Scottish Regiments around Leven, Fife 1914

[jkhats@hotmail.com]

Anyone know in which kilted regiment a 21 year old born and raised in the Leven area might enlist? I am starting from scratch, again, with Henry Young who in the army and, rumour has it, was in a kilted regiment, lived in Leven, and was last heard of in Warminster Wilts in 1921, occupation on his marriage certificate is driver.

[truthergw]

Probably Black Watch whose Regimental HQ at the time was Perth. Beware though. One of my grandfathers was conscripted into Seaforth Highlanders from Dundee.

[jkhats@hotmail.com]

Probably Black Watch whose Regimental HQ at the time was Perth. Beware though. One of my grandfathers was conscripted into Seaforth Highlanders from Dundee.

Yes, thanks, I see it leaves things open! Rumour was he was in the Black Watch, but as there are no entries I can find on the medal cards for Henry Young in that regiment I figured maybe it was assumed, his wife being English, and that really he had been in another kilted regiment.

[truthergw]

Wearing a kilt does not even force him to be in a Scottish Regiment, far less local to Leven. There were kilties from English and Irish Regiments.

[Gary Jucha]

Was the grounds of Largo House (Upper Largo) used for training in WW1 ?

Gary J.

[dycer]

Sylv,

Where was the nearest recruiting point to Leven in WW1-Kirkcaldy,Edinburgh?

As Tom says I would not discount the Black Watch but equally I have a WW1 postcard taken by a Kirkcaldy Photographer showing a group of Royal Scots.

George

[jkhats@hotmail.com]

Wearing a kilt does not even force him to be in a Scottish Regiment, far less local to Leven. There were kilties from English and Irish Regiments.

Yes, I see your point. Would it be likely do you think for a born and bred Scot to enlist in an English Regiment? As the name is common, and I am trying to narrow things down, I thought it might be better to start where he comes from. I'll have a look online for other kilted regiments, English and Irish, and see what is there.

Thanks again

[jkhats@hotmail.com]

Sylv,

Where was the nearest recruiting point to Leven in WW1-Kirkcaldy,Edinburgh?

As Tom says I would not discount the Black Watch but equally I have a WW1 postcard taken by a Kirkcaldy Photographer showing a group of Royal Scots.

George

Would he have gone to an enlistment centre, say in Kirkcaldy and then been put in a regiment, or would he have had a choice of regiments?

[dycer]

Sylv,

If he been in the rush to join in 1914 he,and his mates,may have responded to an advert in a local Newspaper,etc to join a newly forming Battalion.Is it worth trawling the back copies of the Leven Papers?

You say he was a driver,post-War,could this have been his pre-War employment and he joined the ASC or something similar to continue his trade?

George

[truthergw]

His local regiment of regulars was Black Watch, Queen's Barracks at Perth. He would have had a choice of 2 TF Battalions, 6th or 7th BW. ( Perthshire & Fife). These are the local kilted units. As George says, there are many other units but not kilted. 1 battalion from Edinburgh, and a kilted battalion of HLI from further west. Because I do not know when he enlisted, I am assuming he was not conscripted. If he was, then he could have gone to any kilted regiment.

[jkhats@hotmail.com]

Sylv,

If he been in the rush to join in 1914 he,and his mates,may have responded to an advert in a local Newspaper,etc to join a newly forming Battalion.Is it worth trawling the back copies of the Leven Papers?

You say he was a driver,post-War,could this have been his pre-War employment and he joined the ASC or something similar to continue his trade?

George

I really dont know. His father and grandfather were bakers. All I know is he ended up meeting and marrying my aunt in Warminster 1921. As he was in the army for the war, I thought perhaps he was staioned at the barracks there. Not sure what driver jobs were available at that time, probably not many. I am going to have a look at the LLT to see if I can pick up on what regiments remained in Warminster after the war.

Thanks again.

[dundeesown]

Hi Sylv

One for you--Pte.Henry Young S/3677 Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)?

may be your man.

all the best Gary.

