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Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) conundrum


Cliff Lonsdale

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Can anyone with knowledge of the development of the MGC help me with a problem unraveling my grandfather's WW1 service?

Recently I was shown a photograph of Arthur William Forbes (my grandfather) as a young man in WW1 uniform, and I recognized the badge on his tunic collar as that of the Scottish Horse. He survived the war but moved to Australia in about 1920, and later died.

I have not been able to find his service record on Ancestry, but I accessed his medal index card (attached) which shows that he served in the 1/2nd Scottish Horse Yeomanry, but that he had two regimental numbers, the second of which is for the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry).

A cousin in Australia tells me the family understood he served in the Black Watch. I understand the 1st regiment 2nd Scottish Horse was dismounted and served as infantry at Gallipoli from September 1 to December 31, 1915, the survivors then being evacuated to Egypt. His regiment was then one of two that were rolled into the 1st Dismounted Brigade in February, 1916. Since this date is also when the first MGCs were formed, I thought at first that this might have been when he moved to the MGC (Cavalry).

But the Dismounted Brigade was itself dissolved in October 1916 and most of its men were transferred to the 13th (Scottish Horse Yeomanry) battalion of the Royal Highlanders – the Black Watch. Given what the family say, I think it follows that Arthur Forbes was among those who joined that outfit. The 13th served in Salonika and on the Western Front in the second part of 1918 – as infantry. Yet somehow before the war ended Arthur joined a machine gun corps with a cavalry designation.

I have looked through the list of such units, but nothing leaps out as having a connection to the 13th, or in any way to the Black Watch as far as I can see.

Can anyone with greater knowledge of the Machine Gun Corps or of records I can’t access suggest what might have happened here?

post-96678-0-27652900-1368551735_thumb.j

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Looking at the N/A MIC's there are a quite a few men with surrounding numbers who had gone from the scottish horse to the MGC so it looks like a draft of men were moved and re-numbered. There's no obvious sign from the MIC's that they had served overseas with any other unit between the scottish horse and the MGC.

Craig

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Thanks, Craig, but what are N/A MICs?

Cliff

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Ah, of course, National Archive Medal Index Cards.

Cliff

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Are you able to tell anything about when this transfer might have taken place? Or to which MGC(Cav) unit?

Cliff

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Are you able to tell anything about when this transfer might have taken place? Or to which MGC(Cav) unit?

Not readily from the cards and the problem is that most of the MGC records (even more than for the rest of the army) seem to have been destroyed in WW2. Even 1 similar man's records may help if they survive.

Craig

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http://www.scotsatwa...ottishhorse.htm

In the First World War the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Regiments of Scottish Horse were brigaded together and fought in a dismounted role in Gallipoli and Egypt. Later some men formed the Scottish Horse Battalion, 13th Battalion Black Watch, and fought in Salonika and on the Western Front while others were formed into the 26th Squadron, the Machine Gun Corps and served in Egypt.

EDIT:

The Long Long Trail suggests the 26th MC Squadron was attached to the Camel Corps but other sites seems to suggest that it was the 3rd bn that moved to the camel corps rather than 1st or 2nd Bn.

Craig

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Thanks for both of those, Steve.

Cliff.

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http://www.scotsatwa...ottishhorse.htm

EDIT:

The Long Long Trail suggests the 26th MC Squadron was attached to the Camel Corps but other sites seems to suggest that it was the 3rd bn that moved to the camel corps rather than 1st or 2nd Bn.

Craig

According to to Vol III of "A History of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in the Great War 1914-1918" in Sep 1916 the 1st and 2nd Regiments of the Scottish Horse formed the 13th Battalion The Black Watch (Scottish Horse) and the 3rd Regiment was formed into a double company and joined the Lovat's Scouts Battalion of the Cameron Highlanders.

There is no mention of the MGC in the chapter on the 13th Bn Black Watch.

