Edward Daimond/Daymonde Stevenson MC, 3rd & 2nd Seaforth Highlanders

[Tom P-C]

Dear All,

 

Lieut (A/Capt) Edward Daymonde STEVENSON MC (spelled 'Daimond' in some army lists) served:

• As Tpr Lovatt's Scouts (15 Sep 1914)
• As 2/Lieut 3rd Seaforth Highlanders (10 Oct 1914)
• As Lieut (A/Capt) 2nd Seaforth Highlanders (at least in 1918 and probably before)

 

There are three things I cannot find which I would MASSIVELY appreciate the group's help with:

1. His medal index card, which for some reason I cannot find anywhere
2. The circumstances of his wounding in the period approx Dec 1914-Sep 1915 ("wounded since our last issue" - school magazine)
3. Any citation for his MC as A/Capt 2nd Seaforth Highrs 2 Dec 1918

 

I am still ploughing through all Seaforth Bn diaries and have checked his obit in The Times to no avail.

 

With thanks and best wishes and everything to play for....

 

Tom

Edited 4 October , 2019 by Tom P-C

[HarryBrook]

This is the link to the London Gazette for his M.C. citation https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31043/supplement/14265

 

Edit to add:- 

This annotated version gives the date and place of the action:looks like "E. of Hinges". Image courtesy National Archives (WO389 series)

 

Edited 4 October , 2019 by HarryBrook

[Tom Lang]

From the 2nd Bn Seaforth's War Diary:

1915
****
9 May 1915 - 2nd Lieut Stevenson arrived from 3rd Battalion.

10 May 1915 – Battalion officered as follows:-
Commanding officer    - Capt. Hopkinson
Acting adjutant             - 2nd Lt MacIntosh
A Coy                           - Lt Baker, 2nd Lts. Low, Dickson, Houldsworth
B Coy                           - Lt Alison, 2nd Lts. Paterson, Stevenson, Rawsterne
C Coy                           - Lt Cowie, 2nd Lts. Gordon, Wood, Ruckworth
D Coy                           - Lt Laurie, 2nd Lts. McKenzie, Matheson, McEwen
M.G.                             - 2nd Lt Garsford St Lawrence
T.O.                              - 2nd Lt McLachlan
Q.M.                             - Lt D. Munro
M.O.                             - Lt Attenborough R.A.M.C.

10 May 1915 - Casualties 2nd Lt E.D. Stevenson and 4 men wounded

May 1915 - Roll of Officers
'B' Coy
2nd Lieut E.D. Stevenson (3rd Bn) Joined 9th - wounded 10th

1916
****

1917
****
25 Jun 1917 - Lt E.D. Stevenson joined

22 Jul 1917 - Coy Commanders during the tour were 'B' Coy Lieut Stevenson

12 Aug 1917 - 2/Lt E.D. Stevenson went to Course of Instruction at 3rd Army School

29 Sep 1917 - Lieut E.D. Stevenson attached to 4/Div Depot Bn.

14 Oct 1917 - 2/Lieut E.D. Stevenson rejoined from 4th Div Depot battn.

14 Nov 1917 - Capt E.D. Stevenson leave 14 - 28/11/17

1918
****
11 Feb 1918 - Lieut E.D.Stevenson granted leave till 13/3/18

10 Jul 1918 - Capt E.D. Stevenson attd 21st Squad. R.A.F. to 12/7/18

11 Oct 1918 - Capt E.D. Stevenson, M.C., leave to UK

25 Oct 1918 - Capt E.D. Stevenson, M.C., rejoins from leave 

1919
****
4 Jan 1919 - Capt E.D. Stevenson, M.C., leave to NICE

13 Jan 1919 - Capt E.D. Stevenson, M.C., from leave to NICE

23 Jan 1919 - Capt E.D. Stevenson, attached 10th Inf Bde HQrs 

13 Feb 1919 - Capt E.D. Stevenson, M.C., rejoined from attachment to 10th Inf Bde HQrs

15 Feb 1919 - Capt E.D. Stevenson, M.C., to UK for 2 months leave
 

 

Kindest Regards,

Tom.

Edited 4 October , 2019 by Tom Lang
Typo

[Tom P-C]

Harry and Tom - that is terrific and swift research!  Thank you so much!

[sadbrewer]

From The Aberdeen Journal Nov 1920...courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive. 

[Mark1959]

FMP have an admission book for 19 Gen Hosp Alexandria for Officers of the Indian Expeditionary Force. There is an entry for Lt ED Stevenson as an out-patient. 1st Seaforths. 20 years old. 2 years service. Multiple GSW. Looks like transferred from 15 GH 13/8/16 and was discharged 20/8/16 to England. Quite possibly your man.

