Private Campbell Munro, Royal Scots

[DoubleD]

Can anyone help me with information on this soldier, who is commemorated on the Perth Academy War Memorial.

18866, Private Campbell Munro, Royal Scots. Previously reported wounded and missing in France, officially reported killed in action, 1st July 1916. Son of the late William Munro and Catherine Munro of 1, Keir Villa, Bridgend, Perth. Buried in London Cemetery Extension, Longueval, Ref: 4. D. 28.

I am just looking for personal information, however brief it may be, to add to his entry in the school Roll of Honour.

Many thanks.

[rolt968]

In the 1901 census:

William Munro (joiner) & Catherine Munro. both 41,

children:

Annette, 11

Jane, 9

Campbell, 4

William, 2

Campbell born in Perth.

All at 1 Keir Villa, Kinnoull

(ancestry)

RM.

[rolt968]

He was in 16 Royal Scots (Macrae's battalion). It would be worth looking to see if he is mentioned in the book about the battalion.

RM

Edit:

The following are on ancestry:

service record

medal rolls index card

medal roll (BWM, Victory Medal)

register of soldier's effects

Soldiers died in the Great War entry.

He was a bank clerk and went to France on 8 January 1916, which, I think makes him an original 16 Royal Scot.

He enlisted on 4 December 1914 in Edinburgh. (More evidence that he was an original 16 Royal Scot.)

Edit 2:

He was listed as missing in the casualty list of 22 August 1916.

He was listed as killed in the casualty list of 9 March 1917.

(thegenealogist)

RM

[wibs]

Hi……….. bit of it's a repeat of some of the above stuff but I've typed it so I'm sending it!…

• When he joined 16th RSO in Dec 1914 in Edinburgh he was a Bank Clerk aged 19 years and 1 month…… date of birth indicated November 1895.

• Embarked from Southampton to France from 08 Jan 1916 to his death 01 Jul 1916.
• His medical noted him a being 5' 5", 126 lbs with a 35' chest.
• Religion stated as Presbyterian.
• Conduct sheet notes regiment as: 16th (Service) Battalion Royal Scots (2nd Edinburgh).
• Went AWOL for 24 hours from 9-30pm 11 Dec 1915, was punished with 7 days CB (confined to barracks?).
• His mother, Catherine Campbell Munro of Keir Villa Bridgend, died 10 Dec 1937.
• 1901 census shows him living at Strathmore Street, Keir Villa with parents William and Catherine, both born 1860. Also shows his siblings as Annette (b.1890), Jane (b.1892) and William (b.1899).
• This 1901 census also shows him as being 4 years old i.e. born 1897….. this is at odds with his attestation papers where in Dec 1914 he state he was 19yrs and 1m….. appears he may have lied about his age and that in fact he may have been 17 years old when he joined up

[DoubleD]

Many thanks to rolt968 and wibs. That is a great help already. I will try and get hold of the book on Macraes battalion. As a Dunfermline Athletic supporter (one of the football clubs as well as Heart of Midlothian who's players signed up for Macraes battalion) I was at a brilliant event in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh last November. Really interesting to find one of the people I am researching was in this battalion.

Thanks for the help.

Dave

[rolt968]

There is actually a little bit more. Ancestry's index leads to the middle of the record. William Munro seems still to have been alive in May 1923 to sign for his son's medals.

Only two siblings are mentioned in a form completed by William Munro in 1919: William Shepherd Munro (21) and Jean Shepherd Munro (Mrs Spinks).

RM

[clk]

Soldiers Died says he was born in Bridgend, Perthshire http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=uksoldiersgreatwar&gss=angs-d&new=1&rank=1&gsfn_x=1&gsln=munro&gsln_x=XO&_F8007A65=18866&_F8007A65_x=1&MSAV=0&uidh=rc2&pcat=UK_WWI_COLLECTIONS&fh=0&h=544483&recoff=8+61+62&ml_rpos=1

Red Cross records indicate a Miss Jean S Munro of Keir Villa, Bridgend was asking after him http://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Zoom/E/15/01/C_G1_E_15_01_0063/C_G1_E_15_01_0063_0590_0.JPG/

The CWGC records show that he was originally buried at map reference 57d.x.21.b.90.35 which is about 500m south west of Contalmaison, and is presumably nearer where he fell, than his final resting place. http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2946009/MUNRO,%20CAMPBELL

Soldiers' Effects say that money orders were paid to his father (William) and brother (William) in 1917, and his father in 1919 http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/60506/42511_6129999_0070-00328/700492?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26db%3dUKArmyRegistersEffects%26gss%3dangs-d%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dmunro%26gsln_x%3d1%26_F8007A65%3d18866%26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d0%26uidh%3drc2%26pcat%3d39%26fh%3d0%26h%3d700492%26recoff%3d4%2b68%2b69%26ml_rpos%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

Regards

Chris

[DoubleD]

Thank you to clk and rolt968 for the further information.

Dave

[DoubleD]

Many thanks again guys. As I said already, the connection to McCrae's Battalion is also of interest to me. Contalmaison, where Campbell Munro was originally buried, is where the McCrae's Battalion Trust have built a memorial Cairn. At the event I attended in the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, The members of the trust went onto the stage and joined the musicians in singing the song written in memory of the battalion. What a moment! They also have an annual pilgrimage to Contalmaison. The entire first team squad of the Hearts football team enlisted, which encouraged many others to follow suit, as well as footballers from other clubs. It was known as the Sportsmans Battalion. There is also the Hearts War Memorial opposite Haymarket Station in Edinburgh. You probably know all this already, but I thought I would post it anyway!

Thanks again for your help.

Dave