MG

P.S. I suspect the MG Sections of the Scottish Horse, Lovat's Scouts etc were split from their colleagues when these new units were formed. Post Gallipoli a few of the Yeomanry Regiments were restructured ...I will dig about and see if there are any clues from the other English Yeomanry histories.

MG

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Thanks, Steve. Interesting to note that on the War and Victory roll he's listed as first being in the Scottish Horse, then MGC (Cav) and then MGC (Inf). I would think that's most likely to be because the unit was reclassified rather than that he (and the others) moved to yet another unit. I thi k you've helped me get on the right trail...

Cliff.

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P.S. I suspect the MG Sections of the Scottish Horse, Lovat's Scouts etc were split from their colleagues when these new units were formed. Post Gallipoli a few of the Yeomanry Regiments were restructured ...I will dig about and see if there are any clues from the other English Yeomanry histories.

MG

Hello all

I think that Martin G is right. At the beginning of the war each cavalry regiment, including yeomanry, had a two-gun machine gun section, but these were withdrawn during 1915 and amalgamated to form brigade MG Squadrons, which were part of the MGC (Cavalry). The sqadron Arthur Forbes joined would have been that in the Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade. I don't know if the change from MGC (Cav) to MGC (Inf) was related to the conversion of many mounted brigades in Egypt into dismounted brigades but I suspect that it was. The possibility that he moved to another MG unit - an MG company with an infantry brigade, or a divisional MG battalion - cannot be ruled out, and this may have come about in 1917 when 74th Division was formed from dismounted yeomanry units.

The medal index card does not mention the Black Watch, nor do the actual medal rolls, so he apparently did not serve overseas with that regiment during the war.

Ron

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The medal index card does not mention the Black Watch, nor do the actual medal rolls, so he apparently did not serve overseas with that regiment during the war.

Ron

Which implies that he did not serve with the Black Watch as the 13th Bn was formed overseas. I think it unlikely he went back to the UK serving in another Black Watch unit, then was posted back out to an MG Squadron.....the Yeomanry-to-infantry-to-MGC (Cavalry) whilst possible, seems unlikely... At risk of me stating (repeating?) the obvious, the information on the MIC would of course significantly reinforce the idea that he was in the MG Section of the Scottish Horse and went straight to the MG Squadron.

Edit: one possible explanation for the Black Watch featuring in the family version of his history is that the MG Section might have moved with the others to the 13th Bn Black Watch (Scottish Horse) and before the paperwork could be completed, the MG Section was splintered off. They may have had a very brief period with them which the administrators did not acknowledge as they would have departed with all their Service Records.

Edit 2: It would be interesting to see if any Service Records of other Scottish Horsemen who later served in the MGC (Cavalry) record any time in the Black Watch. Post #9 seems to indicate all those shown in the small example followed the Yeomanry-MGC Cavalry-MGC Infantry route

Martin G

P.S. I think the Yeomanry in Egypt were the first to be restructured - presumably because the benefits of massed MGs were (post 1915) understood and the terrain in Egypt and Palestine afforded greater mobility - hence the mounted MG Squadrons.....The Yeomanry that went to Salonika initially retained their MG Sections. The point is that the restructuring was not universal.....i am not sure what happened in France and Flanders....I will do a bit of digging. MG

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I am away from files and data and have not checked them long since anyway, but recall when trying to narrow down the routes of machine gun sections to Companies or Squadrons or Batteries it was not always 100% clear cut. The MGC© squadrons could be, let's say, challenging and the Scottish Horse's machine gunners were the hardest of all whch we never resolved completely satisfactorily. There ws a terse correspondence with someone overseas who was determined that he had found them in the Middle East but we did not agree with the sources.

