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Black Watch Military Medals


smokie

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In Wauchope's £ Volume history of the Black Watch in the Great War, at the end of each chapter there is a list of MM's awarded to each battalion {although there are a few missing} And in the body of the text, it sometimes tells you why an award was made.

I am happy to do look ups for you.

Regards,

Stewart

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In Wauchope's £ Volume history of the Black Watch in the Great War, at the end of each chapter there is a list of MM's awarded to each battalion {although there are a few missing} And in the body of the text, it sometimes tells you why an award was made.

I am happy to do look ups for you.

Regards,

Stewart

Pte David Fleming Bricknal or as some records have shown Bricknell or Bricknall. DOB 04/06/1896

Service No S/43112

He joined up in Oct 1914 aged 18 in Dundee.

His regiment was Royal Highlanders - Black Watch and he was a Company Runner 1st Battalion. I know he was stationed in Bridge of Earn until about 1915 then the trail ends until he was wounded at the Battle of St Quentin on 18th Sept 1918 where he had his legs blown off with a Tattie Chapper grenade. I was told that it was listed in records as 19th Sept.

He was awarded The MM but we cant find out what for.

He was invalided out in 1919 and I have his Discharge Certificate.

He died in The BLESMA Home in Crieff in Dec 1967

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Hi Wauchope has Sept 18th as Battle of Epehy (Battles of the Hindenburg Line.)

On the 19th the Battalion was ordered forward to capture the trenches known as Fourmoy alley And Sampson Trench.

But I can`t see any details for your man.

Gary.F.

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David Bricknall's Military Medal was Gazetted on 6-8-1918

S/43112 Pte. D. Bricknall, R. Highrs. (Dundee).

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/308...upplements/9234

This possibly puts it around the time of the German Offensive of March/April 1918 (possibly the latter) ?

Steve.

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Cross referencing the Gazette with the Wauchope's History of the Black Watch, gives the following men of 1st Battalion awarded the MM in the same Gazette:

S/10108 Pte. J. F. Skea, M.M., R. Highrs. (Glasgow). (BAR)

S/43112 Pte. D. Bricknall, R. Highrs. (Dundee).

285011 Cpl. D. Bratchie, R. Highrs. (Stirling).

S/14411 Pte. R. S. Clard, R. Highrs. (Kirriemuir). (Clark per Wauchope)

3/2512 Sjt. J. T. Coughlan, R. Highrs. (Lochee).

9254 Pte. A. Cowan. R. Highrs. (Crossgates).

1178 Pte. J. Currie, R. Highrs. (Islay).

3/2109 Pte. J. Gibson, R. Highrs. (Innerleven)

S/40191 Pte. A. Hurley, R. Highrs. (Aberhill, Fife). (Harley per Wauchope)

S/7675 L./C. W. Hutchison, R. Highrs. (Auchterarder).

3/2355 Pte. A. Innes, R. Highrs. (Dundee).

S/19978 Pte. D. Kidd, R. Highrs. (Woodside).

S/4365 Pte. R. Leggate, R. Highrs. (South Uist). (Leggatt per Wauchope)

S/11142 Pte. J. Lindsay, R. Highrs. (Dundee).

S/20939 L./C. J. McDonald, R. Highrs. (Glasgow).

S/9564 Pte. J. McMahon, R. Highrs. (Perth).

S/43332 Pte. J. Pirnie, R. Highrs. (Broughty Ferry). (Pirney per Wauchope)

S/11018 Pte. (L./C.) J. Reay, R. Highrs. (Lowestoft).

S/2797 Sjt. J. Robertson, R. Highrs. (Glencarso).

S/40044 Sjt. W. Robertson, R. Highrs. (Guardbridge).

S/8066 Pte. J. Samson, R. Highrs. (Wishaw).

S/8301 Cpl. L. J. Simmon, R. Highrs. (Berwick-on-Tweed). (Simmons per Wauchope)

S/10020 L./C. T. Smith, R. Hig'hrs. (Grangemouth).

S/9865 Pte. T. Wheatley, R. Highrs. (Birmingham).

S/18146 Pte. A. H. Williams, R. Highrs. (Dublin).

Also in Gazette issue but for other battalions:

S/17819 Pte. R. Crawford, R. Highrs. (Tillicoultry). (Unknown battalion?)

