DARRENA Posted 23 December , 2018 Share Posted 23 December , 2018 Hello. I'm looking for information regarding my great grandfather Archibald Anderson of the Gordon Highlanders. I don't have a lot of information, but from what I understand he was a Corporal?? who was stationed in Cairo and then sent to Ypres in 1914 where he was captured on October 31, 1914. I'm assuming he was captured during the The Battle of Gheluvelt, but I have no information regarding the nature of his capture. He was then sent to Güstrow POW camp where he was apparently treated well while he was there. Can someone possibly assist me in finding some information to fill in some blanks. I would like to know if he was in fact a Corporal and who he served under or possibly who he was leading. I would also love to learn where he was captured and how, but I understand that information may be lost. On top of that I would like to know if other Highlanders were captured and sent to Güstrow. Thank you for your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 23 December , 2018 Share Posted 23 December , 2018 (edited) In Egypt and then captured in Belgium would almost certainly mean he was with the 2nd Battalion. The picture you posted is clearly post war as he has his Trio ribbons up. You could probably start by looking at the 2nd Battalion War Diary which may have some information on the circumstances of the battalion. I'll have a look in the relevant section of "life of a regiment" which will probably have basic details of the battalion's situation on Oct 31st. Others are better placed to give information on the POW experience etc but many returned POWs were interviewed and the records survive, there are also red cross records. Welcome to the forum! Chris Edited 23 December , 2018 by 4thGordons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DARRENA Posted 23 December , 2018 Author Share Posted 23 December , 2018 Thank you so much. I have a lot to learn! I had no idea that is a post war picture, and I was also wondering what the ribbons represented until now. It's the only picture I have of him during that time. I appreciate the help and I look forward to learning more. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 23 December , 2018 Share Posted 23 December , 2018 The two stripe on his left forearm are Good Conduct stripes. MIC from Free Ancestry. Notice his name is Archbold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTSCF Fareham Posted 23 December , 2018 Share Posted 23 December , 2018 So far I can only confirm what you already know:- Private 681 Archibold Anderson, 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders, born 28/10/1881 at Bathgate. Resided Dalkeith, Scotland. Captured 31/10/1914 at Ypern and sent to Güstrow POW camp, then transferred 04/04/1918 ( PA 21484 ), but to where I cannot find at the moment. I can find no evidence to suggest that he was a corporal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DARRENA Posted 23 December , 2018 Author Share Posted 23 December , 2018 Ah so he was a private. The two stripes threw me off...and I thought his name was Archbold! German records spelled his name Archibald. Thank you for the info. Everything helps. I have never seen that record ForeignGong. Are you able to provide me with a link as I cant seem to find the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTSCF Fareham Posted 23 December , 2018 Share Posted 23 December , 2018 10 hours ago, HTSCF Fareham said: So far I can only confirm what you already know:- Private 681 Archibold Anderson, 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders, born 28/10/1881 at Bathgate. Resided Dalkeith, Scotland. Captured 31/10/1914 at Ypern and sent to Güstrow POW camp, then transferred 04/04/1918 ( PA 21484 ), but to where I cannot find at the moment. I can find no evidence to suggest that he was a corporal. Someone else may be able to confirm if he ever was a corporal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTSCF Fareham Posted 23 December , 2018 Share Posted 23 December , 2018 (edited) There is a link here and I was wondering if Private Anderson was in the photo of POWs? (The chap in the wooly hat) https://palmerww1powtrail.wordpress.com/2017/01/17/gustrow-pow-camp/ Edited 23 December , 2018 by HTSCF Fareham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTSCF Fareham Posted 23 December , 2018 Share Posted 23 December , 2018 Check out this previous forum link too... https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/181572-pictures-of-gustrow-pow-camp/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roughdiamond Posted 23 December , 2018 Share Posted 23 December , 2018 (edited) This http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/2015/03/gordon-highlanders-other-rank-pows-1914.html?m=1 from Paul Nixon's website may interest you, it's a list of 806 Gordon's captured on or before 25th December 1914 and he's listed, Paul states he has some additional info, but you have most of it. Paul's site also gives some guidance on date of enlistment by Service number, in Archibald's case it's roughly mid 1911. The Medal Card image posted by ForeignGong in post #4 that you asked about is from Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/medalrolls/?name=_Anderson&count=50&f-F8007A65=681&f-F8007A65_x=1&name_x=1_1 Finally, the minimum service for earning a "Good Conduct stripe" was 2 years for the 1st, 6 for the 2nd and 12 for the 3rd (it had to be good conduct and he would have accrued time whilst a POW) so as stated earlier, along with the medal ribbons, it's definitely post War and pre-1923, if he continued to serve post 1922 his Service Record will be with the MOD, when did he marry (If he did)? Sam Edited 23 December , 2018 by roughdiamond Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DARRENA Posted 23 December , 2018 Author Share Posted 23 December , 2018 2 hours ago, HTSCF Fareham said: There is a link here and I was wondering if Private Anderson was in the photo of POWs? (The chap in the wooly hat) https://palmerww1powtrail.wordpress.com/2017/01/17/gustrow-pow-camp/ Thank you for this HTSCF Fareham. I dont think he's the