Seems  to have been out in India postwar. Married  there in 1921

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/acc2fcb96fb446beacacfc8a5d776fcd

May hellp to confirm this is he. Note the other diary referred to. 

Edited 5 October , 2019 by Mark1959

[George Rayner]

You  have probably seen this...

First Name:

Edward Daymonde

Surname:

Stevenson

Information:

For service to the Monarchy

More Information:

Awards made to commemorate the 25th year of the reign of King George V in 1935.

Rank:

Captain

Gazette Date:

03/06/1935

Gazette Page:

3600

Archive Reference:

cha

 

 

George

[George Rayner]

There is also this on FMR...

First Name:

Edward Daimond

Initials:

E

Surname:

Stevenson

Nationality:

British

Rank:

Lieutenant

Rank (2nd):

A/Captain

Award Details:

Distinguished Service

Gazette Info:

14265

Gazette Date:

02/12/1918

Service:

British Army

Regiment:

Seaforth Highlanders (2)

Service:

BA

and...

 

First Name:

E D

Surname:

Stevenson

Report Date:

18/05/1915

Information:

Listed as "Wounded" on the Casualty List issued by the War Office from the 18th May 1915.

and...

First Name:

E D

Surname:

Stevenson

Incident Date:

16/02/1916

Information:

Embarked upon the ship Persic at Devonport on 16/02/1916, sailed for the Mediterranean, Egypt and Persian Gulf.

More Information:

Travelled 1st Class.

Further Information:

Duty with draft 1/Seaforth Highlanders.

Rank:

2nd Lieutenant

Service:

British Army

Primary Unit:

Seaforth Highlanders

Secondary Unit:

3rd Battalion (Why is this important?)

Archive Reference:

WO25/3544

George

Edited 5 October , 2019 by George Rayner
Additional refs

[Tom P-C]

Thank you @George Rayner- those entries are tremendously useful.  Thanks also @Mark1959 - another user has PM'd me an image of that hospital report. And thanks @sadbrewer for the clipping.

These collective snippets of research have gone a long way to improving the story of Lieut (A/Capt) E.D. Stevenson:

• 15 Sep 1914 Tpr Lovatt's Scouts [School Magazine]
• 14 Oct 1914 2/Lieut 3rd (Spec Res) Bn Seaforth Highlanders [School Magazine]
• 9 May 1915 Joined 2nd Bn from 3rd Bn in Western Front theatre (actual 1st entry date to a theatre not known in absence of MIC) [@Tom Lang]
• 16 May 1915 Wounded in trenches north of Ypres (not 10th as forgivably transcribed) [@Tom Lang] and listed on casualty lists 18th [@George Rayner]
• (by at least) 16 Feb 1916 Joined 1st Bn and shipped out to Mesopotamia [@George Rayner]
• (Aug 1916 or earlier) Wounded with multiple GSW and hospitalised No. 19 General Hospital (Alexandria) for indeterminate period. Admitted as outpatient at No.15 General Hospital (also Alexandria) on 13 Aug for 8 days. Repatriated 20 Aug [@Mark1959, @little bob] THIS HAS BEEN EDITED BASIS MARK'S COMMENTS BELOW

• 25 Jun 1917 Rejoined 2nd Bn [@Tom Lang]

• 20 Aug 1918 Action for which MC awarded took place East of Hinges (date and location check out in War Diary) [@HarryBrook] whilst A/Capt OC B Coy 2nd Bn
• 15 Feb 1919 Still serving at this date when sent on two months' leave [@Tom Lang]

Just for your info as we're all emotionally invested, he was ADC to his father-in-law Gen Sir Wm Peyton at Scottish Command 1926-30 before retiring as a captain. Invested CVO 3 Jun 1935. Sec of National Playing Fields Assoc (Scotland) 1930-7, Sec of National Trust for Scotland 1931-47, Sec of National Advisory Council for Scotland on PT and Recreation 1937-9.  In WWII he served as a staff captain in the Dept of the Adj General to the Forces and ceased employment 14 Sep 1945 as war substantive Major and Hon. Lt-Col.  He was increased in the Victorian Order to KCVO 9 Jun 1949 (becoming Sir Edward) as Purse Bearer to the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland (essentially the head of the household of the Duke of Gloucester). In 1953 he was given the royal appointment of Green Rod (Gentleman Usher of the Order of the Thistle) in which capacity he attended the coronation of HMQ Elizabeth II. In 1955 he took on the additional role of Ensign of the Royal Company of Archers (Queen's Bodyguard for Scotland) and held these latter two appointments until his death on 15 Dec 1958.  He was also a director of various firms including Morgan, Lyons & Co, Cairnton Trust and Finance Co, Coca-Cola Bottlers (Scotland), Scottish TV and Butlins.

