Charles Christie Fraser 268243 - Royal Warwickshire

[Sjack91]

Good evening

 

As many of you will be aware I am continuing to research men from the Freemasons Lodge in Uddingston during WW1. I have discovered a Private Charles Christie Fraser 268243 who served with the Royal Warwicks. Only two records survive (that I can find) one which contains the most information being a pension record. The pension record confirms his address 27 Square Place, Bothwellhaugh, Lanarkshire and also matches that on the Lodge Roll book and absent voters register. The pension record sadly gives some detail that Charles received a Gun Shot Wound to his right foot and it appears that his foot was amputated. He was discharged on the 8th of June 1918. A further medal record confirms that he enlisted on the 25th of August 1915.

 

I am trying to determine if I have missed anything from records that I possibly have been unable to find? It would be great if I could determine what Battalion he served with or where he was when wounded. 

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated as always.

 

Regards

 

Stuart

[IPT]

268242 McLean and 268245 Russel were both 1/7th Battalion.  Have you looked at the medal roll to check?

 

McLean has service papers which may give you an idea of Fraser's movements.

 

If he was 1/7th Bn, you can download the war diary free, by registering - http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7354610

[RaySearching]

Awarded silver war badge No 396 299

 

 

Ray

[Sjack91]

48 minutes ago, IPT said:

268242 McLean and 268245 Russel were both 1/7th Battalion.  Have you looked at the medal roll to check?

 

McLean has service papers which may give you an idea of Fraser's movements.

 

If he was 1/7th Bn, you can download the war diary free, by registering - http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7354610

 

Thank you for the response IPT and certainly something to go on. I have not looked at the medal rolls. Only his medal index card. I will have a look into this and also McLean and Russel. Very interesting to read that McLean who's service number is only 1 away has surviving records.  

 

22 minutes ago, RaySearching said:

Awarded silver war badge No 396 299

 

 

Ray

 

Thanks Ray this is excellent information. Does it give any idea as to when it was issued? I presume on discharge?

[RaySearching]

4 minutes ago, Sjack91 said:

Does it give any idea as to when it was issued? I presume on discharge?

The date is not given I would also assume on discharge or shortly afterwards

 

IPTs information is correct served only in 1/7 Bn in the theater of war

 

Ray

[Acknown]

Son of John and Rosannah (nee Campbell, m. 1874). Brother James A (b. 1879), sisters Janet R and Mary T. Pension Card has address crossed out: 27 Square Place, Bothwellhaugh, with 46 Calder Place substituted. Presumably he moved after returning home (Fold3 via WFA). SWB entry dated 25 May 18: Ancestry. Medal Roll is misnumbered on: Ancestry. VM and BWM and confirms 1/7th Battalion.

Acknown

Edited 11 October , 2020 by Acknown

[Sjack91]

3 minutes ago, RaySearching said:

The date is not given I would also assume on discharge or shortly afterwards

 

IPTs information is correct served only in 1/7 Bn in the theater of war

 

Ray

 

Thanks Ray. I had a look there and see that at the bottom of the record it was dated 25th May 1918 so he must have been injured in early 1918 at some time. Do you reckon he did serve with the 1/7 Battalion? i had a look at IPTs lead for Thomas McLean and it is again interesting to see he was from Bridgeton in Glasgow. Although he enlisted in 1914 before Charles it is positive to see that he was sent overseas on the 24th of December 1916. Dates are tying in which is ideal.

 

Stuart

[RaySearching]

Medal roll shows 1/7 Bn only

 

Ray

[Sjack91]

5 minutes ago, Acknown said:

Son of John and Rosannah (nee Campbell, m. 1874). Brother James A (b. 1879), sisters Janet R and Mary T. Pension Card has address crossed out: 27 Square Place, Bothwellhaugh, with 46 Calder Place substituted. Presumably he moved after returning home (Fold3 via WFA). SWB entry dated 25 May 18: Ancestry. Medal Roll is misnumbered on: Ancestry. VM and BWM and confirms 17th Battalion.

