Sloan brothers

[Mags71]

I had two uncles killed in WW1.  Jack Sloan killed in Mesopotamia in May 1917 and Thomas Sloan killed at Arras in May 1917.  I can find Thomas records easily but cannot find Jack (John) anywhere.  As far as I know Jack's number was 14541 but it as though he never existed.

[Mags71]

Forgot to say earlier, Jack Sloan was from the Glasgow area and was in the Black Watch regiment 

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Hi Mags,

 

The CWGC database dosn't list a Jack(John) Sloan with that service number from the Black Watch, killed in Mesopotamia in May 1917.

However, by an amazing coincidence, it lists this man on the Doiran memorial in Salonika (Greece).

Can you confirm that this is him, and why his forename initial is 'E' rather than 'J'?

Once members know we have the right man, they may be able to find more information about him.

Private SLOAN, E

Service Number S/14541

Died 09/05/1917

Aged 19

10th Bn.
Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

Son of Thomas and Fanny Sloan, of 784, Shettleston Rd., Glasgow.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

E. Sloan's Medal Index Card lists him as Edward Sloan.

Link

[BillyH]

Well the Jack Sloan that Mags is looking for was from Glasgow, she started a new post to confirm it here :

 

 

BillyH.

 

 

[roughdiamond]

S/15928 Pte Thomas Sloan 1/8th A&SH KIA 16/05/17 has the same NOK details as Edward so it must be him, all depends where the OP got their info from, could be 2 seperate uncles being confused as Jack isn't normally associated with Edward unless it's to do with middle name.

 

Sam

Edited 21 February , 2018 by roughdiamond

[Coldstreamer]

You might do better to continue on your previous post or things start to get a bit disjointed 

[Michelle Young]

Topics merged 

[Mags71]

On ‎21‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 17:41, roughdiamond said:

S/15928 Pte Thomas Sloan 1/8th A&SH KIA 16/05/17 has the same NOK details as Edward so it must be him, all depends where the OP got their info from, could be 2 seperate uncles being confused as Jack isn't normally associated with Edward unless it's to do with middle name.

 

Sam

Thomas Sloan was my other uncle.  They were both killed in May 1917 within 8 weeks of each other.  I will try and find out if Jack had the middle name of Edward.  All the other details are correct.  Thank you all.

[roughdiamond]

1 hour ago, Mags71 said:

Thomas Sloan was my other uncle.  They were both killed in May 1917 within 8 weeks of each other.  I will try and find out if Jack had the middle name of Edward.  All the other details are correct.  Thank you all.

 

Went with the details of Thomas' death in your original post, do you have anything with his name as Jack/John or is it purely oral history? You'll get his birth or census on Scotland's People.

 

Sam

 

 

[Mags71]

10 hours ago, roughdiamond said:

 

Went with the details of Thomas' death in your original post, do you have anything with his name as Jack/John or is it purely oral history? You'll get his birth or census on Scotland's People.

 

Sam

 

 

Have checked the 1911 census.  Thomas was the first son and Edward the second son.  Edward in the census is Edward J so that must be where the Jack comes from.  Thomas was in the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders, killed at Arras on 16/05/17 and Edward was in the Black Watch killed in Mesopotamia on 8/05/17.  Will investigate further and see if I can find out anything more about them.  Does anyone know how the troops got to the fighting in Mesopotamia.  Presumably by sea initially but where did they dock and what happened after that.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Mags,

Unfortunately Edward Sloan's service record  appears to be missing, presumed lost in the Blitz of 1941.

In its absence, all we have at the moment, are his medal card (which confirms he was in the Black Watch), and his CWGC entry which adds that at the time of his death he was in the 10th Battalion. (This does not necessarily mean he was with them throughout his army life).

 

The Long Long Trail site gives details of their movements:

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/royal-highlanders-black-watch/

This shows that the 10th Black Watch went to Salonika, Greece not Mesopotamia (Iraq) in 1915, and it was here that he died on May 9th 1917.