[truthergw]

That looks like a New Army number so he will be 8th or 9th BW in 9th or 15th Division.

[jkhats@hotmail.com]

Hi Sylv

One for you--Pte.Henry Young S/3677 Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)?

may be your man.

all the best Gary.

Thank you so much for that, I'll go check it now. Have just found his brother James K Young in the Royal Highlanders and his eldest brother Robert on the list of fallen, in the RFA.

regards

Sylv

[Moriaty]

I have done some research on to some Fife war memorials, so here are a few suggestions:

Fife and Forfar Yeomanary, enlisted Cupar (one soldier from Leven was F&FY and later KOSB)

Black Watch, enlisted Perth and Cupar

Royal Scots, a man from Leven

Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, enlisted Kirkcaldy

Cameron Highlanders, men born in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath

Gordon Highlanders, enlisted Perth

[jkhats@hotmail.com]

Thank you so much for that, I'll go check it now. Have just found his brother James K Young in the Royal Highlanders and his eldest brother Robert on the list of fallen, in the RFA.

regards

Sylv

[jkhats@hotmail.com]

I have done some research on to some Fife war memorials, so here are a few suggestions:

Fife and Forfar Yeomanary, enlisted Cupar (one soldier from Leven was F&FY and later KOSB)

Black Watch, enlisted Perth and Cupar

Royal Scots, a man from Leven

Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, enlisted Kirkcaldy

Cameron Highlanders, men born in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath

Gordon Highlanders, enlisted Perth

Thanks very much, just what I need. I checked the only Henry Young for the Black Watch, unfortunately he is deceased so not my man.

[jkhats@hotmail.com]

Thank you all for all the terrific help, I really appreciate it.

If Henry Young stayed in the army post 1920, his records won't be at Kew, am I correct? If that is so, any war/pension records would not be online?

[dundeesown]

Hi Sylv.sure it said the 8th B/W

Fae Gary. oops your man survived the war so ignore this post.sorry

[jkhats@hotmail.com]

Hi Sylv.sure it said the 8th B/W

Fae Gary. oops your man survived the war so ignore this post.sorry

With what seems to have eventually happened to him, he might well have wished he hadn't survived! But that's another tale. Thanks for going to so much trouble looking.

regards

Sylv

[PPCLI]

Just in case he is another brother, a casualty list in The Scotsman of 3rd October 1917, p5 names Gunner 168242 William Young (Leven), Royal Garrison Artillery as wounded in action.

Stuart

[jkhats@hotmail.com]

Just in case he is another brother, a casualty list in The Scotsman of 3rd October 1917, p5 names Gunner 168242 William Young (Leven), Royal Garrison Artillery as wounded in action.

Stuart

Thanks for that. He is a cousin of my Henry, yet another in the artillery.

[ICM - RAF Retd]

Sylv: I see that you've had plenty of suggestions, but here's another. My grandfather, an ex-Regular, was living in Leven by August 1914 and went back to 1st Gordons on mobilisation - but he was originally from Peterhead, from where he had first joined-up in 1903.

[Boyle1768]

Hi I had a uncle who enlisted from the Leven Fifes at the start of WW1 and was sent to Aldershot to make up the numbers of the 1st Battalion black watch, at the start of the war some of the battalion were to young or old to go to war as you had to be between 21-35, he was involved in the retreat from Mons, wounded in June 1915, killed on 23/Feb/1917

Lance Corp John Boyle s/n/ 1768

[rolt968]

Into what and where men enlisted can be a bit unpredictable. I discovered a man who tried to enlist (in Leven itself I think) was turned down as not fit enough, so went to Edinburgh a few days later where they accepted him. He enlisted in the Seaforths.

Over one period (unfortunately the local paper doesn't say how long) more men enlisted in Brechin into the Royal Scots (most if not all into 12 Royal Scots) than into the Black Watch.

R.