350017 Sgt Peter Grant 9th battalion Royal scots , KIA 24.3.18

[27thBN]

I would like to find out more about 350017 Sgt Peter Grant 9th battalion Royal Scots , KIA 24.3.18 . Specifically if possible , when he enlisted, and service record. Any other info would be appreciated he has a 15 trio and TFEM as well . Thanks MC

He had a brother killed on same day a gs/49265 Duncan Grant 23rd royal Fusiliers then 17th anything on him would be great as well he has a 15 trio

Thanks MC

[stevem]

I had a quick look on Ancestry but couldn’t find anything other than the MICs and SDGW details for either Peter or Duncan Grant.

Regards

Steve

[KevinBattle]

It must have been devastating for the family, both on the same day and neither with a known grave.

Obviously these must have been casualties of the great German offensive, but they must have been some distance apart, yet both killed in action.

Name: GRANT, PETER

Initials: P

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Serjeant

Regiment/Service: Royal Scots

Unit Text: 9th Bn.

Date of Death: 24/03/1918

Service No: 350017

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 13 and 14.

Memorial: POZIERES MEMORIAL

Some of his comrades were later buried at Pargny British Cemetery, which was made after the Armistice, by concentrations from the surrounding battlefields and the following cemetery:- PARGNY GERMAN CEMETERY, which was a little way North-East of Pargny Church, contained the graves of 32 soldiers from the United Kingdom. The majority of the burials in this cemetery are those of officers and men of the 61st (South Midland) and 8th Divisions, whose resistance at the Somme crossings on the 24th March 1918, materially helped to delay the German advance. The 8th Battalion lost 59 men killed that day.

The CWGC records show Duncan as being in 17th Battalion when he was killed, not 23rd as mentioned.

Name: GRANT, DUNCAN

Initials: D

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Lance Corporal

Regiment/Service: Royal Fusiliers

Unit Text: 17th Bn.

Date of Death: 24/03/1918

Service No: G/49265

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Bay 3.

Memorial: ARRAS MEMORIAL

The burial site of one of Duncan's comrades is at Delsaux Farm which was a point on the German defensive system known as the Beugny-Ytres line, which was reached by Commonwealth troops on 18 March 1917, and passed on the following day. The farm was lost on 23 March 1918 after the gallant defence of Beugny by the 9th Welsh Regiment. The 17th Battalion lost 41 men killed that day.

While no certainty, these locations may be where they were fighting when they were killed.

Sorry, no more details, but hope you get more expert replies than mine...

[eltoro1960]

On 24th March, 1918 the 9th RS took part in a counter-attack on Bethencourt, they began their advance after noon supported by a light artillery barrage, the advance was checked by very heavy mg fire in front of Mesnil. The battalion reorganised and held firm the line until relived the next by the A&S Highlanders.

Peter Grant was born in East Linton in East Lothian, his original service number was 133, very low, suggesting that he was one of the original members of the battalion when it was formed. The Depot was in East Clermont Street, Edinburgh.

John

[Paul Nixon]

I'd agree with John on the enlistment date; probably joined in April 1908 and was almost certainly a former serving member with the 9th Volunteer Battalion, Royal Scots.

Paul

[27thBN]

This is a great start does anyone have a war diary for either battalion on those dates ?

As to how the family felt ,yes must have been pretty horrific to say the least . I have 4 groups to the same family all got from the one family member(though a dealer) some time ago.

Father QSA/KSA 15 trio RFA T Grant he survived and another brother or cousin not sure on this one? 2AM J W Grant RFC survived of which i dont have any details on yet (i dont have this number in front of me at the moment ).One thing i don't get is both brothers that died have no age and no remembered by on their CWGC site almost all i have seen have remembered by somebody on the site .Were the family so destroyed they did not comment ? the father moved from UK to Scotland and back after his service in boer war i believe hence different birth locations for the sons but no luck on ancestry to many Peter and Duncan Grants .I have some paperwork re the two men being brothers but thats about it and also a sports medal as Duncan was in the 23rd sportsman battalion RF before being transferred to the 17th no idea why?

Thanks MC

[27thBN]

As an added mystery the extra medal For Peter Grant is not a TFEM but a TEM correctly named to the 9th R Scots etc(they are very tied down on the court mounting and its only the suspension that finally tipped me off,as they both look very similar i was mainly concerned about the correct naming ) .How does he get that as they where only issued after 1921 i believe ? and he was well and truly not around to collect it .His medals were returned and later re issued in 1938 going by the mic card the naming style is 1921 etc not a later style so they are the originals not a replacement set .Just his original set re issued

MC

[KevinBattle]

Wow! You certainly pack the questions in!

There is an ongoing thread about Next of Kin verification forms which are what form the basis of Additional Information in the CWGC records.

b95 years on to guess as to why these details were not provided by their family one can make a logical assumption that they had moved from the Next of Kin address provided by the sons. As Dad was an old soldier, he would have known the risks and surely would have ensured the details were provided. So wrong address is more likely, in my opinion. if you can't find it on the Beta Search then others will probably provide the link for you.

The change in Battalions was usually as a result of being wounded and after returning to fitness it was a lottery as to where you were sent, generally to Battalions having suffered recent heavy casualties.

As to War Diaries etc, perhaps others can respond.

[Neill Gilhooley]

Peter Grant would have attested on 6 or 7 April 1908, and is likely to have been in the 9th Volunteer Battalion RS before then. In the 1911/12 Drill Programme he is the Pioneer Sergeant (24 Raeburn Place). https://neillgilhooley.com/9th-royal-scots/index/