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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

George W Stewart


tstewa

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Im looking for any further info on my Great Grandfather, especially when he may have signed up or was drafted?

His name was George Watson Stewart and he was born 27th May 1889 in Glagow.

According to the CWGC he was killed on the 21/11/1917 at the Battle of Cambrai Louveral, France

Also on his MIC he has 2 regiment numbers. One for the Royal Highlanders: S-23373 & S-41655 for the Gordon Highlanders

I have read that some Blackwatch Battalions were moved across into the Gordon Highlanders.

Does anyone know which Blackwatch these Battalions were?

Would apprecaite any info

Cheers

Tob

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Welcome to the forum Tob

SDGW records George as having been born in Barony, Lanarkshire and enlisting in Glasgow. He is reported as having been KiA on that date, although the SDGW gives the date as 21st January 1917 but I would suspect CWGC is correct. i would also sugget that he was serving with the 1/4th Bn and not the 2/4th Bn at the time of his death. Does the MIC have a 'date of entry' inscription? This may hold a clue to his Blackwatch battalion. The transfer from BW to GH may suggest that at some point he was wounded and was posted to a different unit because of the need for manpower at that time

cheers, Jon

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These sort of combination of numbers often mean that men trained with one Regiment, went overseas, and were immediately transferred to another Regiment.

Very tentatively, based solely on one service record - Norman James Low, S/23423 Black Watch & S/41865 Gordon Highlanders he may have joined up in March 1917 (Low's number S/23423 dates to circa 1-3-1917) and embarked to France on 11-10-1917 with a group of Black Watch men intending to go to the 8th Black Watch, but were transferred whilst at No. 18 Infantry Base Depot to the 1/4th Gordon Highlanders on 15-10-1917, joining the 1/4th Gordon Highlanders on 25-10-1917.

If this is correct, then he was with the Gordons in France less than a month before his death.

I'll attempt to have a better look in the morning, as it is now rather late!

Steve.

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Note The SNWM date of death as 21-06-17

Surname STEWART

Firstname George

Service Number S/41655

Date Death 21/06/1917

Decoration

Place of birth Barony Lanarkshire

Other 4th Bn.

SNWM roll THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS

Rank Pte

Theatre of death F.& F.

Wull

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Thanks for the quick replies,its very interesting .

I suppose his service record would show that sort of info, if its one of the Burnt records that still exists.

I also read that its possible to get Pay book Wills??? Through Scotlands archives. But I cant get the webpage working at the moment.

Unfortuntaley the MIC has no other info.post-47807-1247967086.jpg

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Im sorry but could you tell me what SNWM & SDGW is short for?

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Looks like Stebie's on it ;)

SNWM - Scottih National War Memorial

SDGW - Soldiers that Died in the Great War. A database originally compilled in 1921

cheers, Jon

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Cheers Jon

What would be the best way to determine which death date is the right one?

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Since his name is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial the finger points to the CWGC date but given that there is now another date in the pot it may need some further consideration as all 3 databases have their errors. It's certainly worth checking the war diaries on these dates

cheers, Jon

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Does anyone know which Blackwatch these Battalions were?

Tob,

I don't know if this is of any use but my Great uncle had a similar set of circumstances to your Great Grandfather, although his service numbers are very different to his.

He arrived in France with the Black Watch, a service number indicating he was with the 4th Dundee (Territorials). I believe they were almagamated with the 4/5th Black Watch and he was transferred in 1917 to the 5th Gordons. I have been told they were drafted to the Gordons around April/May after Arras where the Gordons had losses.

Forum members 4th Gordons (Chris) and Carolm may be able to help you more as they are both knowledgeable on the Gordons. You should have a look at their websites as well.

http://www.gordonhighlanders.carolynmorrisey.com/

http://www.4thgordons.com/

There is an interesting Black Watch in the Great War site here-

http://www.royalhighlanders.co.uk/index.htm

Hope that helps,

Scott

EDIT- The lack of entry date on George Stewarts MIC indicates he arrived in France at a time after January 1916.

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Thanks Waddell

Ill check those sites out, and once the Scotland archives site comes back on line Ill see if I can get his paybook will.

Its great i didnt realize that there was so much information out there.

Cheers

Tob

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Hi all

The amalgamation of the 4th Black Watch and the 5th Black Watch was completed by the 15th of of March 1916 and the 4/5th was born,

these four lads were 4/5th Casualties.

Pte.E.J.Jones----s/23353

Pte.J.McGinn-----s/23342

Pte.r.Munn--------s/23335

Pte,W.Calder-----s/23324

Gary.

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