Guest Steve Lee Posted 3 December , 2004 Share Posted 3 December , 2004 Hi. Can anyone positively identify the Regiment from the attached formal photo ? It is of my Gt. Grandparents, and I want to find out about his military service. I was told he was Black Watch, but the museum archivist say's no, but suggests maybe Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. Cap badge is not clear. The Nat. Arch. medal index has a Sgt. William A. MARSHALL as Royal Scots, but I cannot be sure this is the right man. If a battalion did not go abroad on active service, presumably there would not be any campaign medals at all, so nothing in medal index ? I don't yet know why he would join a Scottish Regiment, as he seems to have been a Londoner, b.1875. Can't find him in 1881 census in England or Scotland though. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger Posted 3 December , 2004 Share Posted 3 December , 2004 Steve, Royal Scots is a possibility as the Royal Scots were a non kilted regt. (apart from the 9th Battalion) . He may not be on any census returns if he was a regular soldier serving abroad. Not much help I'm afraid but hopefully others can help also. Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Godden Posted 3 December , 2004 Share Posted 3 December , 2004 Hi Steve, He looks like a Royal Scot to me. However, I would suggest he was not a regular, instead one of the Kitchener battalions. He is wearing the 14 pattern belt, which is usualy a good indicator or either territorial or Kitchener battalions. The 4th and 5th it is not, because they wore a different Glengarry and the 7th were in Gallipoli (though this one cannot be entirely ruled out, it could have been taken pre-embarkation). He could realistically be either 6th, 8th, 10th-17th battalion. But to hazard a guess I would rule out the territorials because what is visible of his shoulder title does not seem big enough. That would narrow it down to 13th-17th battalions. I suspect he was not in the 17th as that was a bantam battalion, and the 14th was a depot (training battalion) so that just leaves 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th. 15th and 16th were the Edinburgh City battalions, so that may be a clue. If you know where he came from it may help at a guess. If you give us all the information you have it would help a lot. I would be highly interested to find out what information you have as I am researching the 13th battalion. Hope this is of some help at least. With regards, Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyOfficer Posted 3 December , 2004 Share Posted 3 December , 2004 Could that possibly be an Imperial Service Badge ( I think that's what its called ) on the flap of his right breast pocket? The pocket flap could just be folded such that you can't see the top (crown) of the badge. I thought they were worn above the pocket flap but he could have worn it on the flap itself... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 3 December , 2004 Share Posted 3 December , 2004 This may be your man. He is the only William A Marshall listed with the Royal Scots. http://www.documentsonline.nationalarchive...&resultcount=31 It also seems he has a grenade badge above his stripes. Unsure of the significance of this with the Royal Scots....possibly a Battalion bomber (grenadier)? Rgds Tim D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve Lee Posted 4 December , 2004 Share Posted 4 December , 2004 Thanks all for your contributions. They are all interesting, helpful, and useful. I appreciate it. Royal Scots sounds the likely Regiment then. Are any other's a possibility ? I had wondered what the objects on the pocket flap and above the stripes might be. I have been told that he lost several fingers to a Grenade during the war. This would fit with Tim D.'s 'Grenade badge' observation. (Not self-inflicted I hope!) If true, and it happened on active service, then probably the 'Royal Scot' (& Labour Corps) in the medal index is my man. My mother & her siblings never met him or knew anything about him. The photo was recently sent to me by a previously unkown relative. Here's all I know from research: William Alfred MARSHALL - Born 1875 Islington, London. Died 1945 Chingford, London. Married 1899 Shoreditch, Lndn. Certainly civilian from 1901 -1907. Listed as 'Alfred' not 'William' in 1901 census (Lndn.), but definitely him. He would only have been 5 or 6 in 1881, but maybe his father was army at that time and they were all abroad. Parents were : Alfred William b.1849 (poss. nr. Dartford) & Laura b.1849 Honiton, Devon. Tim G.- your detail on the Royal Scots was great. I'll let you know if I learn anything new and relevant. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Godden Posted 4 December , 2004 Share Posted 4 December , 2004 It is not an Imperial Service brooch, it looks more like a watch fob. The grenade badge means that he was a qualified bomber (i.e. hand grenade thrower). All the best, Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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