I am able to assist with Coatbridge soldiers

[Pat Atkins]

Sam, that's fantastic - thanks very much indeed for the help with John Sinclair. To get a photo as well is great, much obliged.

Cheers, Pat.

[roughdiamond]

Pat
Looking a bit more at John there is a soldier according to his medal card here on Ancestry http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?MS_AdvCB=1&db=MedalRolls&rank=1&new=1&so=3&MSAV=2&msT=1&gss=ms_db&gsfn_x=XO&gsln=sinclair&gsln_x=XO&dbOnly=_F8007A65%7C_F8007A65_x&_F00061C3=queen%27s+own+royal+glasgow+yeomanry%2C+royal+Scots+fusiliers&dbOnly=_F00061C3%7C_F00061C3_x&_F00061C3_x=1&uidh=qoe who went Gallipoli with the Lanarkshire Yeomanry 11/10/15 as 656 Pte John Sinclair, later he became 295569 L/Cpl John Sinclair Royal Scots Fusiliers (RSF), finally he was commissioned as a 2/Lt Royal Field Artillery, although the Medal Card states he was Commissioned 15/09/15, it's wrong, it was 15/09/17

This is a potted history of the Lanarkshire Yeomanry from "The Long Long Trail http://www.1914-1918.net/lanark.htm you need to read about the 1/1st, you'll see they eventually combined with the Ayrshire Yeomanry to form the 12th RSF, this explains the transfer above from Lanarkshire Yeomanry to RSF noted above, I can confirm he was 12th Bn RSF because of his number, in 1917 the Army renumbered the Territorial Force with 6 digit numbers from a block, his came from the block allocated to the 12th RSF, this http://www.1914-1918.net/TF_renumbering_infantry.htm again from "The Long Long Trail" explains it, it also states it on the War and Victory medal roll, see below.

This is his medal roll for the 1914-15 Star http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?MS_AdvCB=1&db=IWOServiceMedalAwardRolls&rank=1&new=1&so=3&MSAV=2&msT=1&gss=ms_db&gsfn=john&gsfn_x=XO&gsln=sinclair&gsln_x=XO&gskw=656&gskw_x=1&uidh=qoe which gives the correct date of his Commission.

This is his medal roll for the War and Victory medals http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?MS_AdvCB=1&db=IWOServiceMedalAwardRolls&rank=1&new=1&so=3&MSAV=2&gss=ms_r_db&gsfn=john&gsfn_x=XO&gsln=sinclair&gsln_x=XO&gskw=295569+royal+scots+fusiliers&gskw_x=1&uidh=qoe it incorrectly gives his commission date as 1915 which probably explains the error on the medal card.

The reason I'm certain it should be 1917 is that the Lanarkshire Yeomanry didn't become RSF till January 1917 and the renumbering didn't occur till 1917.

Does the Gallipoli and Egypt service match with anything you know about him? do you have any contact with any of his descendants who may have his medals or know of his service to confirm this maybe him?

If you live near Airdrie, it maybe worth going to the research library there to check old newspaper archives to see if he's mentioned.

Finally this Officers records should be held at the National Archives, not sure how to locate them though, I will start a separate thread about him on the Soldiers forum to see if anyone knows more.

Sam

[Guest jmac1]

Is there any info on a Coatbridge man, James Watson and the Connaught Rangers? He survived the war. Many thanks, Jackie

[roughdiamond]

Is there any info on a Coatbridge man, James Watson and the Connaught Rangers? He survived the war. Many thanks, Jackie

There's a John Watson Connaught Rangers, no service number listed, 18 Middle Row Rosehall.

James Watson's are: -

3336 Pte 1/6th Bn HLI 9 Sunnyside Road

56706 Spr RE Military Medal 70 Academy Street

26835 L/Cpl 12th Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 3 Waverely Street

Any of them who your'e looking for?

Sam

Sam

[STEVENG]

Hi can i ask if you have any information on Pte 8575 McNulty of the H.L.I killed 21st May 1915.

steven

[Guest Teresa B]

Hello Teresa.

Pte. 8814. Charles Cannovan. 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry. Killed in action on the 8th of March 1916. Resided 206 Buchanan Street. Prior to enlistment he was employed in the British Tube Works.

L/Cpl. 769. John. Oswald. 3rd Battalion Highland Light Infantry. Killed in action 16th of May 1915. Resided 190. Bank Street.. Prior to enlistment he was employed as a ticket collector at Sunnyside Station.

Hi Rob,

Thank you so much for the photos. Apologies for my delayed reply, I'd stopped checking the site!

Charles' father was named John, I wonder if this has anything to with his name being recorded incorrectly. Thank you again for taking the time to do the look up and for posting it.

Best Wishes Teresa.

[mcassell]

Would you have any information on Charles Girvan from Old Monkland, Coatbridge? He served in the HLI, Machine Gun Corps and the Tank Corps, being finally discharged in 1933.

[roughdiamond]

Only Girvan listed is 24977 P Girvan HLI no address, MIC however has him as Edward, P is a misprint.