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Well I feel better at least knowing that wiser heads than mine find this less than straightforward. We know that Arthur was very proud of his Scottish lineage, although he grew up in Gateshead. And that he was fond of horses, probably from experience underground (coal mining) from an early age. And he was definitely with the Scottish Horse at Gallipoli. It's not clear whether he was a machine gunner at that point, but the SH fought there as infantry (dismounted). I am inclined to believe the Australian relative who says she remembers him talking about being with the Black Watch to the point of thinking that was the outfit he had been with all along - and so being puzzled

by the unifirm in his picture, probably taken at the start of the war. I doubt he would have left that impression if his service with the 13th was fleeting. I will check, though, with relatives to see if he ever mentioned being in Palestine or anywhere else in the Middle East other than Egypt.

Thanks to all for helping to sort this.

Cliff

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The lineage of 26 Squadron MGC (Cavalry) has always been a little obscure. My understanding has always been that the MG Sections of the three Scottish Horse regiments were formed into the Imperial Camel Corps Machine Gun Company in October 1916. Men were transferred to MGC (Infantry) and re-numbered in the range 559-- to 560--. About 10 of these men subsequently transferred to MGC (Motors) for service with No. 7 Light Car Patrol. The ICC Company was re-designated 265 Company sometime in late 1917. In April 1918, part of the 1/3 Scottish Horse plus volunteers from 1/1 and 1/2 Scottish Horse plus 265 Company were amalgamated and formed 26 Squadron, MGC (Cavalry) and men from both units were re-numbered in the 13085- to 1309-- range. I cannot account for the BWM/VM roll having the 1308-- numbers as MGC (Infantry). Some examples of the number changes include:

Sergeant Duncan Mackenzie MM: 2379 1/3 Scottish Horse; 56033 MGC (Infantry); 130932 MGC (Cavalry)

Corpral Otto Dietrich DCM: 4644 1/1 Scottish Horse; 56049 MGC (Infantry); 56049 MGC (Motors)

Private David Wilson: 4364 1/1 Scottish Horse; 130974 MGC (Cavalry)

This information was gleaned from Brigade war Diaries and some other fragments but as Staffsyeoman notes, definitive sources are lacking. I have yet to identify a surviving service record for a Scottish Horse - MGC transferee that would confirm and date transfers but maybe one is out there......

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....... In April 1918, part of the 1/3 Scottish Horse plus volunteers from 1/1 and 1/2 Scottish Horse plus 265 Company were amalgamated and formed 26 Squadron, MGC (Cavalry) and men from both units were re-numbered in the 13085- to 1309-- range. ....

This theory is at odds with the history of the Black Watch in the Great War vol III. Page 293 which opens the history of the 13th Bn claims that the 1st and 2nd Scottish Horse were merged to form the nucleus of the 13th Bn (my words) on 29th Sep 1916. This implies that from this date these two units ceased to exist in reality. ...... by extension this means that in April 1918 there could be no "volunteers from 1/1 Scottish Horse and 1/2 Scottish Horse ....." as these units did not exist other than on paper.

The history of the Black Watch could be wrong of course but it seems likely that it was formed when the author claimed it was. Perhaps you mean the Scottish Horse men who were serving with the ICC, who would by then be volunteers from the ICC rather than from the then non-existent 1/1st Scottish Horse and the 1/2nd Scottish Horse......

As an aside it is a small curiosity that the 13th Bn Black Watch was regarded as a New Army battalion while the Scottish Horse were from a Territorial Force formation. Vol III of the history of the Black Watch is dedicated to the New Army. For the TF Scottish Horse they suffered two humiliations - being converted from Yeomanry to Infantry and secondly being categorised as non TF.

A search on Ancestry can not produce anybody with the required Army number sequences to support this theory.

The "Soldiers Died in the Great War; Household Cav .....including the Imperial Camel Corps" has all the men who were killed or died with five-digit numbers starting with 50xxxx. Would ICC MG men have MGC numbers or ICC numbers I wonder.

