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Remembered Today:

Help Id'ing Highland Unit...


Patrick Mooney

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Pals,

OK - my first attempt a posting a photo, so here goes nothing.

I rediscovered this photo in my collection, it shows an American, Nathaniel Allen, serving in a Highland unit, and is dated June 12, 18 France.

The only ID is his officer is Mr. Andrews - I cannot make out a badge and am not familiar enough with the kilt patterns.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Patrick

post-1-1053836706.jpg

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Apologies all...

Seems I need to crop the image to make it smaller... <_<

However, I could not see the image when I previewed my post...Chris - any ideas what happened that I could not see the image in the preview?

Patrick

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Patrick,

I'm not an expert on Highland Regimental Dress, but I think the regiment could be the 'Black Watch', the men are wearing what looks like 'Government Tartan'. The headdress of the ORs is the large Tam O Shanter with 'Toorie' (pom pom) which I think is/was red in colour The headdress on the officer appears to be the 'Balmoral' which was similiar to the ORs Tammie but smaller and of better quality. The Ors are wearing the Scottish pattern service-dress jacket (cut away).

I hope the above is of help, until one of the 'Pals' experts on Scottish Regimental dress comes to the rescue.

Ronnie.

When you preview your post, the image does not appear, when you have decided to post your message you have to load your image again in the 'Browse' button.

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Guest Hill 60

Wot, no Sporrans? :D

They might be Cameron Highlanders.

I see that some have collar badges which appear to be vertical, the Camerons had (at some point during or just after the War) a collar badge of a crowned thistle.

I don't believe the Black Watch had collar badges.

The Gordon Highlanders had a tiger as their collar badge.

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Given the size of the battle flashes on their upper tunic sleeve, I would say this unit is either the 16th Bn Canadian Infantry (Canadian Scottish) or the 42nd Bn Can Inf (Black Watch of Canada).

There is a nominal roll in the 16th Bn history, but I don't have this one - perhaps one of our Canadian contacts does or has access to it? The 42nd Bn history I do have, but it only has a roll of honour.

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I find a Nathaniel Allen who enlisted in Fredericton New Brunswick in June 1917 into the 236th New Brunswick Kilties. This unit recruited in New England and his NOK listed as living in Massachusetts. He claims Toronto Ontario as birth place.

The 236th was absorbed by the 20th Reserve Btn in England, which was a feeder for 13th (Royal Highlanders Montreal) 3rd Brigade and 42nd (Black Watch) 7th Brigade in France.

So the Canadian Black Watch may work, if the kilts match. Thanks Paul for pointing me to NAC. :)

Peter in Vancouver

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Pals,

Thank you ALL for your excellent help and suggestions. There are indeed collar badges on some men, and the tartan does appear to be Gov't Plaid - so I am thinking it maybe 42nd of Canada.

I will try and scan up the collar badge and other details, but to even find his name on the roster for the BN is a tremendous leap forward for me.

Thanks again all...

Patrick

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Hi Patrick:

You may want to e-mail a copy of the picture you posted to the Black Watch of Canada museum. They should be able to identify the battalion and may be able to give you some advice on the picture itself. Their e-mail address is:

museum@blackwatchcanada.com

Peter - Where did you find the information on the disbursement of the 236th? I'm researching some men who were sent to England as part of the planed 5th Canadian Division. When the idea was scrapped, I don't know where they were sent. Any information, including blocks of alloted battalion numbers, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Garth

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Garth, you need to acquire "A Call to Arms" by David Love, from Bunker to Bunker Books in Calgary.

Until you get it, :P are there any numbers in particular for me to look up??

Peter

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  • 2 years later...
Guest Rohan427
Pals,

OK - my first attempt a posting a photo, so here goes nothing.

I rediscovered this photo in my collection, it shows an American, Nathaniel Allen, serving in a Highland unit, and is dated June 12, 18 France.

The only ID is his officer is Mr. Andrews - I cannot make out a badge and am not familiar enough with the kilt patterns.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Patrick

Hello Patrick,

Long story short, I was doing a bit of research on my family and ran across your post through Google. Nathaniel Allen was my grandfather. He was part of the Black Watch. He was born in Medfield, MA. From what I understand, he saved his unit when he charged two machinegun nests in France and was wounded. He was sent to a London hospital where he met my grandmother.

I never met him as he died before I was born. :(

I would be very interested in any pictures you have of him. I do have one photograph of him in his uniform (a portrait, shoulders up).

Thanks,

Paul G. Allen

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