He is commemorated on the Doiran memorial, so we must assume he was killed, and his body was not recovered, or that he was buried with the grave being subsequently lost.

 

Two questions for you:

1) Where does the reference to Mesopotamia come from?  Is that  something that features in your family's oral history?

Some battalions of the Black Watch were at some time in Mesopotamia, but not the 10th. It's possible he had been there at some time with another battallion I suppose. We need a Black Watch expert's advice on this. They might be able to tell us roughly when he attested (signed up).

2) Although you have now confirmed that 'Jack' was Edward Sloan. How did you know  his date of death and service number? Do you have any paperwork or medals in your possession with those details.

 

There are other sources you could look at for more information:

Local newspapers from around the time of his death might have something. Papers also from around the time of him attesting might  be worth a look.

The other source of information could be the Soldiers' Effects Register, which show who his effects and his War Gratuity were paid to.

Some clever people on here can calculate the month of his attestation, from the size of the gratuity.

 

Of course you can always download the war diaries of the 10th Battalion for May 1917, this would state exactly where the battalion was and what action they were involved in. They would be unlikely to name Edward if there were lots of casualties that day, but if it was a quiet period, or it was an unusual death, then it is possible.

 

Good luck with your research.

 

 

Edited 23 February , 2018 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr

[ss002d6252]

Quote

Local newspapers from around the time of his death might have something. Papers also from around the time of him attesting might  be worth a look.

The other source of information could be the Soldiers' Effects Register, which show who his effects and his War Gratuity were paid to.

Some clever people on here can calculate the month of his attestation, from the size of the gratuity.

Edward's War Gratuity (paid to his father Thomas) was only £3 (net), so £5 (gross). This is the minimum flat rate amount for 12 months or less qualifying service.

 

Craig

[Mags71]

On ‎23‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 11:55, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

Mags,

Unfortunately Edward Sloan's service record  appears to be missing, presumed lost in the Blitz of 1941.

In its absence, all we have at the moment, are his medal card (which confirms he was in the Black Watch), and his CWGC entry which adds that at the time of his death he was in the 10th Battalion. (This does not necessarily mean he was with them throughout his army life).

 

The Long Long Trail site gives details of their movements:

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/royal-highlanders-black-watch/

This shows that the 10th Black Watch went to Salonika, Greece not Mesopotamia (Iraq) in 1915, and it was here that he died on May 9th 1917.

He is commemorated on the Doiran memorial, so we must assume he was killed, and his body was not recovered, or that he was buried with the grave being subsequently lost.

 

Two questions for you:

1) Where does the reference to Mesopotamia come from?  Is that  something that features in your family's oral history?

Some battalions of the Black Watch were at some time in Mesopotamia, but not the 10th. It's possible he had been there at some time with another battallion I suppose. We need a Black Watch expert's advice on this. They might be able to tell us roughly when he attested (signed up).

2) Although you have now confirmed that 'Jack' was Edward Sloan. How did you know  his date of death and service number? Do you have any paperwork or medals in your possession with those details.

 

There are other sources you could look at for more information:

Local newspapers from around the time of his death might have something. Papers also from around the time of him attesting might  be worth a look.

The other source of information could be the Soldiers' Effects Register, which show who his effects and his War Gratuity were paid to.

Some clever people on here can calculate the month of his attestation, from the size of the gratuity.

 

Of course you can always download the war diaries of the 10th Battalion for May 1917, this would state exactly where the battalion was and what action they were involved in. They would be unlikely to name Edward if there were lots of casualties that day, but if it was a quiet period, or it was an unusual death, then it is possible.

 

Good luck with your research.

 

 

I have managed to trace both Thomas and Edward in the Scottish War Memorial Rolls and Edward was killed in Salonica.  The only references I have to them both is a photograph of them in their uniforms.  Looks like they were taken in a photographer's studio.  My father (long deceased) had written on the back, their name, rank, serial number, regiment, date and place of death.  I have no idea where he got Mesopotamia from, possibly from my grandparents.