MG

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Yes, you do have a point about all the Scottish Horse regiments no longer being in existence in 1918- and I can't find the original reference to the 'volunteers' in my notes. Certainly, men from both 1/1 and 1/2 joined 26 Squadron, at least as noted on MIC cards and extant medals. Brigadier James' British Regiments 1914-18 notes 1/3 Scottish Horse as forming 26 Squadron in October 1916 - surely a mistake for ICC Company/265 Company - with a "Company" going to the Lovat's Scouts and then 10 Cameron Highlanders. It is curious that many of the MICs for 26 Squadron men only have the 1308-- or 1309-- MGC (Cavalry) numbers recorded but not the earlier 560-- MGC (Infantry) numbers. One possibility is that the MG sections of the three Scottish Horse regiments plus a portion of 1/3 formed 265 Company in October 1916, all re-numbering as MGC (Infantry), and then later re-numbering as MGC (Cavalry) with, in many cases, the earlier number not being recorded.

I admit this is all conjecture - until a service record shows up recording the changes. I have only found the Pension record of 130887 Private William Greig, late 1/2 Scottish Horse, which does not include his subsequent transfer to the MGC.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks to you all for your work on this. I can now add a further piece to the puzzle - though I don't know that it will necessarily be helpful. Arthur Forbes served again in the Second World War, this time in the Australian forces. I have been able to access his personnel file from that time in the National Archives in Canberra. In it there's a document on which he is asked to list previous military experience. For "unit" he states Scottish Horse, but then oddly beside it he has two entries: Pvt. 4 years and Pvt 2 and a half years. That seems to suggest to me that, in his mind at least, he was still with the Scottish Horse after the reorganization in Egypt. I will post the document below. Any thoughts?

Cliff

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In case you are wondering, Arthur knocked five years off his age when he enlisted for the second round in June 1940, giving his birth year as 1891. However the correct year of 1886 is noted elsewhere in the file. He served until 1948 - mostly guarding and returning prisoners of war.

Cliff

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If anyone is interested in an account of MGC Cavalry, you might take a look at "Machine Gun Squadron: The 20th Machine Gunners from British Yeomanry Regiments in the Middle East Campaign of the First World War" by A M G. This unit was based on a nucleus of men from the MG Sections of the South Notts Hussars and the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, although it is worth noting that most of the men from these units had no MG qualifications. Of the initial 120 men, only 30 were qualified gunners according to the intro.

It gives a good idea of the process of transition from MG Section Yeoman or just plain Yeoman to MGC Cavalry.

MG.

Edit. It was originally published as "Through Palestine with the Twentieth Machine Gun Squadron

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Mate,

He is listed as one of a number (147) of Scottish horse soldiers used to form the 26 MG Sqn (as mentioned by Gunner Parr) for the Camel Corps Bde.

The men I list are,

Alexander Donald 55974 Pte 26 MG Sqn Ex 1/3 Scottish Horse (4104) and MGC (209 MG Co) deid pheumonia buried Cairo War Memorial Cemetery DoD 12-1-18

Allen Harry J. 120594 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (2177) and MGC

Ames William 130855 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3309) and MGC

Anderson Thomas 130856 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4420) and MGC

Armstrong William 55975 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3296) and MGC

Armstrong William 55975 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3296) and MGC

Baird Alexander 56012 Pte 26 MG Sqn? to Cpl Ex Scottish Horse (5089) and MGC

Baird David 56011 A/Sgt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (6872) and MGC

Bayne Reginald 100012 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (920) and MGC

Bell Frederick 56013 Pte 26 MG Sqn? to A/Cpl Ex Scottish Horse (5483) and MGC

Bell Matthew 79062 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4865) and MGC

Boa John 47395 Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5005) and MGC

Brand Robert 56046 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5035) and MGC prom 2/Lt Royal Engineers

Brown George 56045 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (190) and MGC

Bryce George 55977 Sgt 26 MG Sqn? Ex L/Cpl Scottish Horse (1754) and MGC

Cadenhead William George 56014 Pte 26 MG Sqn Ex 1/3 Scottish Horse (2392) and MGC WIA 28-3-17

