John Boyd 2nd Cameron Highlanders s/15847 "C" Co.

[Carnkie]

  The Glasgow Herald, Tuesday, 1st June, 1915. 
"CASUALTIES. Rank and File. AYRSHIRE. 
Private John Boyd, 2nd Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, only son of Mr. William J. Boyd, clothier, 33 Portland Street, Kilmarnock, was killed in action on May 8. He was engaged ascertaining the position of a sniper when he was shot through the head and instantly killed. Boyd was 22 years of age, and joined the Cameron Highlanders at the end of November, leaving for France on April 13."
 

The battalion diary reports that C Company were sent to reinforce 4th K.R.R. "who had suffered considerably from enfilade arty fire".

Boyd's death is recorded on the diary page but without an "S" (shelling?) against his name and I wonder how the newspaper report could be so definitive in the account. 

He has no known grave and presumably was caught up in the shelling and his body never recovered.

What should one make of newspaper reports about the deaths of soldiers at this time?

Regards

 

[sotonmate]

One reads occasionally of letters being posted to the relatives of a dead soldier by his Officer and as a tribute to the soldier. The description of a quick death may have been used to comfort the relatives that their kin had not suffered,possibly whether it was so or not. I would say it was quite possible that such info may well have been passed from the family to the media for inclusion in the obituary.

Am I misunderstanding your comment about a lack of an S against his name ? The S/15847 was his service number and the prefix standard for some groups of the Army.

 

Edit: Noting that 5 other 2 Battalion comrades were killed on the same day and remembered on the Menin Gate, plus 4 others who died of wounds on the day.

Edited 15 November , 2016 by sotonmate

[Rob Bulloch]

Carnkie. In all probability you have this information. On the 8th of May the 2nd Cameron's were involved in the Battle of Frezenberg Ridge. At 10.00.am "C Coy" which was in reserve, was ordered to support the 4th KRRC by occupying a trench running from the left of "D Coy" (Thirty yards North of the Menin Road) to the east entrance to Hooge Chateau. All four Companies were then in a line A B D and C from right to left. The 4th KRRC and the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry of the 80th Brigade were holding Hooge Woods and Bellewaarde Ridge.  Rob. 

[Carnkie]

Sotonmate.

in the battalion diary for 08/05/15 all the casualties are named and after each name is a letter "S" or "Duty".  On other pages I have seen "Gas" after the names which seems very clear.  I wondered what S meant and why there was nothing against Boyd's name if it was clear how he had been killed.

I was surprised to see that casualties were listed in this way.  My main interest is in the 13th Royal Sussex and no such recording of names took place....as far as i can see.

 

To both replies,many thanks for the help.

[ss002d6252]

3 minutes ago, Carnkie said:

Sotonmate.

in the battalion diary for 08/05/15 all the casualties are named and after each name is a letter "S" or "Duty".  On other pages I have seen "Gas" after the names which seems very clear.  I wondered what S meant and why there was nothing against Boyd's name if it was clear how he had been killed.

I was surprised to see that casualties were listed in this way.  My main interest is in the 13th Royal Sussex and no such recording of names took place....as far as i can see.

 

To both replies,many thanks for the help.

An 'S' after the name may indicate 'Sick' as in not fit for duty - some diaries still contain records which note whether a man remained at duty after being wounded or whether he was off to hospital etc. Some of the remaining records are casualty returns others are just down to how much information the diary writer decided to note.

 

Craig