Sam

[Guest Treasach]

Hi Sorry I know this is a really old post but just wondered if you have any information about

Tracey, Owen, Pte, 41 Buchanan St, 20086, Blackwatch 2ND Batt

I think this may be my Grandad!

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[roughdiamond]

Hi Sorry I know this is a really old post but just wondered if you have any information about

Tracey, Owen, Pte, 41 Buchanan St, 20086, Blackwatch 2ND Batt

I think this may be my Grandad!

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Will check when I get home.

Sam

[Guest Claire Renwick]

Hello John,

I have been searching for my Grandfather for some years. He was called Ewart or possibly Edward Graham and was in the Seaforth Highlanders in the interwar years. I was told he was from Coatbridge . I wondered if he appeared in the book . His service record did not survive the Blitz unfortunately.

[roughdiamond]

He was called Ewart or possibly Edward Graham and was in the Seaforth Highlanders in the interwar years.

Hi Claire

The book only covers the War period and not "interwar", are you certain he served in the War?

There is only one Edward Graham (no Ewart) in the book, he's listed as 3216 Sapper Edward Graham Royal Engineers and has a (T) after his entry which suggests he was in the local Territorial force based in Coatbridge, I was in the same unit, in the same building till in closed in 1999.

The thing is there is no entry in the Medal Cards for anyone with this number, this isn't unusual as the book normally listed men by the unit they first served in, if they transferred to another Regiment prior to entering a theatre of War then only those details would be on the medal card.

The address listed for him is 10 Hutton Street.

You say "His service record did not survive the Blitz unfortunately", if he served after 1921 which I assume he did if he served in the interwar years then his service record will be with the MOD, you can apply for a copy here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records

Sam

[Guest Claire Renwick]

Thank you so much Sam, it's very kind of you to check

I have traced this Edward Graham on Scotland's People at this address. He would have been 16 in 1914. Would you be in the Territorials at that age? I'm going to apply to the MOD, good advice.

Best Wishes,

Claire

[roughdiamond]

Claire

Lots of men enlisted under age in 1914, he may have been found out and that's why he didn't serve in a theatre of War with the Royal Engineers.

Do you have his WW1 service number, someone in the family may have his medals.

Sam

[Guest]

Hi I am looking for information and any photos of David and Thomas Humm I know one died in a hospital in Russia and Thomas died in Basra .These soldiers are my grandmother's brothers.

Thanks

Aileen

[roughdiamond]

Aileen

Below is a photo of 9260 Sjt Thomas Humm D.C.M. 2nd Bn Black Watch and the image below that is the info on him from the book.

There is an interesting handwritten Entry on his Medal Information Card (MIC) on Ancestry here http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=MedalRolls&gss=sfs28_ms_r_db&new=1&rank=1&MS_AdvCB=1&gsfn=thomas&gsfn_x=1&gsln=humm&gsln_x=1&_F00061C3=black%20watch&_F00061C3_x=1&MSAV=-1&uidh=qoe The MIC also shows he was also 18530 Pte Thomas Humm MGC. Also interestingly there are 2 claimants for his medals both claiming to be his NOK, his Sister "Mrs J H Gillies, 17 Harvey Terrace, Lochwinnoch", the other looks like a "Mr/Mrs S. Lindsay, Groveside Cottage, Kipps, Coatbridge".

There are also 2 other MIC's for Thomas on Ancestry http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=MedalRolls&gss=sfs28_ms_r_db&new=1&rank=1&MS_AdvCB=1&gsfn=t&gsfn_x=1&gsln=humm&gsln_x=1&_F00061C3=black%20watch&_F00061C3_x=1&MSAV=-1&uidh=qoe these are for a Mention in Dispatches (MiD) and a Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) 2nd only to the Victoria Cross, announcement of these were printed in the London Gazette, this is for the MiD https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29789/supplement/10051 and this is for the D.C.M. which gives a description of the action he was awarded it for https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29824/supplement/11093

These links are from the website "The Long Long Trail" the first one is how to read the Medal Card http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/campaign-medal-records/how-to-interpret-a-campaign-medal-index-card/ the 2nd is for his campaign medals, he was entitled to the 1914 Star plus Clasp, the War and Victory Medals http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/campaign-medal-records/the-british-campaign-medals-for-the-great-war/ the 3rd gives details of Bravery awards and covers the DCM and MiD http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/records-of-gallantry-and-bravery-awards/the-british-gallantry-and-bravery-awards-of-the-great-war/

Sam

[roughdiamond]

This is 18530 Pte David Humm MGC, again photo then book info. His medal card here http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=MedalRolls&gss=sfs28_ms_r_db&new=1&rank=1&MS_AdvCB=1&gsfn=david&gsfn_x=1&gsln=humm&gsln_x=1&MSAV=-1&uidh=qoe shows he arrived in France as 18530 Pte David Humm with the Highland Light Infantry on 12th May 1915, it also shows he reached the rank of Corporal. David was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, War and Victory medals.

For more info put a post on the Soldiers sub forum but make sure you link to these posts. Any problems get back to me.

