eavyumble Posted 2 November , 2014 Share Posted 2 November , 2014 Hi, all, Hoping someone will be able to help. This is the only photo I have of my grandfather in uniform. He is John Watt Cameron, born Haddington, East Lothian, in 1898. I`ve tried searching for him in military records, but nothing comes up. There is some thought with my brother that he may have been Black Watch, but the badge on the Glengarry doesn`t look right. Unfortunately the photo isn`t at a very good angle for identification purposes, but I`d be grateful for any help that members can give. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 2 November , 2014 Share Posted 2 November , 2014 welcome maybe the records don't include his middle name - you may have to trawl through them if the uniform isn't identified Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 2 November , 2014 Share Posted 2 November , 2014 Royal Scots Fusiliers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxsapper1915 Posted 2 November , 2014 Share Posted 2 November , 2014 The blank pocket version of the tunic came in 1916 I believe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 2 November , 2014 Share Posted 2 November , 2014 Hello, Welcome to the Forum. The "Simplified" Service Dress jacket came in at the end of 1914. He is wearing a pre war pattern of belt (as opposed to a 1914 Pattern leather equipment belt - see pattern of stitching, shape of tongue behind buckle and absence of brass adjusters) He is also appears to be wearing riding breeches rather than SD Trousers (suggesting a mounted role) and has tied his puttees in a fancy crossed over way but also it appears top down (again suggesting a mounted role) Sort of mixed evidence there: pre war belt plus snazzy putties might suggest a pre war soldier but by the same token, pre war belt plus simplified jacket might suggest early war scramble to equip a new recruit. I would agree with Andrew the RSF looks like it might be a good bet but I would like to see a close up of the badge it could be a Fusiliers Grenade badge but it looks a little "circular" to me which would open up several other possibilities, including kilted regiments (given his apparent mounted role) Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 2 November , 2014 Share Posted 2 November , 2014 He is very probably a Territorial. TF soldiers would often know how to tie there puttees in "fancy" crossed over style, which arose from regular first aid training (techniques for wrapping bandages), a strong feature of TF units as it was often practised on drill nights. The pre war belt with snake clasp is of old Rifle Volunteer (RV) style and again bespeaks TF, as almost all the old RV units were re-mustered after 1908 as TF units at the same locations. I agree that the cap badge has the look of RSF about it. He might well be from the transport section of his unit. That said, East Lothian was a recruiting area of the Royal Scots and the RSF recruited largely in Ayrshire. Kircudbrightshire and Wigtownshire. That's not to say that men did not serve in units outside their local area though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom A McCluskey Posted 2 November , 2014 Share Posted 2 November , 2014 Hi Eavytumble, Lowland, not Black Watch. Some vagary of the photo shot may make have resulted in the badge looking a little RSF, but he may well be RS - as the large fusilier's bomb normally takes up most of the depth of the Glengarry, and has a little more symmetry. Somewhere in this area (RSF/RS) could be a good call. Trousers look like riding breeches, so possibly in the Transport Lines of a Battalion. Hope this helps. Tom McC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eavyumble Posted 3 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 3 November , 2014 Hi, all, and what a great response. Thanks to you all. A few more thoughts............. Yesterday I trawled through some of the entries on Ancestry just for John Cameron, but I got no further, I`m afraid. Obviously, if this is early WW1, then, like many, he would have falsified his age (and who knows what else). If, however, he waited until he was of legal age, then we`re looking at 1916 at the earliest. Now, I`m new at this, but surely he would have been entitled to at leat the British War Medal and Victory Medal? I`m struggling to find him on the medal rolls. I know by 1901 the family were living in Edinburgh, so that gives a Midlothian base. From early memories I seem to remember a Camerons badge in the house (but that may be just a coincidence), and my christening gift was a bit of tranch art - a piece of shell about as big as a napkin holder with Amiens on it - but again this may not necessarily have had anything to do with him. Like the Princess Mary`s tin he had these things were once ten-a-penny. Does anyone have possibly a better site to search than Ancestry? Again, thank you all for your help, and any further help would be most welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 3 November , 2014 Share Posted 3 November , 2014 Hi, all, and what a great response. Thanks to you all. A few more thoughts............. Yesterday I trawled through some of the entries on Ancestry just for John Cameron, but I got no further, I`m afraid. Obviously, if this is early WW1, then, like many, he would have falsified his age (and who knows what else). If, however, he waited until he was of legal age, then we`re looking at 1916 at the earliest. Now, I`m new at this, but surely he would have been entitled to at leat the British War Medal and Victory Medal? I`m struggling to find him on the medal rolls. I know by 1901 the family were living in Edinburgh, so that gives a Midlothian base. From early memories I seem to remember a Camerons badge in the house (but that may be just a coincidence), and my christening gift was a bit of tranch art - a piece of shell about as big as a napkin holder with Amiens on it - but again this may not necessarily have had anything to do with him. Like the Princess Mary`s tin he had these things were once ten-a-penny. Does anyone have possibly a better site to search than Ancestry? Again, thank you all for your help, and any further help would be most welcome. He might have served at home initially and if he is indeed a Territorial (which I think he is) then he might not have been one of the volunteers for overseas (so-called 'imperial') service. The volunteers were given rectangular tablet shaped badges to wear above their right hand breast pocket. If not a volunteer (and he wears no tablet) then he would initially have been placed in one of the 'second line' units and used for static guarding of docks, railways and other key points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 6 November , 2014 Share Posted 6 November , 2014 His same "Service Dress" jacket came in at the end of 1914. He is wearing belt (as opposed to a 1914 Pattern leather equipment belt - see pattern of stitching, shape of tongue behind buckle and absence of brass adjusters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 6 November , 2014 Share Posted 6 November , 2014 His same "Service Dress" jacket came in at the end of 1914. He is wearing belt (as opposed to a 1914 Pattern leather equipment belt - see pattern of stitching, shape of tongue behind buckle and absence of brass adjusters. Yes and both would be just as commensurate for a 2nd Line Territorial as anyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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