GraemeClarke Posted 13 December , 2011 Share Posted 13 December , 2011 Hi Steve, Just found this thread and wondered if you could post the WD for Wednesday 31 October 1917 Cheers, Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgmcgregor Posted 15 December , 2011 Author Share Posted 15 December , 2011 Hi Steve, Just found this thread and wondered if you could post the WD for Wednesday 31 October 1917 Cheers, Graeme Graeme, I just got your message. I don't check this site every day, so sorry I didn't answer sooner. I will get the information together and post it as soon as I can. Regards, Steven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgmcgregor Posted 18 December , 2011 Author Share Posted 18 December , 2011 Hi Steve, Just found this thread and wondered if you could post the WD for Wednesday 31 October 1917 Cheers, Graeme Graeme, Sorry it's taken so long to get back. Find below a transcript of the day you are interested in. 31st October 1917 The enemy Trench Mortars were engaged by our Trench Mortars in the morning and in the evening. The enemy bombarded our trenches with Heavy Trench Mortars, in one case they scored a direct hit in the trench killing 2 men and injuring several others. Lewis Guns fired 1050 rounds through the day at enemy working parties. Regards, Steven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jzbdski Posted 5 February , 2012 Share Posted 5 February , 2012 Hi Steven, Just wanted to add my thanks for the Transcript from April 1915. Stumbled upon the forum as I was looking for some more information regarding my Great Grandfather who was killed on the 25th of April near Ypres. The transcript has helped fill things out. I now need to work backwards and try and find out when he joined up and with which company he served, etc. Regards Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 7 February , 2012 Share Posted 7 February , 2012 Hi Steven Sorry about the delay in thanking you, only just found the reply whilst mooching around the Forum. Sorry. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Black Posted 14 October , 2013 Share Posted 14 October , 2013 Graeme, Would you mind having a look at what it says in the diary for the dates the 4th and 5th of May 1915 please? I've read about a 2nd Btn mans death from gas and the report gives the date of the gas attack as 4th of May and his death the day after, but another source gives his death as the 6th? Cheers, Derek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lang Posted 14 October , 2013 Share Posted 14 October , 2013 Derek, I've attached my transcriptions for the 1st to 6th May 1915. Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Black Posted 16 October , 2013 Share Posted 16 October , 2013 Thanks Tom, That helps a lot. It would make sense if the man in question is perhaps the O.R. referred to as wounded the 4th and died the 5th but it doesn't mention gas in his case. Derek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lang Posted 16 October , 2013 Share Posted 16 October , 2013 Hi Steven In the hope you are still happy to do look ups I wonder if you would mind doing one for me I am researching 2nd Lt J.P.F.F. De Salis who was killed with the battalion on the 22nd of January 1917. All I have is that "he was killed by a shell near Peronne". In the hope that he gets a mention could you look up where they were and what they were up to when he was killed I also have (from his MIC I think) that he joined the battalion in October 1916 would that get a mention? Many thanks John Hello Hambo, I've just been reading through this and came across your enquiry. I'm attaching 'snippets' of my translation of the War Diary. 2/Lt de Salis is mentioned as joining the Battalion on the 6th November, 1916. There are 8 entries showing his name. There are differences on the date of his death (21st or 22nd) as you'll see, but made sure that the text is verbatim. Kindest Regards, Tom Lang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 12 February , 2018 Share Posted 12 February , 2018 hi Stephen. I don't know if you are still on these means but I don't suppose you ever found any more detail on the actions of 2SEAFORTHS in this action on 18 April? My grandfather I think was OC A Coy and got his MC on this day. Sketchy details. I don't suppose there was ever a map was there? Its coming up to 100 years and as an illustrator I was going to do a little strip of the his part in the action. He was Robert (Eddie) Paterson. Interesting detail is that he nominated a Sgt in the coy for a VC in this action but it didn't go through. Alex Posted 14 September , 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 12 February , 2018 Admin Share Posted 12 February , 2018 (edited) 5 hours ago, alexpaterson said: hi Stephen. I don't know if you are still on these means but I don't suppose you ever found any more detail on the actions of 2SEAFORTHS in this action on 18 April? My grandfather I think was OC A Coy and got his MC on this day. Sketchy details. I don't suppose there was ever a map was there? Its coming up to 100 years and as an illustrator I was going to do a little strip of the his part in the action. He was Robert (Eddie) Paterson. Interesting detail is that he nominated a Sgt in the coy for