A further search for a relative

[iipboss]

I posted something recently (my first) and was amazed and very grateful for the response my posting was at http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...=144202&hl=

I have now traced one generation back and found that my great uncle's father was also in the army but not sure if he died in service.

The details I have are

Name Alexander Allan

Rank Private

Regiment Royal Highlanders

Service number 2064 and I also have 153456

and I have his date of birth as 5.8.1870 (possibly 187? as guessing a bit at 0)

I have also downloaded a medal card from the national archive.

At the risk of using up all the goodwill of people is there anyone who can provide me any more info please on this distant relative? Or any pointers on where to go next?

Many thanks

Kevin.

[ulsterlad2]

Kevin. I'll have a guess at this.

On his mic, since his theatre of war is 1 France, I'm guessing that he didn't join the Scottish Horse (13th Bn Black Watch) until they arrived in France during June 1918 at the earliest. They were part of 149 Brigade, 50th Division. Info on the 50th here. http://www.1914-1918.net/50div.htm

The Black Watch battalion of his original 2064 deployment could be on the medal roll at the national archives. Always helpful to know this especially if you want to follow a soldier's possible history more closely where no service records have survived.

[kenf48]

If you have a look at the Long Long Trail (LLT) search on Territorials

It looks like your man was in the 1/4th (City of Dundee) Bn see http://www.1914-1918.net/blackwatch.htm

The disembarkation fits with his mic and 2064 is a Territorial regimental number, as you explore the site you will see the Territorials were given 6 figure numbers in 1917

At some point he transferred to the Scottish Horse but the asterix on his mic suggests he's on the original Black Watch rolls.

I 'm guessing he was wounded or sick (or even - if your dob is correct just worn out as he would have been 45 when he went overseas) and transferred to a less arduous posting http://www.1914-1918.net/scottishhorse.htm or even the reserve battalion of the Black watch i.e 3/1st Scottish Horse

Ken