Campbell Thomas 139075 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex 1/2 Scottish Horse (5255) and MGC to Royal Highlanders (315587)

Chetwood William 130860 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (310) and MGC

Clement Walter Albert Lt 26 MG Sqn? Ex A/Sgt Scottish Horse (7005) (152099) and MGC

Cockburn Thomas 55979 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3889) and MGC

Corson James D 50443 Pte 26 MG Sqn Ex 1/1st Ayrshire Yeo (1761) to 211 MG Co MGC buried Port Said War Cemetery Egypt DoW 18-12-17

Coutts John D. 13086? Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5304) and MGC prom 2/Lt

Cowden Robert 130862 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4453) and MGC

Cramb Thomas W. 47998 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1844) and MGC

Crombie George 56016 A/Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5596) and MGC

Currie John Jardine 56017 Pte 26 MG Sqn (265 MG Co) Ex Scottish Horse (5137) and MGC buried Ramleh War Cmetery Palestine KIA 1-12-17

Dandie David 130866 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4592) and MGC

Dews Benjamin 47405 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1663) and MGC

Dickson Hugh 165194 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4303) and MGC

Dietrich Otta A. 56049 A/Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (596) and MGC

Donaldson JH. 130864 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3308) and MGC to Military Mounted Police (P/17644)

Donaldson Peter 56048 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (536) and MGC

Douglas Robert 47397 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5039) and MGC

Dow Robert 56047 Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (25) and MGC prom 2/Lt Tank Corps

Edington James AY. 55983 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5670) and MGC

Ewing Peter 56018 A/Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5687) and MGC

Faulds Frederick 55985 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4703) and MGC

Ferrier Arthur Kennedy 56019 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (6072) and MGC prom 2/Lt

Ferrier Charles Mc Donald 130874 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex 1/1 Scottish Horse (3515) and MGC

Fidler Luke 130875 Sgt 26 MG Sqn? Ex 1/1 Scottish Horse (4504) and MGC

Findlay George T. 130876 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5301) and MGC

Fleming David Hood Philip Lt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3029) and MGC WIA 27-11-17

Foote Alexander 130877 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3670) and MGC

Forbes Arthur W. 130878 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5549) and MGC

Fotheringham David 55984 CQMS 26 MG Sqn? Ex Sgt Scottish Horse (267) and MGC

Fraser John 130879 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex 1/1 Scottish Horse (1757) and MGC

Gebbie Frank 130882 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1289) and MGC

Glass James K. 56586 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (552) and MGC prom 2/Lt

Glass JR 56586 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (552) and MGC

Glendinning Matthew M. 130884 L/Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex 1/1 Scottish Horse (5740) and MGC

Gordon Alexander P. 47406 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1222) and MGC

Gordon William McAdam 50447 Pte 26 MG Sqn (265MG Co) Ex 1/1st Ayrshire Yeo (2138) buried Ramleh War Cmetery Palestine KIA 27-11-17

Gough Daniel 130885 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex 1/1 Scottish Horse 4490) and MGC

Graham James 130886 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex 1/2 Scottish Horse (2049) and MGC

Grant John 141192 L/Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (6619) and MGC

Greig William J. 130887 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex 1/2 Scottish Horse (4808) and MGC

Grieve David S. 130890 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5824) and MGC

Guthrie Matthew 130891 L/Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex 1/1 Scottish Horse (4658) and MGC

Haliburton Ralph 130892 L/Cpl 26 MG Sqn MID Ex 1/1 Scottish Horse (5009) and MGC (56053) prom 2/Lt

Harper Archibald M. 130894 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4204) and MGC

Harris James S. 130893 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5025) and MGC

Hawthorn Andrew 165256 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4308) and MGC to Bucks Yeo (150341)

Henderson Albert 130896 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4271) and MGC