 

Follow up questions:

Q1. Does anyone have a copy of the 1st Bn War Diary 1916?  Only 1914/15 on Ancestry. This would enable me to find a joining date (if before 16 Feb 1916) and potentially place and details of wound on 13 Aug 1916. I vaguely remember the Mespot war diaries haven't been digitised by the National Archives.

Q2. In hospital report GSW = Gun Shot Wounds?

Q3. Any way of working out first entry in theatre without Medal Index Card?  (Though his date of joining 2nd Bn on 9 May 1915 is likely to be it.)

 

Complicated Jul 1922 Army List entry
He has a very complicated entry in the Army List of July 1922 (see below).  Can anyone untangle these promotion dates for me? (Ignore the acting captain shenanigans)

The '2 yrs, 250 dys to 20 Jun 17' takes us back to 14 Oct 1914 which is the date of his commission in the 3rd (spec Res) Bn of the Seaforths, but I do not follow why he has two additional dates as a 2/Lieut and a Lieut unless collectively it means:

• 14 Oct 1914 2/Lieut Spec. Res
• 14 Jul 1915 2/Lieut Regular
• 1 Jan 1917 Lieut Regular
• Theoretically left the regular army for some reason: After being wounded? Reverted to the Spec Res? Resigned commission?
• 21 Jun 1917 2/Lieut Regular
• 1 Jul 1917 Lieut Regular

Here are all the WWI promotions (excluding the ins-and-outs of acting captain status) I could find in the London Gazette:

• [LG 6 May 1915] REGULAR FORCES. SPECIAL RESERVE OF OFFICERS. The undermentioned Second Lieutenants, on probation, are confirmed in their rank: —3rd Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders. -Edward Daimond Stevenson

• [LG 28 Aug 1915] The dates of appointment and the order of precedence of Second Lieutenants are as now stated, and not as previously notified in earlier Gazettes: — INFANTRY. Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's). E. D. Stevenson. Dated 14th October, 1914

• [LG 7 Mar 1916] SPECIAL RESERVE OF OFFICERS. Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's). The undermentioned Second Lieutenants to be Lieutenants: —Dated 2nd February, 1916. Edward D. Stevenson
• [LG 3 Nov 1917] Sea Highrs —The undermentioned 2nd Lts to be Lts 1st July 1917 —Actg Capt E D Stevenson, with seniority from 1st Jan 1917, next below temp Lt J C Grant

So Q4. If he did leave the regular army between Jan and Jun 1917 can anyone tell my why or come up with another reason for the multiple seniority dates?

 

Thank and best wishes,

 

Tom

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 5 October , 2019 by Tom P-C
Corrected the entry regarding his hospitalisation in Aug 1916 basis Mark1959's comments below

[George Rayner]

Two points:

on the medical list it says 0 months completed service with field force period although 2 years joined

also states 'out patient'

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=S2%2FGBM%2FMH106%2FMH106-1288%2F0008&parentid=GBM%2FMH106%2FP2%2F025820

Find my Past

 

George

 

[Tom P-C]

4 minutes ago, George Rayner said:

Two points:

on the medical list it says 0 months completed service with field force period although 2 years joined

also states 'out patient'

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=S2%2FGBM%2FMH106%2FMH106-1288%2F0008&parentid=GBM%2FMH106%2FP2%2F025820

Find my Past

 

George

 

 

Thanks for that, George.  Can you explain to me further what the implications of those two points are?

Am I right that it's to do with...

1. 0 months completed service with field force suggests he'd only just arrived in Aug 1916, though I am confused by that as we see him shipping out with the battalion on 16 Feb 1916
2. Outpatient: does this suggest his wounds were only light?

[George Rayner]

I think it may be either that it refers to the 'field force' he was posted too before his injuries occurred  or that he was first posted to it just before wounding. I don't know enough to comment further-I'm very amateur at this!

It states 'multiple gsw' so I'd guess not minor. Why he should be an outpatient I again don't know. Other more knowledgeable forum members may have the understanding of why.

Have you had sight of the record of his hospitalisation?

 

George

[Tom P-C]

Thanks, George - yes a kind member PM'd it to me

[Mark1959]

The admission record in 1916 actually is blank on field force so I would regard as not known on that

George has already posted

Embarked upon the ship Persic at Devonport on 16/02/1916, sailed for the Mediterranean, Egypt and Persian Gulf.

So that would appear when he went out to the Middle East. 

Your summary is wrong in dates on the admission . He was admitted to 19GH on 13/8/16 having previously been in 15GH. Then evacuated from 19GH to England on 20/8/16.

