Highland Light Infantry enlistment - November 1915

[AlanCrax]

I'm trying to unravel the war record of Frederick Nessworthy (b Oct 1880). I have his medal card and war pension record but need to clarify his timeline. He was born and lived in North Shields.

His medal card indicates he enlisted High L.I. Pte 22811 on November 26th 1915. He was then transferred to the R.A.O.C. where he became a lance corporal. He had a checkered medical history when in France.

I know that his sister moved to Aberdeen before the outbreak of the war and his mother died there in February 1917 - could that be an indication of the H.L.I connection? Could he have acquired his stripe before or after his transfer?

Many thanks Alan

[sotonmate]

The date on the medal card is the date into war theatre,so it looks like 10 HLI from his arrival. LLT shows that they were with South African Brigade of 9 Division at that time. In May 1916 10 HLI moved to 46 Brigade of 15 Division. Still fighting in the trenches in Jul 1916 as his medical papers say he was buried there,presumably a shell caused a collapse in a trench wall or a dugout,maybe linked to the other entry for the same time showing GSW but with no penetration. 9 August to 4 Stationary Hospital with ruptured liver,may also been an effect of July ? Mar 1917 another gun shot wound so probably still at the front with HLI. No ref to joining AOC but does refer to him being a L/Cpl,as does the MIC,it shows him a Private when he became entitled to his war medals (on first landing) plus as a Lance Corporal in that unit,then a L/Cpl in the AOC.

[AlanCrax]

Many thanks -

Would this sequence of events suggest that he enlisted in Scotland? Where was / were the Highland LI main recruiting ground(s)? His cousins (and there were many of them!!) who enlisted usually ended up in either the D.L.I (with some transferring to the KO Yorks LI) or the Northumberland Fusiliers.

His family life outside any war service was 'interesting'!

Cheers Alan