a VC in this action but it didn't go through. Alex Posted 14 September , 2010 Welcome to the forum, Stephen has not visited since May 2017, but you could try sending him a personal message. The thread predates the digitisation of the war diaries which can now be downloaded from the National Archives for £3.50 or viewed on Ancestry if you subscribe. However they do not add much to the transcription cited in your post for that date. There is no map in either the 2nd Seaforths Diary or that of the 10th Brigade. I've not looked at the Divisional diary. However the Brigade diary gives their position on the 16th April 1918, following reorganisation of the line, as 'from PONT L'HINGES inclusive to La PANNIERE posts W.3.b.4.8. - House at W.33c.6.7. There are two sites on line that offer Trench Maps, the National Library of Scotland https://maps.nls.uk/ww1/trenches/index.html which gives the facility to overlay Google maps and McMasters University on this occasion it is the latter which has the most relevant and easily read map. It is sheet 36a which is here http://digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca/islandora/object/macrepo%3A70173/-/collection zooming in square W is roughly in the centre of the map. The screen shot is annotated at Pont l'Hinges and Pannerie which puts you in the ball park and clearly shows the Canal around which the action was fought. Ken Edited 12 February , 2018 by kenf48 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 13 February , 2018 Share Posted 13 February , 2018 Gosh, Ken, thank you so much for replying! That is super helpful stuff. That is very kind of you. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 18 December , 2018 Share Posted 18 December , 2018 Hello all, I know this is a topic from a few years ago, but I wanted to chime in quickly to see if anyone can help. I am looking for any war diaries like this one above posted by Mr. McGregor for the 2nd battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders, but for pre-WW1. I know this forum is for the great war, and I am also interested in that, but want specifically to find some records of my great-great-great grandfather, Andrew Haddow, who was in the 2nd battalion and died in Lucknow, India in 1886. The Highlanders erected a monument for him and a few of his 'brothers' there, but I have nothing else. Hope someone can point me in a direction... this post with the war diaries is fascinating to me. I don't want these things to be forgotten! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 18 December , 2018 Admin Share Posted 18 December , 2018 6 hours ago, Claire Robert said: I know this forum is for the great war, and I am also interested in that, but want specifically to find some records of my great-great-great grandfather, Andrew Haddow, who was in the 2nd battalion and died in Lucknow, India in 1886. The Highlanders erected a monument for him and a few of his 'brothers' there, but I have nothing else. Hope someone can point me in a direction... this post with the war diaries is fascinating to me. I don't want these things to be forgotten! Hi Claire and welcome to the forum. Unfortunately as you say your query is outside the scope of this forum. War diaries were specific military documents kept in a theatre of war and held at the National Archives and lately on Ancestry. Units in India were generally on garrison duty and were not even required to keep a diary during the war as it was not. Theatre of war. There is a Victorian Wars forum https://www.victorianwars.com/ And a dedicated Regimental Museum (staffed by volunteers) http://www.thehighlandersmuseum.com/ The late Richard Holmes wrote a book about the army in India ‘Sahib’ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sahib-British-Soldier-India-1750-1914/dp/0007137540/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545121117&sr=8-1&keywords=sahib+richard+holmes Good luck with your research. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callum Stuart Posted 16 April , 2020 Share Posted 16 April , 2020 (edited) Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum as well, and was wondering if you can help. The war diary entries above list a 2nd Lt. W (William) Aitken MC - he is my 3xgreat uncle. I am wondering if any of you could point me in the direction of where I could find more diary entries so I can follow his War journey further. I know he survived the war and emigrated to Australia. These are the first I've seen of the diaries so any information would likely be new information for me! Much appreciated, Callum Edited 16 April , 2020 by Callum Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 16 April , 2020 Admin Share Posted 16 April , 2020 Hi Callum and welcome to the forum The War Diary for the 2nd Seaforths is available on Ancestry here if you subscribe, or may be downloaded from TNA https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C4554634 Unfortunately TNA have split the diary so at £3.50 each it could prove expensive as he remained with them throughout the war, final entry showing on 23rd January 1919 to U.K. for demobilisation. 