guy in the wooly hat, but he may in fact be the one on the far left with the brimmed hat and overcoat. The man's structure, nose, mouth, ear and posture match up pretty well with the post war pic I have. I'll post a side by side when I have a chance. Wouldnt that be amazing if he was one of these unidentified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DARRENA Posted 23 December , 2018 Author Share Posted 23 December , 2018 46 minutes ago, roughdiamond said: This http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/2015/03/gordon-highlanders-other-rank-pows-1914.html?m=1 from Paul Nixon's website may interest you, it's a list of 806 Gordon's captured on or before 25th December 1914 and he's listed, Paul states he has some additional info, but you have most of it. Paul's site also gives some guidance on date of enlistment by Service number, in Archibald's case it's roughly mid 1911. The Medal Card image posted by ForeignGong in post #4 that you asked about is from Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/medalrolls/?name=_Anderson&count=50&f-F8007A65=681&f-F8007A65_x=1&name_x=1_1 Finally, the minimum service for earning a "Good Conduct stripe" was 2 years for the 1st, 6 for the 2nd and 12 for the 3rd (it had to be good conduct and he would have accrued time whilst a POW) so as stated earlier, along with the medal ribbons, it's definitely post War and pre-1923, if he continued to serve post 1922 his Service Record will be with the MOD, when did he marry (If he did)? Sam Hi Sam. Thank you for your assistance. I really appreciate the information regarding the medal card, link, and stripes. I'm learning a lot! He married Elizabeth Agnes Murray Sutter in Glasgow in April 1921. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roughdiamond Posted 23 December , 2018 Share Posted 23 December , 2018 Just now, DARRENA said: He married Elizabeth Agnes Murray Sutter in Glasgow in April 1921. Was he still serving? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTSCF Fareham Posted 23 December , 2018 Share Posted 23 December , 2018 I couldn't see a copyright for this photo, so here is a cleaned up version to make the comparison with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTSCF Fareham Posted 23 December , 2018 Share Posted 23 December , 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DARRENA Posted 23 December , 2018 Author Share Posted 23 December , 2018 1 hour ago, roughdiamond said: Was he still serving? Unfortunately, I cant be certain. 1 hour ago, HTSCF Fareham said: Thank you HTSCF Fareham. I'll definitely use that pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roughdiamond Posted 24 December , 2018 Share Posted 24 December , 2018 1 hour ago, DARRENA said: Unfortunately, I cant be certain. It'd be on his Marriage cert under "Profession", sometimes with service number and unit. Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Black Posted 24 December , 2018 Share Posted 24 December , 2018 Seems you were close, he was a L.Cpl. Linlithgowshire Gazette - Friday 27 November 1914 "Lance-Corporal Arch. Anderson, of the Gordon Highlanders, has notified his parents in Dalkeith that he was taken prisoner by the Germans on 31st October, and is now interned in Prussia. The Lance-Coporal, who is a native of Bathgate, went from Egypt to France with his regiment soon after the outbreak of the war. He is a grandson of Mr & Mrs Walter Law, Clydesdale Bank Buildings, Bo'ness." (Article also appears in The Scotsman of the 25th) Cheers, Derek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DARRENA Posted 24 December , 2018 Author Share Posted 24 December , 2018 26 minutes ago, Derek Black said: Seems you were close, he was a L.Cpl. Linlithgowshire Gazette - Friday 27 November 1914 "Lance-Corporal Arch. Anderson, of the Gordon Highlanders, has notified his parents in Dalkeith that he was taken prisoner by the Germans on 31st October, and is now interned in Prussia. The Lance-Coporal, who is a native of Bathgate, went from Egypt to France with his regiment soon after the outbreak of the war. He is a grandson of Mr & Mrs Walter Law, Clydesdale Bank Buildings, Bo'ness." (Article also appears in The Scotsman of the 25th) Cheers, Derek. Wow. Thank you for finding this! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DARRENA Posted 24 December , 2018 Author Share Posted 24 December , 2018 1 hour ago, roughdiamond said: It'd be on his Marriage cert under "Profession", sometimes with service number and unit. Sam According to other family sources, he did not serve post 1922. He ended service when he returned and before he was married. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DARRENA Posted 30 December , 2018 Author Share Posted 30 December , 2018 On 23/12/2018 at 13:31, HTSCF Fareham said: I couldn't see a copyright for this photo, so here is a cleaned up version to make the comparison with. Here's the side by side. There are definitely some similarities between the two pictures, but it could be my imagination. The eyes, nose, mouth (kinda), body posture, hands, and feet (standing posture) seem really similar. Anyone a facial recognition expert out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neale1961 Posted 30 December , 2018 Share Posted 30 December , 2018 I think the man in the middle of the front row with legs extended might be a better bet. Compare the shape of nose and nostrils, and where ears are in relation to eyes and mouth, and shape of chin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vertigo Posted 16 November , 2019 Share Posted 16 November , 2019 Hi together, I have another copy of this photo, sent by a French prisoner. In the handwritten text underneath he says the photo shows Finnish captives of the "Wolf". But the German raider "Wolf" has never hijacked a Finnish ship. Presumably it is therefore more the crew of the Norwegian four-masted barque "Storebror", which was stopped in January 1917 and sunk then. Thomas http://www.guestrow-history.de/kriegsgefangenlager-bockhorst/gefangene-der-s-m-s-wolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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