240345 Pte. R. S. Hutcheson, R. Highrs. (Stonehaven). (4th/5th Battalion, Hutchinson per Wauchope)

240991 Sjt. (A./Coy. S./M.) W. Stewart, D.C.M., R. Highrs. (Brechin). (4th/5th Battalion)

The high concentration of awards suggests a major action. I know that at least some of the 1st Northamptons (also 1st Division) awards in that Gazette refer to the German attack of 18th April 1918, and the subsequent counter attacks on 20th April 1918, so I would suggest that the 18th April 1918 (in which 1st Black Watch were embroiled), may be a likely date of the award.

Just a point from his medal Card - he was not an original 1st Battalion man, instead being a Territorial. He presumably served overseas with a Terrirorial battalion and then switched due to wounds/illness/etc. He also may have gone to France from a Territorial Reserve battalion and transferred to the Regulars once in France. This started to happen quite commonly from the summer of 1916 ti replace the losses on the Somme.

Steve.

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Battle of Bethune.( battles of the Lys.) (Second defence of Givenchy.) .( Givenchy Ridge and Moat Farm.)

18th- 19th April

Trench warfare. Cambrin.Hohenzollern. May & August.

(Wauchope.)

Gary.F.

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Its funny the difference a CO can make to a battalions medal tally.

The 1st BW had a lot of MM's But not so many DCMs, where as the 2nd BW had a lot of DCM's but MM's were like `Hen's Teeth'!!!!

Regards

Fred

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Yes it is the reason he has two numbers. Changing from a Territorial to a Regular battalion would trigger a change in number if it occured before March 1917.

Steve.

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Yes it is the reason he has two numbers. Changing from a Territorial to a Regular battalion would trigger a change in number if it occured before March 1917.

Steve.

Yes Steve it must have been as I have seen 2 numbers for him. They also spell his name wrong too!!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Yes Steve it must have been as I have seen 2 numbers for him. They also spell his name wrong too!!

Where would he have been prior to transferring to regular frontline battalion? I do know he was in Bridge of Earn in 1915 but thats all. Dont know when he went to France.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Pte David Fleming Bricknal or as some records have shown Bricknell or Bricknall. DOB 04/06/1896

Service No S/43112

He joined up in Oct 1914 aged 18 in Dundee.

His regiment was Royal Highlanders - Black Watch and he was a Company Runner 1st Battalion. I know he was stationed in Bridge of Earn until about 1915 then the trail ends until he was wounded at the Battle of St Quentin on 18th Sept 1918 where he had his legs blown off with a Tattie Chapper grenade. I was told that it was listed in records as 19th Sept.

He was awarded The MM but we cant find out what for.

He was invalided out in 1919 and I have his Discharge Certificate.

He died in The BLESMA Home in Crieff in Dec 1967

Yes please look it up.

Thanks

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  • 5 years later...

Hi all I'm trying to find out why my great grandfather was awarded his MM, can anyone help?

S/19978 Pte. D. Kidd, R. Highrs. (Woodside).

Your man is listed in the August 8, 1914 edition of the Edinburgh Gazette as being approved for the MM. There is no citation unfortunately.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/13301/page/2835

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August 8 1918 that is, not 1914.

Local newspapers would be your best bet for info on the award.

He was a 1st btn man according to medal roll, there's a Pte D. Kidd of the 1st Btn listed as a M.M. awardee in Wauchope's book on the regiment, no details though.

The war diary lists his name along with quite a lot of other men as being awarded the MM in the May 28th-31st 1918 entry. These could be earned from the events of the 18th of May when the battalion was bombarded then assualted by the enemy.

Derek.

[EDIT] July 13 1918 People's Journal has a photo of two brothers, Pte's G & D Kidd, sons of J Kidd of Woodside, Aberdeen and grandsons of the late David Kidd of Polepark Works.

24th May 1918 Aberdeen Evening Express

"Private David Kidd, Black Watch, son of Mr & Mrs James S. Kidd, 15 King Street, Woodside, has been awarded the Military Medal for Gallantry in the field. Prior to enlisting about two years ago he was employed atthe Aberdeen Joint Station."

Pte. 19978 D. Kidd (Woodside) of the Black Watch is listed in the 28th October 1918 Aberdeen Journal as being wounded.

[EDIT]

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