2/Lieut Aitken MC is interesting in that he appears to have been a Sergeant and pre-war regular joining the BEF with the 2nd Seaforths on the 23 August 1914. He was awarded the MC as CSM on the first day of the Somme on the 1st July 1916 for action North of Beaumont Hamel (London Gazette:29760/22 Sep 1916(C)) Though I can't see it! Later Commissioned on the 26 October 1916 and shown as joining the Battalion on that date which suggests he was commissioned in the field. There is medical entry on FMP which shows him transferred to a convalascent depot after suffering 'suffocation (explosion)' Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callum Stuart Posted 16 April , 2020 Share Posted 16 April , 2020 Thanks Ken for the reply, I have ancestry, although had neglected searching the Military records so far as this appears to be my only branch with army connections. I have found the diaries of the 2nd seaforths and I'd suggest Ill be busy for some time digging through it, so thank you for that! I was aware of the Gazette entry (which sparked my interest in his story), and I have the image of the entry, which reads, "For conspicuous gallantry in action. Whan all his officers had become casualties he took command of the company, organised bombing parties, and did fine work reorganising the defences." I will have to dig up that entry on FMP, that one is news to me. Callum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lang Posted 24 April , 2020 Share Posted 24 April , 2020 On 16/04/2020 at 10:35, Callum Stuart said: Thanks Ken for the reply, I have ancestry, although had neglected searching the Military records so far as this appears to be my only branch with army connections. I have found the diaries of the 2nd seaforths and I'd suggest Ill be busy for some time digging through it, so thank you for that! I was aware of the Gazette entry (which sparked my interest in his story), and I have the image of the entry, which reads, "For conspicuous gallantry in action. Whan all his officers had become casualties he took command of the company, organised bombing parties, and did fine work reorganising the defences." I will have to dig up that entry on FMP, that one is news to me. Callum Hello Callum, I'm attaching 3 pages of my 2nd Seaforths WD where your ancestor is mentioned. First, as a CSM, as noted by Ken. when he was awarded the Military Cross on July, 1916. The second is August, 1916, when he received 'the ribbon only' for the Military Cross. The third is October, 1916, when he 'rejoined' as 2/Lt. He was probably sent to Cadet School, promoted to 2/Lt, then sent back to the Battalion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callum Stuart Posted 24 April , 2020 Share Posted 24 April , 2020 Thank you Tom that's excellent info. Would you know any reasons why he would be presented 'ribbon only'? Callum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lang Posted 24 April , 2020 Share Posted 24 April , 2020 (edited) 12 minutes ago, Callum Stuart said: Thank you Tom that's excellent info. Would you know any reasons why he would be presented 'ribbon only'? Callum They did not have enough medals in the field, and I'm sure each recipient did not want to lose the actual medal in the mud. So 'ribbons only' was very common. I'm sure that arrangements would be made with the recipient, as to where the actual medal would be sent. Edited 24 April , 2020 by Tom Lang Additional info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callum Stuart Posted 24 April , 2020 Share Posted 24 April , 2020 Ah yes, makes sense. Thanks again 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cottoner Posted 14 January , 2023 Share Posted 14 January , 2023 On 31/08/2010 at 20:20, sgmcgregor said: Hello everyone, As I have had such a good response when I've asked a question, I would like to say that I have a copy of the complete war diary for the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders for World War 1. I was researching a family member, and the complete diary was available online from the National Archives at Kew. Should anyone require anything looked up, please get in touch and I will try my best. Dates, names, any relevant information - the more specific you can be, the better. I haven't searched this group, so there may already be someone who has offered to do this. I don't want to tread on any toes here, but if there is no-one providing this help, please feel free to get in touch. I can be emailed direct at sgmcgregor@NOMAILyahoo.co.uk. Just remove the "NOMAIL" to get me direct, or post here. Best Regards, Steven McGregor On 13/09/2010 at 02:58, Jesse said: Hi Steven, thank you for your kind offer. I'm looking for data on D Company, especially throughout the first half of the war, but perhaps you could let me know if there is much War Diary detail on them regarding the St. Julien debacle of April 25-26, 1915. Jesse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 14 January , 2023 Admin Share Posted 14 January , 2023 Link to 2 Seaforth Highlanders war diary already posted on your other thread. You have to sign in, add to basket, then download to peruse at your leisure.it’s all free if you create an account, which is also free………. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14016967 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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