Sam

[Guest]

Sam

thank you so much for information on Thomas and David Humm its been a great help

Aileen

[mascott]

John,

Trying to trace the history of Pt James Slavin No 17182 of the Scottish Rifles and No 226561 of the Labour Corps.

Born in 1895 at 91d Stirling St or Rd New Monkland and enlisted on the 30/11/1914 and arrived in France on the 31/03/1915.

He was wounded, we believe while preparing to attack High Wood on the 17/07/1916 and transferred to the No 20 Hospital Train on the 18/07/1916 with Gun Shot Wounds both Legs.

Index No Admission 12511 Regiment: Cameronians (SR) Battalion: 1st Battalion. Other Unit Info: B Company, 33rd DIVision.

Archive Reference: MH106/696 At National Archive in Kew.

It was Barrie Duncan who told me about you and suggested that you might be able to help.

Would appreciate any history you can uncover,

Regards Michael Scott

[roughdiamond]

John,

Trying to trace the history of Pt James Slavin No 17182 of the Scottish Rifles and No 226561 of the Labour Corps.

It lists his name as Slaven not Slavin, his address given as 293 Dundyvan road and 1st Bn Scottish Rifles, no other info given, for men who survived, the unit is normally the one they joined initially and may not be the one they served overseas with. It also lists a 97700 Pte John Slaven RAF at the same address.

There's also Bernard, Francis, Hugh and another John Slaven, none of whom have the same address.

Sam

[mascott]

Sam,

Thank you for getting back to me. I have copy of the Census for 31/03/1901 (Census 1901 651/100 015/00 006) giving his address as 91d Stirling St

It gives Margret as Head of family, lists JOHN, MARY, CATHERINE,NEIL,JAMES AND ELLEN. The Ancestry site shows the Date of Birth as 1895 and residence of Old Monkland and states he was married to Margret Phee in 1921. This we know to be correct. All other family details on this list seem to be correct.

The Find My Past (1901) site offers a date of birth of 1897 and an address of 418 Dundyvan Road Old Monkland . They list John Slavin as head, Mary Slavin as Wife and show Katie, Francis, James and John.

We know that he was in the Cameronians SR's and arrived in France on the 31/03/1915. The Silver War Badge shows and entry for 3rd Battalion SR and a Labour Corps No of 226561on LC/113.

On one of the Medal Rolls he is shown as serving in the1st Battalion and this is also stated on the Hospital train. I know that there were transfers between battalions and that he may have been moved from one to another. I was just hoping that you might have had some other information that we had not seen. I am looking over initial notes from a relative and they state that he arrived in France in the 17/03/1915.

That does not tie in with the medals.

The more we look into this the more errors we are finding. As far as the surname is concerned we did have relatives who spelt their name with a E but his spelling was always Slavin.

Thank you for you efforts, if you do find any more then it would be gratefully received,

Mike Scott

[roughdiamond]

If you are looking for detail on his pre-War life you need to invest in some credits on "Scotland's People" http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ on there you will get an image of the Registry book entry for his birth, a cursory look shows a James Slavin born in 1895 and another in 1896 both in "Old Monkland" to see which is him will cost you credit.

In addition you will be able to access the family entry on and 1911 Census, a cursory look shows 2 x James Slavin's aged 14 and another aged 16 all living in Old Monkland.

Sam

[mascott]

Sam,

I received a message from Barrie Duncan telling me that injured soldiers were transferred to the 3rd battalion until such times as they recovered and were ready to returned to active duty. This battalion was based in Scotland. The extent of James Slavin's injuries were so bad that he was never able to bend his right leg and had to clean out the wound on a daily basis. I believe he was then transferred to the Labour Corps, on the 13/06/1917 an stayed there until he was discharged in October of 1917.

I have registered for scotlandspeople and have some credits and will use this to further investigate. It seems now that he was with the 1st Battalion and answers the main question and allows me to concentrate on following their history.

Thank you for your help,

Michael Scott

[mascott]

Sam,

We came across a reference to James Slavin's brother in law (Patrick Phee) who signed up for the 7th HLI, No 2764 under the surname of Black. He was posted to the Dardanelles and was killed in action and his body was never recovered or identified. He was 16.5 years old at his time of death.

I posted a photo of him in the GWF a couple of years ago.

Would you have any other information on him?

Regards,

Mike Scott

[roughdiamond]

Sam,

We came across a reference to James Slavin's brother in law (Patrick Phee) who signed up for the 7th HLI, No 2764 under the surname of Black. He was posted to the Dardanelles and was killed in action and his body was never recovered or identified. He was 16.5 years old at his time of death.

I posted a photo of him in the GWF a couple of years ago.

Would you have any other information on him?

Regards,

Mike Scott

Only that he is listed in the book under his own name, he lived in 47 Coatbank St and he worked at "British Tube Works prior to enlistment". There is a photo but it's a cropped head and shoulders copy of the one you posted on here.

There is also a CZ/5582 AB Thomas Phee Royal Naval Division listed with the same address as Patrick, Brother? Were you aware of him? AB = Able Seaman if you didn't know.

Sam