Hendry George 141187 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5218) and MGC to Royal Highlanders (268307)

Hogg William S. 56585 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1093) and MGC

Howie Arthur A. 130902 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5467) and MGC

Hudson John H. 13090 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1323) and MGC

Hunter George Arnold Lt 26 MG Sqn (265 MG Co) Ex Scotish Horse buried Port Said War Cemetery Egypt DoD 3-8-17

Ingles Walter 130905 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (709) and MGC

Johnston William 50449 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex 1/1st Ayrshire Yeo (2137) and Dragoons (D/34766) to MGC

Kennedy David 56055 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1041) and MGC

Kerr Alan G. 56056 Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (494) and MGC prom 2/Lt Scottish Rifles

Kidd George 130910 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5325) and MGC

Killen William 130911 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4775) and MGC

Langlands George M. 130913 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4708) and MGC

Laurie William 169483 S/Smith 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (716) and MGC

Leadbetter James G Capt 26 MG Sqn MC - for his actions at Amman 27-3-18 Ex Lanark Yeo

Leckie Robert Wright Lt 26 MG Sqn? to Capt Ex Scottish Horse and MGC

Ledingham Charles 130914 L/Sgt 26 MG Sqn DCM Ex Scottish Horse (6347) to MGC

Ledingham Percy G. 47399 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5026) and MGC

Lidbury Walter Herbert John 4403 Pte 9Co? reported 26 MG Sqn? Ex 1/1 County of London Yeo to MGC Cavalry (110751)

Linay Percy H. 56059 CSM 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (427) and MGC

Lipp William B. 130916 L/Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (2194) and MGC

Lobban John 130918 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4404) and MGC

Locke Matthew Backwood 56058 Pte 26 MG Sqn? prom 2/Lt Ex Scottish Horse (835) and MGC

MacKay Duncan 130926 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (2500) and MGC

MacKay Peter A. 130930 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4212) and MGC

Martin Harry 130922 L/Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3263) and MGC

McGregor James W. 130925 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5051) and MGC

McIntosh James 130927 Sgt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5388) and MGC

McIntyre James 56061 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (6869) and MGC

McKay James S. 56001 Sgt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3678) and MGC

McKellar John 163712 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5111) and MGC

McKenzie Alexander 130931 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3227) and MGC

McKenzie Duncan 130932 Sgt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (2379) and MGC

McKenzie William HP. Lt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse and MGC

McLean John 130933 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5690) and MGC

McPhail John Alexander Lt 26 MG Sqn? to Capt Ex Scottish Horse (2099) and MGC

McPherson Ian James 130934 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4272) and MGC

Meiklejohn George L. 56063 Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (490) and MGC

Menzies Alexander 130935 L/Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3264) and MGC

Millar Gordon Logan Maj 26 MG Sqn? Ex Lt Scottish Horse and MGC

Miller Noel WJ. 130936 SQMS 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (2370) and MGC

Mitchell Robert G. 17385 Sgt 26 MG Sqn? Ex L/Cpl Scottish Horse (2023) and MGC

Mollison Charles 130937 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4096) and MGC

Morris James 56003 L/Cpl 26 MG Sqn? to Sgt Ex Scottish Horse (3959) and MGC

Morrison Francis B. 56056 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1366) and MGC

Munro Ion Smeaton A/Capt 26 MG Sqn? Ex 2/Lt Scottish Horse and MGC

Munro Walter 189008 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4036) and MGC to Hampshire Yeo (152126)

Murray Allan 47407 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1741) and MGC

Murray George A. 55997 Sgt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Sgt Scottish Horse (5714) and MGC

Murray John Stewart 130938 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3521) and MGC

Ogilvie Albert W. 56067 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (774) and MGC

Parker DR Pte 26 MG Sqn Ex 1/3 Scottish Horse PoW PoW

Paterson William 56038 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4933) and MGC

