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Remembered Today:

James Duncan, 16th Battalion Highland Light Infantry HLI


BMack21

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Hi, I'm trying to find service records for a family friends father who served in the HLI, I think I've narrowed it down to the 16th battalion as he was injured at the Somme, I think going by dates of his injury it was on the 18/19 Nov 1916, the battle for Frankfurt and Munich trenches?? I have tried other sites but to no avail, so far. His name is James Duncan, 26402, DoB 30/12/95 and born in the north east of Scotland, Hatton/ Ellon area, Aberdeenshire and we think he was a stretcher bearer and got shot in the arm which was later amputated. 

 

Thanks in advance

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Hi Bmack21,

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

39 minutes ago, BMack21 said:

I think I've narrowed it down to the 16th battalion as he was injured at the Somme, I think going by dates of his injury it was on the 18/19 Nov 1916,

 

May I ask how you know his wounding date, and his unit at that time?

 

The medal rolls (Ancestry link) indicate that he served overseas with the 10/HLI.

 

Regards

Chris

 

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He appears on a WO wounded list date 20/11/16. Usually took a few weeks to appear after wounding so 18/19 November seems nigh on impossible.

Pension card shows his right arm was amputated. 

Edited by Mark1959
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17 hours ago, clk said:

Hi Bmack21,

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

 

May I ask how you know his wounding date, and his unit at that time?

 

The medal rolls (Ancestry link) indicate that he served overseas with the 10/HLI.

 

Regards

Chris

 

Hi Chris,

 

Thanks for having me.

I was guessing as one of my friends had found the medics report as the 20th, so I wrongly presumed he's was injured during the Frankfurt/Munich trench battle with 16HLI. I've searched Ancestry and their.other site, Forum 3?? I think, and can't find anything else. I had found his pension card in though which confirmed arm amputation. 

If he was 10 HLI, which battle would have been involved in??

Thanks Brian

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Ancestry should give you access to the war diaries. The 10 HLI had by then merged with the 11 HLI to become the 10/11 HLI. 

 

20/11/16 in the War Diary on Ancestry is here. Use the left arrow to work back. 10/11 seemed to be out of the line and training on Nov 1916. There is some action in the second half of Oct that may be relevant.

 

I don't think we are going to get a specific date and location. Possibly a likely general area. 

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Thanks for the info guys, just curious as to how you found out he was in 10th HLI as I cant seem to find his attestation papers or any records of his service. I thought I had searched, but you guys sound as if you have different places to look than I know of. Any pointers or advice is greatly appreciated. 

I now appreciate the dates probably don't tie in with my initial thoughts. I am on Ancestry, but not sure if my membership allows full access, yet,

 

Appreciate any pointers posted already,

 

Thank you, 

Brian

 

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On 25/04/2021 at 22:16, Mark1959 said:

He appears on a WO wounded list date 20/11/16. Usually took a few weeks to appear after wounding so 18/19 November seems nigh on impossible.

Pension card shows his right arm was amputated. 

Mark

Is there any further info on this WO list i.e. town of n o k

I had a quick look in the Times OCLs around that date. The Times lists are not dated and I could not find him under HLI Wounded. If the WO list mentions a place in Aberdeenshire there is a good chance that he may well get a mention in the Aberdeen papers which are in the British Newspaper Library (via FMP)

The WD of 46 Infantry Brigade records that 10/11 Bn HLI had only 25 wounded in October 1916.

Brian

Edited by brianmorris547
typo
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No. But this may well be your man.

Aberdeen Press & Journal 7/11/1916

Image courtesy of British Newspaper Archive

duncan2.jpg.8b209890843ee47cff124b8b633dd976.jpg

 

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The 10th is the unit noted in the medal roll entry. For infantry regiment many rolls indicate which unit(s) the man served in whilst in theatre. In this case only 10th HLI is shown. 

The transcibed list record says Halton. So one suspects a mistranscription or the entry was incorrect

Edited by Mark1959
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Mark/Brian,

 

Thanks for update. Yes I think the home address would be Hatton as per P&J article, and his son, still lives in Hatton albeit a different address now. I also seen the misprint of 'Halton' and took it to be Hatton.

I'd still be interested in his service records, if available, as this would probably confirm more details, but I can't seem to get any where. Would his original service number be different from the one quoted as I have seen this before on one of my family's relations.

 

Thanks again guys,

 

Brian

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The same article appears in the Aberdeen Weekly Journal 10/11/1916. I often used to drive past Hatton near Cruden Bay, between Ellon and Peterhead, in the 70s.

Brian

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 27/04/2021 at 15:58, brianmorris547 said:

The same article appears in the Aberdeen Weekly Journal 10/11/1916. I often used to drive past Hatton near Cruden Bay, between Ellon and Peterhead, in the 70s.

Brian

Thanks Brian, appreciate the time you guys put into this. 

Aye it's a small world, Hatton hasn't changed much ,few more houses and one of the two pubs closed,lol.

I've tried again, in vain, to find any service or medical records but no luck. I'm presuming they may have been destroyed in the fires at Kew during WW2 ☹️

Thanks again guys. 

 

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  • 5 months later...
On 25/04/2021 at 18:29, BMack21 said:

Hi, I'm trying to find service records for a family friends father who served in the HLI, I think I've narrowed it down to the 16th battalion as he was injured at the Somme, I think going by dates of his injury it was on the 18/19 Nov 1916, the battle for Frankfurt and Munich trenches?? I have tried other sites but to no avail, so far. His name is James Duncan, 26402, DoB 30/12/95 and born in the north east of Scotland, Hatton/ Ellon area, Aberdeenshire and we think he was a stretcher bearer and got shot in the arm which was later amputated. 

 

Thanks in advance

Hi,

Was he the one-armed postie who regularly won ploughing matches after the war?

If so, I'm distantly related through the Grants at Hatton

 

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Hi 6RRF,

Yes he was the one armed postie for Hatton for many years, unsure of his ploughing accolades though but will mention to his son. I'm not from Hatton, but which Grants would that be?

Going by your name, 6RRF, I'd presume you were Royal Reg of Fusilers, TA?? Do you know or recall an Ian Fairburn, went through the ranks I believe and ended up a Lt?? I think he is in the far East/malaysia now project manager on a construction, maybe?

 

 

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My Grants were at Burnthill for a long time, but William Grant died at Hatton Lodge in 1934. A daughter, Annie Jane [Jean], who married 8907 Jack Milton in 1910 or 1911 was my great grandmother, but another daughter, Mabel, lived at Hatton all her life and its through her that the Duncan connection comes in. My own mother, Betty Milton, was unofficially evacuated to Hatton during World war 2 and brought up by Mary [?] Duncan. I was taken to Hatton a lot when I was growing up and can remember Harold Duncan and stories about James Duncan winning ploughing matches.

I can also remember the big sand quarry at the back of the house with the chicken sheds and being fed boiled eggs - lots of them

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Feeling a bit daft, but its over 50 years since I was last in Hatton. James [Jim?] Duncan married Margaret Isabel [Mabel] Grant in 1921. I'll PM you.

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