Battalion Identification from Battle Patch

[Tyneside Chinaman]

Hi everybody

I purchased the attached Lance Corporal of the Gordon Highlanders recently and wondered if anyone can identify the battalion from the Diamond shaped patch. The photo was taken in Bachory no dates or any other info. As you can see he wears the War and Victory ribbons and has been wounded once.

Thanks in advance

regards

John

close up

[Andrew Upton]

As you can see he wears the War and Victory ribbons and has been wounded once.

Are you sure? From this resolution it looks more like the ribbands of the 1917 onwards MSM and the 1914 Star, both of which would make sense for a c.1918 picture. From the close up of the shoulder titles it looks like a good close up of them would be able to confirm which.

[Tyneside Chinaman]

Hi,

You could well be right,

[Andrew Upton]

Hi,

You could well be right,

Certainly looks an excellent match:

http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqyqF5A

[4thGordons]

Re battalion.

I do not know but will have a look to see if I have any references.

One might hazard that as he has only the "Gordon" shouder title and not the T/number/Gordon he wa part or either the 1st or 2nd Battalion or the service Battalions (one might take the wearing of a pattern 14 belt as support of the latter also), however I have not been able to demonstrate one way or the other that the three line titles were worn throughout the war by TF battalions so not much to go on. Photo must post-date the 1916 intorduction of the wound stripe...has the feel of a late war picture to me, reinforcing conclusion based on medal ribbons

Insignia are certainly not my strong suit but....The 51st Div used strips of coloured felt to indicate battalion and brigade seniority so perhaps one of the battalions in the 15th (scottish) division?

10th (Service) Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders (merged with 8th Gordon Highlanders May 1916)

May 1916 the 8th and 10th Battalions of the Gordon Highlanders merged to formed the 8/10th Battalion.

8/10th (Service) Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders (from May 1916 until June 1918)

1/5th (Buchan and Formartin) Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders (from June 1918)

Chris

[Tyneside Chinaman]

Chris

Thanks, do you know if the Gordons have a regimental magazine that would list the award of the MSM similar to the St Georges Gazette of the NF.

regards

John

[4thGordons]

Chris

Thanks, do you know if the Gordons have a regimental magazine that would list the award of the MSM similar to the St Georges Gazette of the NF.

regards

John

Hi John

The Gordons did have a regimental magazine entitled "The Tiger and the Sphinx" but I am rather embarrassed to say I have no idea if it dates back to the Great War or not. I have never looked at it although I see copies in online auctions with some regularity. My sense was it was a post war journal but I could very well be mistaken as I really have not checked.

Chris

EDIT: a quick look at ABEBOOKS shows editions from the mid 1920s available but none before that....not that this is very reliable as there are only a few listed and none of the sellers provide a volume number to allow a guess.

[Tyneside Chinaman]

Thanks for the info Chris

regards

John