xlollx Posted 10 August , 2009 Share Posted 10 August , 2009 I'm currently researching my Great uncle, Thomas Currie who was in the 8th Seaforth Highlanders. He was a private in the 8th Btn Seaforth Highlanders, service number S/2211. Son of of Mr. and Mrs. John Currie, of 212, Great Eastern Rd., Camlachie, Glasgow. He died 27/09/1917, aged 31 and is buried DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN. According to rumours, Thomas died by trying to save a friend. I don't know how much of that is true but it is a nice thought. I know that there is some confusion with his records because he was in 8th btn but died in the 9th (from what I can remember). I have two photographs of Thomas, one of himself and another with a group of his friends also in the Seaforth Highlanders (there names are on the back but I don't have the photograph with me). I would like to find out what battles he fought in, what he died from and the conditions of his death. Also why there is confusion between 8th and 9th btn. Any help would be appretiated. One day I shall visit his grave. Thankyou, Laura Currie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT-Guards Posted 10 August , 2009 Share Posted 10 August , 2009 I'm currently researching my Great uncle, Thomas Currie who was in the 8th Seaforth Highlanders. He was a private in the 8th Btn Seaforth Highlanders, service number S/2211. Son of of Mr. and Mrs. John Currie, of 212, Great Eastern Rd., Camlachie, Glasgow. He died 27/09/1917, aged 31 and is buried DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN. According to rumours, Thomas died by trying to save a friend. I don't know how much of that is true but it is a nice thought. I know that there is some confusion with his records because he was in 8th btn but died in the 9th (from what I can remember). I have two photographs of Thomas, one of himself and another with a group of his friends also in the Seaforth Highlanders (there names are on the back but I don't have the photograph with me). I would like to find out what battles he fought in, what he died from and the conditions of his death. Also why there is confusion between 8th and 9th btn. Any help would be appretiated. One day I shall visit his grave. Thankyou, Laura Currie Hello Laura, Have tried The Long, Long Trail (top left hand corner of the forum screen). Best regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlollx Posted 10 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 10 August , 2009 Hello Laura, Have tried The Long, Long Trail (top left hand corner of the forum screen). Best regards Yes, I've tried The Long, Long Trail. I tried researching Thomas Currie a few years ago, Tom Tulloch Marshall wrote some replies on a forum, but the information he found has since been lost. So now I have to start again! Any help would really be appreiated. P.S If anyone is going to be visiting DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN would it be possible for them to take a photograph of Thomas Currie's headstone. Thankyou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 10 August , 2009 Share Posted 10 August , 2009 Laura The War Diary may be the key. The cemetery you quote was used by several Casualty Clearing Stations for those who died in their care,so Thomas may have been wounded elsewhere and brought to the Etrun area for treatment. The Diary may show where he was wounded,but equally may not quote his name,it was prevalent just to show the number of Other Rank casualties on any given day,so if there was a series of days with wounded he would be unidentifiable to a day and place. Soldiers Died in the Great War (SDGW) may show more details,such as if he died of wounds. The War Diary for 8 Seaforths is at Kew under WO95/1940 and runs from Jan 1917 to Jul 1919. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 10 August , 2009 Share Posted 10 August , 2009 SDGW confirms that Thomas Currie enlisted in Glasgow, having been born in Barony. He died of wounds on 27.9.17...so the hunch was right! Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian turner Posted 10 August , 2009 Share Posted 10 August , 2009 Laura, Welcome to the forum. His place of burial is perhaps a conundrum. Both 8th and 9th battalions had been in the Arras area (which CCS at Duisans/Etrun woud have served) but I think both were in the Passchendaele by late September. Thus you chap would not likely have been sent to this CCS from Flanders. The 9th Bn were a pioneer battalion serving the 9th Div, whereas the 8th Bn were an infantry unit in the 15th Div. Maybe a trawl through SDGW for the dates might point to what Sotonmate was suggesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlollx Posted 10 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 10 August , 2009 Laura, Welcome to the forum. His place of burial is perhaps a conundrum. Both 8th and 9th battalions had been in the Arras area (which CCS at Duisans/Etrun woud have served) but I think both were in the Passchendaele by late September. Thus you chap would not likely have been sent to this CCS from Flanders. The 9th Bn were a pioneer battalion serving the 9th Div, whereas the 8th Bn were an infantry unit in the 15th Div. Maybe a trawl through SDGW for the dates might point to what Sotonmate was suggesting. Thanks for the information everybody. I live quite close to Kew so could go and have a look at the war diary. From what you have all said I am guessing that he was wounded in the battle of Arras or the trench war fare which followed (especially as the 8th and 9th Bn were in Passchendaele by the time he died). Poor chap, I believe his older brother John Currie died during WW1 but have no further information apart from his date of birth and name. Well, thats one side of the family sorted out. Now I have to move onto the other side, Private Frank Smith of the Northamptonshire regiment. Have his death penny and medals. He was wounded at some point and was sent back to England. He had the option of staying in England or going back to the 'front'. He wanted to be with his mates, went back to France and got killed by a sniper (according to my grandma). