why enlisted in K.O.S.B?

[chorlton76]

Hi all.

I'm trying to research my great uncle pte Richard Chorlton 12746.

he was K.I.A seving with the 6th btn Kings Own Scottish Borderers on 25th september 1915 in the battle of Loos.

Richard was born and bred in manchester England and the family had no ties with Scotland so i was wondering how he came to serve with the k.o.s.b?

would he have done this through choice (maybe wanted to stick close to friends) or would he have been placed with them wether he liked it or not.

Also i feel his service records may have been part of the burnt collection as i can only find his medal card. is there anyway to know for sure?

I would be grateful for any help or advice to research him further .many thanks, Mark

[Chris_Baker]

There were several men numbered near to him, all in the battalion and all from the Manchester / Lancashire area. They enlisted on or about 24 August 1914 in Manchester and district and went straight into the 6th KOSB. It was their choice, although it seems likely that they had been in some way influenced by the recruiters at that time.

[chorlton76]

Hi Chris, thanks for the reply. It is comforting to know he wasn't on his own and had others from local area with him. i wonder what the recruiters said or had promised them. he would have been 16 or 17 when he enlisted and i know from the 1911 census he was working on the railway as a carters lad prior to the war. best-regards, mark

[eltoro1960]

A large number of men from the Manchester area, particulary those with Scottish connections were 'head hunted' not long after the war broke out. Many joined up with the promise of forming the Manchester Scottish, this never materialised and became the 15th Royal Scots, other men such as Richard went into the KOSB.

Most of the lowland Scottish regiments were casting the net far and wide to lure potential recruits.

I have a Company roll for the 15th RS and every other man is from the Manchester / rest of Lancashire area.

John

[chorlton76]

Thanks John, thats very intresting. Richards mother (my great grandmothers) maiden name was Bryant and as a child i remember my grandfather telling me her parents were Irish but maybe there was also a scottish conection there somewhere. i think possibly Richard has a couple of brothers that also served and survived the war. my grandfather was only 5 when WW1 broke out but told me how he rememberd the day Richard left for war. My grandfather Thomas later went on to serve with the royal argyll sutherland highlanders in WW2. another scottish regiment.