RB Snodgrass (Kings Own Scottish Borderers)

[petet]

My field of research is normally WWII RAF but I have been asked if I can find information on a WWI Army private, Robert Buchanan Snodgrass.

I have found his service number from his medal card at the National Archives (202827) but wondered how to identify the Battalions he was with whilst serving with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers so that I can obtain the relevant war diary(ies).

Can anyone provide any pointers, or, even better, has anyone got any information on him

All help gratefully received (as I am a fish out of water on this one)

Regards

Pete

[petet]

After further research I have found his medal roll which states that he was with the 1st Battalion KOSB and then the 6th Battalion. Without his service record, how can I find out when he transferred from 1st to the 6th Battalion and, more importantly, when he mobilised to France? (The medal roll does not show from / to dates for theatre of war)

Any help would really be appreciated as I am struggling here but would like to help the family find answers if I can.

Regards

Pete

Edited 29 July , 2014 by petet

[kenmorrison]

Hi Pete, you really need a KOSB expert (like Stuart aka "PPCLI" ) but the service number 202827 is a 6th Bn number. The nearest casualty I can see is 202814 Robert Hinds of "C" company, killed on 30 September 1918.

There is only one birth in Scotland and that is in 1898 in Anderston, Glasgow - so I'm guessing he would have been a "late" entrant to the war, perhaps initially allocated to the 1st Bn but posted to the 6th in France.

[petet]

Thanks for the response.

The date of birth is correct for RB Snodgrass. The family story suggests that he lied about his age and was over in France in 1915 (when he was 17) returning to the UK when he was injured. They are keen to know if the story is true. It is therefore key that I find some kind of service or mobilisation dates for him for 1st Battalion and/or 6th Battalion and the dates / location for his training.

I am not sure if the evidence I have such as only having a 6 digit number, no mobilisation dates on medal card / roll help confirm that the story is unlikely, but as you say, I need serious help with this from someone in the know!

Regards (and thanks again for your feedback; much appreciated)

Pete

[kenmorrison]

Pete - see http://www.1914-1918.net/kosb.htm

1st Bn returned from India and then were turned around to Gallipoli, landing in April 1915.

They did not see service in France until March 1916.

6th Bn. as part of 9th Scottish Division, landed in France in May 1915 and were badly mauled at Loos in the September.

This might account for Robert's wounding (and fits with the family history).

Is it possible he served with the 6th and then with the 1st after he recovered from his injuries?????

Ken

[petet]

Ken

I am going by the information on his medal roll which reads:

1st.KOSB.202827.Pte

6th. '' '' ''

I am assuming that the order they are shown in has some relevance, but, once again ..... this is way outside my normal research area, so any help or advice you can provide would be brilliant.

Regards (and thanks for your time and effort on this)

Pete

[petet]

One last throw of the dice on this one.

Firstly, was there a specific training reserve utilised by the KOSB?

Secondly, would mobilisation be limited to a whole reserve battalion or would individuals (having completed training) be mobilised to join a battalion overseas?

Finally, I have run out of research avenues having followed all the advice on "how to find a soldier" .... any other thoughts on how I may find when he was with 1st Battalion and / or 6th Battalion?

Regards

Pete

[tullybrone]

Hi,

I'm no KOSB expert and make the following comments based on the MIC and other information quoted above -

1 Does his Medal Index Card show an entitlement to The 1914/15 Star? If so it should show a date of arrival in a Theatre of War - information drawn from the actual Medal Roll.

2. If it is a negative answer to 1 above it is likely

that he went abroad after 1st January 1916 and is only entitled to BWM & VM. No date of arrival

Is usually shown on those medal rolls.

3. From the info you a quote he first served abroad with 1st KOSB and if there is no 1914/15 Star entitlement it is likely he arrived with them after they arrived in France in 1916. He was subsequently transferred to. 6th KOSB.

4. Your way forward is to search FMP and Ancestry service records and Silver War Badge records for numbers around Snodgrass to identify an enlistment date and Battalion movements of soldiers who would have been his contemporaries.

In the absence of his service record all you can do is follow the clues and make an "educated" assumption from his contemporaries files.

Good Luck

Steve Y

[petet]

Steve

Thanks for the response; his medal roll does not include the 1914/1915 Star and there are no movement dates shown.

Can I just confirm that he would not have been sent to the front line until he was 19 (although he was required to register for military service when he was 18) ... is this correct? Obviously if he lied about his age then he could have volunteered, but I still can't work out how he would have been in France in 1915 at the age of 17 (as all clues suggest otherwise)

I will follow up your suggestion at looking at contemporary regimental numbers; his medal roll page does have a few similar regimental numbers, with some showing 1st and 6th Battalion, so I will see if I can find anything relating to those first.

I don't like to "give up", so any other suggestions would be welcome .... and if there are any KOSB experts looking in I would love to hear your thoughts.

Regards

Pete