Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Merchiston School Roll of Honour


8055Bell

Recommended Posts

Hi All,

I've identified 10 officers that attended Merchiston School, Edinburgh or taught their before joining the Manchester Pals Battalions.

I can't find any explanation why a large group joined English battalions, or Manchester in particular, other than them following each other through their mutual school OTC links.

If anybody has any ideas, it would be good to hear. Equally, if anyone has access to the role of honour, I'd like to know all pupils or Masters that served with the Manchesters and any additional background on these men. If you have an electonic copy you would like to send, please PM me and I will send my email address. Any other source data would be appreciated.

The specific interest concerns 17th Manchesters, but the full picture would be great.

Fingers Crossed.

Tim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Merchiston School is a private school in Edinburgh (what in England is called a public school). It could easily be that those individuals came from Manchester. Can you post the names?

Roxy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Roxy,

Have a look at this thread for more links with the Manchester Regiment, including all the names. http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=189142&hl=merchiston#entry1845493

If you have any other details on these men, or others that joined the Manchesters, we'd love to hear.

TIm

Photos and a transcription of the Merchiston Castle School WW1 Memorial in Edinburgh are at The Scottish War Memorials Project at http://warmemscot.s4...ftopic3789.html

Ken

Thanks Ken,

I've been searching for this for ages.

Tim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tim

Apologies - but I had not spotted your thread when you originally posted. The "custodian" of the Great War infomation at the school is the chaplian, Nick Blair. He was very helpful with information about the 17th Battalion folk who had a connection with the School. He couldnt identify a reason why so many ended up with the Manchesters, but reckoned Elstob was probably the driving force. To the best of my knowledge, Elstob didnt have any particular connection with Manchester, although he was a North Cheshire man (although not by birth). However, his great mate in the 16th was Worthington, who although also living in North Cheshire, was part of a very prominent Manchester family. By the by, it can be argued with reasonable confidence that Elstob's VC can be much attributed to the lobbying initiated by Worthington.

I'm sure Nick would appreciate any new information that you discover.

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi John,

I hope to pull something together for Nick Blair on the 10 men we've identified. At the moment, I don't feel I've covered all the ground there is, but maybe I have....

Tim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...