The Black Watch

[nilved]

My Great Uncle Martin Devlin enlisted in The Back Watch (Royal Highlanders) at Falkirk, Stirlingshire on the 27th October 1914. He was discharged as "no longer physically fit for war" at Perth on the 12th May 1916 having been wounded in France. His Service No. was 10416, Rank - Private. See attached certificate. Is there any way of obtaining any further information on him?

[nilved]

Further to my first post, a picture of Martin Devlin, The Black Watch, Service No. 10416.

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Here is his medal index card reference:

http://www.documentsonline.nationalarchive...1&resultcount=3

As you can see the translation of the number was not completed.

Interesting the cap badge in the photograph looks like the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders - maybe a regt he served before transferring to the Black Watch?

Ian

[FredJCarss]

Hi Nilved

Martin's name was published in the Official Wounded Lists in "The Scotsman" newspaper on 15.2.1916. The list was compiled over various dates.

Hope this is of help.

If you have his actual medals could you check his prefix ? I have him as SRA 10416 (which I beleive is Special Reserve Army) not S/10416.

Fred

[Derek Robertson]

Fred,

Were the black Watch service numbers allocated on enlistment or where the men allocated to specific battalions first and then alloted numbers there?

i.e is it possible to tell the battalion of a Black Watch soldier by his service number?

[nilved]

Fred,

Where can I get a copy of the Scotsman listing you mention?

I do not have Martin's medals. He emigrated to America, arriving at Ellis Island on 2nd October 1917. He died in California on 21 September 1970 at the right old age of 79 years and 4 days (b 17 September 1891 in Blantyre, Lanarkshire).

Regarding his service no., I have taken that from his discharge certificate posted above.

Jim Devlin

[FredJCarss]

Jim

I live on the other sid of the River Clyde from Blantyre, small world eh?

The Scotsman newspaper is held in most major reference libraries in Scotland, eg The Mitchell in Glasgow, St.Andrews University Library and the National Library of Scotland. I will check to see if I still have a photocopy of it but its most unlightly.

He was not subsequently published in the lists saying which hopital he went to.

Service numbers were a grey area, nos. 1-1000 were repeated in each battalion so you can have a few people with the same number Higher numbers came in when it was decided to sort this out. Some were re-numbered with new 6 digit numbers which were in blocks tto each battalion although with wounding and later posting to other battalions this cannot be relied upon.

Fred