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Remembered Today:

13th battalion Royal Scots


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I was wondering if anyone knows if & where it might be possible to find out which company a 13th RS pte was in. Unfortunately his war records did not survive but are there any rolls that survive? I have been in contact with the RS museum but they informed me that they did not have any; has anyone come across even extracts of such records?

Failing this is there anyone who might have any company pictures post dating Dec.1916 that I might be able to spot him in. I know the chances of such a picture ever being taken are probably pretty remote but I guess its worth a shot.

I know there is a thread running on which battalions members are researching so if anybody can help I would be pleased to hear from them,

many thanks

Rod

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I would say probably not for a number of reasons, men moved from company to company, and between battalions of the RS, but in this case the war diary of the 13th RS is dreadful in sections, the officer writing it seems unable to spell any of the 'other ranks' names right, including a VC winner both the award and his death soon after, a man shot for murder and his victim in the battalion.

So overall his record keeping was on the poor side,

John

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If he was a casualty in the CWGC records, sometimes the man's Company was mentioned.

Have you checked here CWGC Debt of Honour?

Sorry, just checked for all December and only these

001 COOKE S 13215 13TH BN 30/12/1916 ROYAL SCOTS

002 MCGRAVIE JS 40006 13TH BN 31/12/1916 ROYAL SCOTS

003 MUIR W 25153 13TH BN 27/12/1916 ROYAL SCOTS

004 SMITH JS 27915 13TH BN 02/12/1916 ROYAL SCOTS

No Company mentioned, I'm afraid...

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And it's impossible for us without a name or number. :thumbsup:

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I should probably have posted the details first time round but the initial enquiry was really just into the possibility of records surviving, the name in question was Shelford J private service no. 35692. If you do have any information or suggestions as to a source then many thanks.

John do you have much of the 13ths war diary?

best regards

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"John do you have much of the 13ths war diary?"

I have the whole diary Rod.

John

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Hello John,

I have gone through the "History of the Royal Scots" in search of information about the 13th battalion.

When I found the war diary was not available online from the NA I began contemplating heading off to Kew to make a copy of the diary from about mid November 1916 until the end of the war & possibly further on until they were demobilised. Could you tell me how big or small a task I might be embarking on.....how many pages do you reckon the diary runs to over this period?

Happy to receive a pm to avoid going off track a bit here

many thanks

Rod

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Hi Rod

You are looking at 260 pages of text to get you to the end of 1917, :blink: I forgot I still have to do the 1918 volume, it's a swine of a job.

John

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Hello John,

goodness me, it certainly sounds like a bit of a monster, think I might need a couple of spare batteries, one for the camera & one for me.

I am assuming its pretty informative for a war diary, the only one I have seen (6th KOSB) was pretty short & to the point with often little more than a line per day on many occasions,

best regards

Rod

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  • 1 year later...

49749 Private George Miles, 13th Royal Scots, was killed in action in 10th June 1918. However, according to SDGW, no other soldier of the Battalion died for six days before this, or nine days after. Presumably this was "just" an example of the usual attrition of trench warfare, but does anyone happen to know what happened? Is it mentioned in the war diary?

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The 13th were actively enagaged in a busy period of night patrols and raids up until the 9th June in the Fampoux / Rouex area, on the 10th they were clearing up their section of the line prior to handing it over.

The diary records No Casualties for 10th inst. There was a raid on the 9th in which 5OR were wounded, perhaps he died of wounds on the 10th?

John

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John

Thanks for the reply. SDGW states that he was killed in action, rather than died of wounds. I suppose the raid on 9th June could have been overnight, and the death recorded the following day?

Richard

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  • 10 months later...

Can anyone help me find out why Pte Jame Anderson received the Croix de Guerre. His No is 23331 and was in the Royal Scots (Broomhouse) We have the certificate but don't know why he received it. James is my husbands father and would love to know why. Much appreciated for any information Lyn

The date on the certificate is 10 Nov 1918 Lyn

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James Anderson No 23331 served with the 1st Battalion RS. Entered France 2nd October 1915 and was eligable for the 15 star, British and Victory medals. As the Battalion entered France in December 14 he is obviously a reinforcement, the Battalion was previously in India. In December 1915 1RS moved with it's division (the 27th) to Salonika. It then participated in several actions during the Salonika campaign throughout 1916,17 and 18.

On the 10th November (obviously not when the action for the award took place) 27th Div was moving back from Bulgaria to embark for Constantinople.

As the Campaign was conducted with our Allies the French, Greeks, Serbs etc. Several units were awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French and presumably individuals as well. The most probable action is the 2nd Battle of Doiran 18th - 19th Sept 1918.

You will need 1RS experts for this not 13th

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James many thanks for your reply, Confusion seems to reign. On the certificate it says that James was in the 13th Battalion, we also have his War Medals which just say Royal Scots with his No. 23331. We believe James was a runner when he received the Croix de Guerre. Our thanks once again for the information you have provided and we will look more into the 1st Battalion. Many thanks Lyn

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Lyn,

The MIC on Ancestry gives his unit as 1 Royal Scots, if your wondering where I got the info from. He wasn't in the list for the 13th Bn as recieving the award which is why I double checked the MIC to try and narrow down his unit.

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  • 6 years later...

Wondering if anyone can help me sort out a minor (I think) mystery. Spence Davidson McAulay Reg No. 17701 enlisted in 15/RS. He was subsequently posted to 13/RS, the unit supposedly attached to when KIA. His service record states KIA 15 Sept 18, however his GRR notes his KIA date as 8 Apr 18, while the concentration record notes his KIA date at 18 Apr 18 (along with 6 fellow soldiers). I presume that could have been a typo. His headstone is marked 15 Sept 18. The grave records also note him attached to 15/RS. Is that because his enlistment papers would have been the most readily available source of information?

 

The map reference where his body was found jibes with the Battles of the Lys, so I'm inclined to think that the April date is correct. I also found a scrap of a document that had been scanned (his records were among those that survived the fire), which I've attached. This is another document with the 18 Apr 18 KIA date. And Hulloch corresponds with the map reference where his body was found (Hulloch Alley) between Hulloch and Vermelles. I just don't know what this scrap of paper is. Could handwriting have been misread somewhere along the way? 18 read as 15 or 4 (Apr) read as 9 (Sept)? Any additional theories or information would be most welcome.

 

Thanks very much. 

Steve

30971_172823-00447.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

I hope someone can point me in the right direction.  I am searching for my mother-in-law's unknown father and with the help of a DNA test, it appears that he might have served in the 13 Batt Royal Scots. I am totally unfamiliar with the army, its records or where to look for any information. Is it possible to discover where they were at any given time. - eg, on leave, injured etc. The information I have, regarding names has made me want to push ahead and find things out that I never imagined possible. Any help would be so greatly appreciated.

Christine

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Hi Christine,

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

As background to your research, there is good advice on how to go about it, and the kind of resources available on the Long, Long Trail - see here. Please do come back with any queries you have.

 

Good luck.

 

Regards

Chris

 

 

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27 minutes ago, Christine mccarthy said:

I hope someone can point me in the right direction.  I am searching for my mother-in-law's unknown father and with the help of a DNA test, it appears that he might have served in the 13 Batt Royal Scots.

I can't quite get my head around how a DNA test can suggest 13th Bn. Royal Scots :unsure:

However, only you know his name.

If you want to buy the relevant war diaries for the 13th Bn you can get them here for £3.50 each :

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_srt=1&_ep=WO+95/1946&_dss=range&_ro=any&_hb=tna

 

BillyH.

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