo, I'd say he is at least 18-22? That would date the photo to around 1905-09? What do you think? Georgia 1905 would be a good date based on what you have said Georgia. In the years immediately after the 2nd Boer war it was quite common for infantry soldiers to wear slouch hats and bandoliers when exercising (on manoeuvres) in the field in England and Ireland (and quite probably Scotland too, although there were few, if any, large training areas there). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kovalik Posted 6 December , 2008 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2008 Many thanks to all who helped me. I think I now have the answer. Thanks to the generous assistance of member Kev Loughnane, I now have a copy of the entry for James McGENN in the Glasgow Evening Times Roll of Honour: "Kilmarnock Man Killed - Information has been received in Kilmarnock that Private James McGenn of the 1st Cameron Highlanders has been killed in action. He was 27 years of age, was the youngest son of Mr. James McGenn, an employee of the the Kilmarnock Corporation Gasworks, and prior to the war was engaged as an inspector on the local tramway system. He had previously seen service in India and Africa." This means that the uniform he is wearing in the photo is surely from his pre-WW1 service. Regards to all, Georgia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitchiebytheC Posted 21 October , 2019 Share Posted 21 October , 2019 On 20/11/2008 at 16:21, kovalik said: Hello, I am VERY new to WW1 research. I recently received this photo of my great uncle KIA in 05 November 1914. I believe the uniform to be Cameron Highlanders. Could anyone with knowledge of the unit please verify? Would he have been wearing a kilt? Any help would be very greatly appreciated, Regards from Canada, Georgia Hi Georgie...my wife and I run Girvan and District Great War project and have more info on James.. I know this is a long shot Regards Ritchie Conaghan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 21 October , 2019 Share Posted 21 October , 2019 Ritchie, Georgia seems not to have visited the Forum for nigh on 5 years. If you visit her profile page (click on her name in the post), there is a facility to email her or message her; that might reach her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 21 October , 2019 Share Posted 21 October , 2019 Mr. Google's Apparatus suggests that Richie is still active on matters relating to the Great War casualties of Girvan. There seem to be other ways of contacting the Conaghans if you loook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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