Acknown

 

Excellent information. Yeah I reckon he moved away from 27 Square Place after being Initiated into the Lodge on the 12th of March 1919. I think the first record on the pension is 4/11/21 but carried on until late in 1924 so it must have been between these dates he moved to 46 Calder Place, Bothwellhaugh. Interestingly in 1919 he was working as a Miner. Crazy to think he was doing that with One foot.

Just now, RaySearching said:

Medal roll shows 1/7 Bn only

 

Ray

 

Some man. Perfect

[IPT]

4 minutes ago, Sjack91 said:

Thomas McLean and it is again interesting to see he was from Bridgeton in Glasgow. Although he enlisted in 1914 before Charles it is positive to see that he was sent overseas on the 24th of December 1916.

 

Was McLean mobilized immediately? 

[Sjack91]

4 minutes ago, IPT said:

 

Was McLean mobilized immediately? 

 

Home 17/11/14 to 23/12/16

Embarked Southampton 24/12/16

Joined Posted 11th ? Rouen 28/12/16

Posted to 1/7th Battalion R. War Reg under aci 1999 1916 ??? 14/1/17 

Regiment number 20499

27/2/17 new service number 268242 issued

[IPT]

10 minutes ago, Sjack91 said:

Regiment number 20499

27/2/17 new service number 268242 issued

 

Yes, sorry, I wasn't thinking.   7th Warwickshire Battalion were issued the block 265001-305000 during the renumbering of the territorial force in early 1917 - https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/renumbering-of-the-territorial-force-in-1917/renumbering-the-tf-infantry-in-1917/

 

Presumably, Fraser had a previous service number before he went abroad. 

 

 

 

Edited 11 October , 2020 by IPT

[Sjack91]

Thank you all for the help. Plenty to go on here. Looking at the 1/7th Battalion they later moved to Italy so it is looking like that is where he was wounded. 

 

Thank you again

 

Stuart

[IPT]

1 hour ago, Sjack91 said:

Looking at the 1/7th Battalion they later moved to Italy so it is looking like that is where he was wounded. 

 

He appears on a wounded list in The Scotsman of 28th September 1917;

 

WOUNDED  Royal Warwickshire Regiment Fraser , 268243 , C C ( Bothwellhaugh ) 

 

If that related to the foot injury, then you might be looking at around June 1917 in France. 

[Sjack91]

24 minutes ago, IPT said:

 

He appears on a wounded list in The Scotsman of 28th September 1917;

 

WOUNDED  Royal Warwickshire Regiment Fraser , 268243 , C C ( Bothwellhaugh ) 

 

If that related to the foot injury, then you might be looking at around June 1917 in France. 

I noticed that shortly after writing to you. I have added this to the book article;

 

In 1917 with the 1/7^th Warwick Regiment Charles would have been part of the force which occupied Peronne, which lies to the South of Arras as the German Army retreated to the Hindenburg Line.  He would also have seen action in the Third Battles of Ypres and it was during this battle on the 22^nd of August 1917 that Thomas Wright McLean (268242) was killed in action. The Scotsman Newspaper from the 28^th of September 1917 lists;

‘WOUNDED Royal Warwickshire Regiment Fraser, 268243 , C C (Bothwell)’

In September 1917 the 1/7^th Warwicks were particularly quiet after the serious engagement that took place at St. Julien on the 22^nd to the 27^th of August where McLean was killed. We must presume that although not recorded in the press until the following month that the action at St. Julien was where Charles was seriously wounded after receiving a Gun Shot Wound to his right foot. The War diary records;

‘St Julien Sector Aug 22- At 4.45am the attack started. C Coy on the right with SPOT FARM as the objective. D Coy on the left with SPRINGFIELD FARM as the objective. The tanks moved forward and were to signal the infantry to rush the concrete blockhouses when the tanks had dealt with them. Owing to the bad state of the ground the tanks got ditched. The delay gave the enemy time to recover and our attack was not able to take its two objectives. A series of ? was established in shell holes ? up to the block houses. During 22/23night C & D were relieved by A Coy, B Coy relieved the two leading coy of the 1/5 R War R.’

Sadly his foot was later amputated and Charles was issued with the silver war badge numbered 396299 on the 25^th of May 1918. He was discharged from Military Service on the 8^th of June 1918 and returned to 27 Square Place, Bothwellhaugh.