Pearson John Henry 130945 Pte 26 MG Sqn Ex Lanark Yeo (2245) and MGC buried Damascus War Cemetery Syria KIA 27-3-18

Pettigrew Robert 130946 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5200) and MGC

Plye Henry Dixon 47403 Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (2030) and MGC prom 2/Lt RFA

Porter Charles 56040 Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5101) and MGC

Prentice Alexander C. 130949 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4280) and MGC

Raine ED A/Capt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (151) prom 2/Lt and MGC

Reilly James 13095 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (851) and MGC

Robertson John 34171 Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (2761) and MGC

Robertson Thomas 110930 Far/Sgt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (6001) and MGC to Royal Highlanders (276629)

Rogerson William H. 47408 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1765) and MGC

Rosie William 56068 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1016) and MGC prom 2/Lt West Riding Regt

Ross James 162929 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4196) and MGC

Sangster John 47402 Sgt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1387) and MGC

Scott John S. 56041 Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4806) and MGC

Scott William 56008 Pte 26 MG Sqn? to Cpl Ex Scottish Horse (5370) and MGC

Sims George L. 130957 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1609) and MGC

Sinclair William B. 130958 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (409) and MGC

Smith Herbert Frederick 72577 Sgt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (441) and MGC prom 2/Lt Labour Corps

Steel John H. 47409 Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (2009) and MGC

Stoddart Robert 130806 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1188) and MGC

Sutherland James 130964 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (3244) and MGC

Taylor Charles 56071 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (887) and MGC

Terrace Robert 130967 Cpl 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5201) and MGC

Thomson David F 130969 Pte 26 MG Sqn Ex Scottish Horse (4941) and MGC (6090) DoI 23-7-18

Walker James 130970 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (4392) and MGC

Wallace John B. 130971 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1153) and MGC

Wattie James Lt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Cpl Scottish Horse (2091) (1521) and MGC

Weir Francis B. 130973 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (757) and MGC

White Andrew 74511 Sgt 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5167) and MGC to Royal Highlanders (316864)

Whitson Frank 47404 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (1566) and MGC

Wills George O. 47401 Pte 26 MG Sqn? Ex Scottish Horse (5026) and MGC

Wilson David M. 130974 Pte 26 MG Sqn? (7Co) Ex Scottish Horse (4363) and MGC

Its actions under Capt Leadbetter at battles like Bald Hill and Amman are recorded by the ICC Bde.

Cheers

S.B

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Interesting list - can I ask where it came from? I notice from their MICs that quite a few (e.g. Cowden, Chetwood and Dandie) are ex-1/1 Scottish Horse rather than 1/3. Also, many of the 1308__ and 1309__ numbers missing from the sequence are ex-Lanark (e.g. 130939 William Neil, 130942 Thomas Nelson) or ex-Ayr (e.g. 130940 Thomas Neill, 130859 Jonathon Bowie) Yeomanry. So clearly, not all of 26 Squadron were from the Scottish Horse.

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I have just returned from abroad and am now reunited with my library... One snippet from the History of the Black Watch Vol III page 294...

"It should be specially noted that when the Scottish Horse became affiliated to The Black Watch, permission was given them to retain their uniform, badges etc, and throughout their connection with the Regiment - except for correspondence and records - they were always known as the Scottish Horse Battalion"

Separately, in Appendix III on page 307 'Casualties - Officers' mentions a Lt G A Hunter who also served in the MGC having died on 3rd Aug 1917. The CWGC only records him as being in the Scottish Horse, "att 265th Coy, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)" no mention of the 13th Bn The Black Watch.

Appendix I has a long list of all officers who served with the 13th Bn The Black Watch with details of where they were posted to if they subsequently left the Bn...none mention being posted to the MGC (including Lt G A Hunter). Spot checking the MiCs of the Officers who 'joined the [13th] battalion when formed' reveals that the majority do not have any reference to the Black Watch on their MiCs.

MG

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