I would guess he was an out-patient as he had undergone most of his recovery at 15GH

"Q1. Does anyone have a copy of the 1st Bn War Diary 1916?  Only 1914/15 on Ancestry. This would enable me to find a joining date (if before 16 Feb 1916) and potentially place and details of wound on 13 Aug 1916. I vaguely remember the Mespot war diaries haven't been digitised by the National Archives."

See the link in my post #6. Here it is again

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/acc2fcb96fb446beacacfc8a5d776fcd

This is the 1st Seaforths WD for 1916. Note the composite battalion for the April-Jun 1916 period. The diary for that is

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/da163dd6c89c488f84249929ff9af1b5

Good team research. 

Edited 5 October , 2019 by Mark1959

[Tom P-C]

Thanks for that clarification, @Mark1959. I had missed it seems all essence of your post in my enthusiasm!
 

14 hours ago, Mark1959 said:

FMP have an admission book for 19 Gen Hosp Alexandria for Officers of the Indian Expeditionary Force. There is an entry for Lt ED Stevenson as an out-patient. 1st Seaforths. 20 years old. 2 years service. Multiple GSW. Looks like transferred from 15 GH 13/8/16 and was discharged 20/8/16 to England. Quite possibly your man.

Seems  to have been out in India postwar. Married  there in 1921

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/acc2fcb96fb446beacacfc8a5d776fcd

May hellp to confirm this is he. Note the other diary referred to. 

 

I now see that the hospital record was an admissions book for 19 Gen Hosp (Alexandria).  I had previously been sent an untitled image by another user by PM and just read No. 15 in the image of the document.

 

He did indeed marry in India (Eva, daughter of Gen Sir William Peyton).  I had assumed the link you gave me was to do with the marriage (which I already knew about) though obviously on closer inspection that would not be National Archives subject matter. Thanks for the links to the 1 Bn and composite war diary.  I shall spend some money.

 

For good order's sake I will edit the above summary regarding the hospital entry.

 

Tom

 

[George Rayner]

Tom, I presume you have looked at the family trees available on Ancestry? They do not appear to add anything of significance though as most only recognise the Army Lists

 

George

[Mark1959]

FMP has the marriage detail in Meerut. 

It is likely it he applied for his medals that they were issued in India. I have found a number of such officers where the MIC appears to be missing

edit

LLT: 1st Seaforths

December 1915 : moved to Mesopotamia, landing at Basra late in the month. Formation was by now renamed 21st Brigade, 7th Indian Division.
4 February 1916 : owing to heavy casualties, formed the Highland Battalion with 2nd Bn, the Black Watch.
12 July 1916 : resumed former title.

So he must have joined 1st in Middle East

Edited 5 October , 2019 by Mark1959

[Tom P-C]

I have bought the two 1st Bn War Diaries.  Nothing in one (except a red herring E.Stephenson, 2nd Dorsets joining on 5 Feb) but in the Apr-Jun 1916 one I have struck gold (for which thank you, @Mark1959)

 

It appears he turned up just in time for a last attempt to relieve the Siege of Kut (surrendered 26 April). Like his prior posting to the 2nd Battalion in May 1915, he didn't last long, poor soul!
 

Previous days: locations mentioned: HANNAH, ORAH, FALAHIYIEH, SANNAIYAT

• 16 April 1916 Normal. Still in trenches. ... The undermentioned officers joined the Battn from United Kingdom ... 1st Seaforth Hrs. ... 2nd Lieut. E.D. STEVENSON

The tension in the war diary is unprecedented in my experience and records some serious complaints against other units and senior divisional commanders:

• 19 April 1916 "...and again 66th Bde (13th Div) completely failed in their duty. On enquiry and exhortation to shoot the King's enemies, the FOO ... produced orders... [to be cordial with the infantry] but not submit to being ordered about [by them]"
• 21 April 1916 "Preparations for attack completed and orders received. The Commanding Officer enquired if the Operation was to be regarded as a Forlorn Hope..."

Edward was wounded in the "forlorn hope" operation to capture Sannaiyat the following day

• 22 April 1916 "...but at 8am a very strong counter-attack led by an officer of the greatest bravery and determination, who was killed waving his men on with a cane but not before he had succeeded, enveloped our leading platoons. Rifles were clogged with mud but the attack was being successfully resisted till the fatal order to "Retire" was given by an Officer of The Composite English Battalion."
  • Names of Officers who were reported Killed, Wounded or Missing 22/4/16: WOUNDED -- 1st Seaforth Hrs. -- 2nd Lieut E.D. STEVENSON

 

=================================

 

PS. @George Rayner, yes I have done his family tree on Ancestry - thanks.

Edited 5 October , 2019 by Tom P-C
typo

[Mark1959]

Great. So pretty badly wounded if he was still receiving medical treatment 4 months later! Fills in a big hole in his history.