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 11 August , 2009 Share Posted 11 August , 2009 According to the 15th History they were at Arras at this time. 9th were in training near Ypres. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 13 August , 2009 Share Posted 13 August , 2009 Let us know Frank Smith's number from his medals and we'll have a go at finding something on him.... Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlollx Posted 16 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2014 I have just returned from France and visiting family WW1 graves. I finally got to visit my Great Uncle Thomas Currie's grave in Duisan Cemetery in Etrun near Arras. I was struck by the bullet hole/shrapnel marks on the entrance to the cemetery which I believe occurred during 1940. I was a little bit disappointed to see that the inscription on the grave stone had almost faded. I wanted to try and read the inscription at the bottom of the headstone which the Currie family paid extra money for. I could just about make out 'A light from our household gone, a voice that we loved...' but I couldn't make out the rest and unfortunately I forgot to move the plants at the bottom so the photograph doesn't help me. Any help would be appreciated. I also understand that this was a cemetery for the 8th Casualty Clearing Station. I have tried to get access to No 8 CCS War Diary is ref WO95/342 but this is not online until later this year. Does anybody know where the Casualty Clearing Station was in regards to the cemetery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 16 August , 2014 Share Posted 16 August , 2014 I have just returned from France and visiting family WW1 graves. I finally got to visit my Great Uncle Thomas Currie's grave in Duisan Cemetery in Etrun near Arras. I was struck by the bullet hole/shrapnel marks on the entrance to the cemetery which I believe occurred during 1940. I was a little bit disappointed to see that the inscription on the grave stone had almost faded. I wanted to try and read the inscription at the bottom of the headstone which the Currie family paid extra money for. I could just about make out 'A light from our household gone, a voice that we loved...' but I couldn't make out the rest and unfortunately I forgot to move the plants at the bottom so the photograph doesn't help me. Any help would be appreciated. I also understand that this was a cemetery for the 8th Casualty Clearing Station. I have tried to get access to No 8 CCS War Diary is ref WO95/342 but this is not online until later this year. Does anybody know where the Casualty Clearing Station was... Regarding grave inscription, this will be most likely on the documentation of CWGC website which is free to access. Field Ambulance and CCS diaries do not generally mention the names of casualties of ORs. I have just arrived after a very long drive but I will eventually get my laptop out this evening and see if I can find the evacuation chain for the 15th Scottish Division at that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlollx Posted 16 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2014 Thank you, that would be helpful. There has always been a problem with his records. It says he joined with the 8th and died in the 9th. The medal roll index cards don't shed any further light. Also, I have tried Scotlands people for his will and he doesn't appear to have one that survived. I just don't understand why and when he switched btns. As far as the inscription goes, I did a google search for the couple of lines I can make out and it is taken from a prayer A light is from our household gone A voice we loved is stilled A place is vacant in our home That never can be filled ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlollx Posted 16 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2014 Also, On the Scottish National Memorial website it says Era WW1 Surname CURRIE Forename Thomas Rank Pte Service number S/2211 Decoration Place of birth Barony Glasgow Date of death 27 September 1917 Theatre of death F&F Cause of death Died of wounds. SNWM roll THE SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS Unit name Unknown Unit attached to THE SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS Other detail 9th Bn. Is it common for it to say unknown unit attached to The Seaforth Highlanders? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 16 August , 2014 Share Posted 16 August , 2014 According the the medal roll for BW & V medals, Thomas Currie s/2211 was 7th Bn. and transferred to 8th Bn. I will see what I can dig out of the diaries in terms of casualties for September. His wounding might be mentioned in a local newspaper so that might be worth looking into many old newspapers survive in local archives. CWGC website should have a page documenting the inscription on his grave and who submitted it etc. You will need to enter his details in a search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 16 August , 2014 Share Posted 16 August , 2014 The battalion were in the Rouex-Gavrelle section of the line. There is no evacuation chain mentioned for that time period. I can give a breakdown of casualties in September. That would consist of the number of killed or wounded on a given day of the month but there are no names. I can also give the location of the three Field Ambulances for the 15th Division at that time. Let me know if you think any of the above would be any use and I will look tomorrow - with less tired eyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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