He was in the 16th HLI

[Tom A McCluskey]

Hi all,

In disagreement with Joe Sweeney, a point of issue is glengarry colour. The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) wore a green glengarry.

The HLI (including Glasgow Highlanders) wore a dark blue glengarry. The evidence of this is in their museum in Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow. The Canadian HLI wore a green glengarry.

Aye

Tom McC

[dycer]

I'm afraid I can't do links but if you type in Cpl Willie Angus VC(8th HLI) in the Forum search engine you will find a photogragh of him in 1915 returning home.The Officer supporting him is Lt Martin whom Cpl Martin saved.

The photo is reasonably clear so gives a good likeness of the HLI Glengarry in 1915.

Joanne,

8th HLI Men were wearing the Balmoral in November 1915 in France.

George

[Tom A McCluskey]

George,

The 8th Battalion may have worn a diced glengarry but the 16th (Glasgow Boys Brigade) Battalion wore a solid blue glengarry

It would not be unusual at the early stages of the war for a soldier to be transferred to a different battalion if he was wounded. It was quite often the case that the wounded would return to the regiment, through the regimental depot, then onto the battalion that needed it most (regardless of being Regular, TF, or New Army).

Also, have a look at the link below, and scroll down to George Hunter Kerr, he started the war with the Royal Scots Fusiliers and was transferred to 17 HLI (Glasgow Chamber of Commerce). (15, 16 & 17 HLI were in the same division (15 were the Glasgow Tramways), with 16 & 17 brigaded together during the first day of the Somme - Leipzig Redoubt):

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h...GLD:en%26sa%3DN

Also, here is a picture of 10 HLI:

Aye

Tom McC

[dycer]

Tom,

I stand corrected but hey, what do I know

A certain respected member of the Forum thought Willie Angus was awarded the V.C. whilst serving with the 8th Royal Scots when in fact he was 8th HLI attached to the 8th RS.

Back to the thread.Does the "Angus" photo help with the Capbadge as there was a discusion about its size and style in an earlier post?

George

p.s. you'll gather I'm a little bit more knowledgable about the 8th RS.

[Tom A McCluskey]

George,

No problem. The HLI is unusual as 9 HLI are almost identical in appearance to the Black Watch. 6 HLI wear kilts and diced Kilmarnock bonnets. But the normal battalions wore the solid blue Glengarry:

Aye

Tom McC

[Tom A McCluskey]

Apologies, in the above photos you see Highland Light Infantry soldiers:

George Lammie 15 HLI

Thomas MacKenzie 16 HLI

James Robertson 17 HLI

Là á Bhlàir's math na Càirdean

All of the above were killed in action, and are dearly remembered

Aye

Tom McC

[Tom A McCluskey]

George,

Don't forget Willie Angus VC was in 8 HLI (TF). This unit provided a TF unit of the Royal Scots with 2 Companies to enable it to mobilize to go to France.

Aye

Tom McC

[dycer]

Tom,

I know about the 8th HLI providing two Companies to the 8th Royal Scots.Two of my Uncles were in the the 8th Royal Scots when they landed in France in November 1914

Both were in the 8th Royal Scots Maxim Gun Section and although one was killed in January 1915 it is possible the other was there when "Supported by covering rifle and machine gun fire,No 7709,L/Cpl W.Angus crept forward,and succeeded in rousing Lt Martin,who managed to reach our line in spite of heavy bombing by the enemy." This extract is taken from the short history of the 8th Royal Scots.

Sorry to digress.

George

p.s. check out the name Souness on the Search Forum if you want to see photos of 8th Royal Scots pre-War and 8th RS and 8th HLI men in France November 1915.

[Graham Stewart]

Would just like to throw this one out of interests sake. The HLI number 350220 was actually issued to members of the 9th Bn, H.L.I. in 1917. Their new series of numbers ran 330001 - 355000.

Graham.

[Tom A McCluskey]

George,

Excellent , good piece of family history there.

Aye

Tom McC