Walter Duguid Mearns - Gordon Highlanders

[Elsie Doing Research]

Hi. I’m doing some family history research about my great grandad and his service in the First World War. I know that he was in the Gordon Highlanders and that is all really.

He is the man on the left in both of these photos and any insight or further that anyone can give from the uniform, such as regiment etc, would be great. Many thanks to anyone that can help. 

[FROGSMILE]

Looks like Gordon Highlanders to me.  The kilts and bonnet badges where visible all confirm that.  Unfortunately the photos are damaged and not clear enough to show the belled garter tabs favoured by the regiment (or at least not via my phone screen).

Edited 17 April , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[gordon92]

Assuming all the men are from the same unit, evidence seems to be they are Gordon Highlanders based upon the the badge in the Tam O'Shanter and the belled hose flashes.

[FROGSMILE]

Elsie what does it say on the chalkboard in the second photo that you posted? 

[Elsie Doing Research]

Wow many thanks for the quick replies. Yes that’s the only info we have really that he was in Gordon Highlanders and that’s the only info that we have as it was written on my grandad’s birth certificate. The message on the sign in the second picture, we also can’t make out. The first says “Scotland For Ever”.

we don’t have a service number for him and from searching on the Forces War Records website. We can’t find one that matches exactly. So I’m unsure of what regiment/ battalion he was in. But from speaking to my Uncle and what he remembers of his grandad. He thinks that he was at the Somme. 

[FROGSMILE]

15 minutes ago, Elsie Doing Research said:

Wow many thanks for the quick replies. Yes that’s the only info we have really that he was in Gordon Highlanders and that’s the only info that we have as it was written on my grandad’s birth certificate. The message on the sign in the second picture, we also can’t make out. The first says “Scotland For Ever”.

we don’t have a service number for him and from searching on the Forces War Records website. We can’t find one that matches exactly. So I’m unsure of what regiment/ battalion he was in. But from speaking to my Uncle and what he remembers of his grandad. He thinks that he was at the Somme. 

If you post what details you have for him such as full names, date of birth and hometown in the “soldier’s and their units” section of this website there are excellent genealogical detectives who frequent this forum who will endeavour to help you. 
If you look through a magnifying glass at the second group photo you will probably be able to read the chalkboard. 

[Tawhiri]

If you can post all the information that you have on your great grandfather, such as place and date of birth, known addresses where he lived at, occupation, and anything else that you know about him there are many skilled people on here who may be able to help you track him down and find out more.

I see that Frogsmile has just replied, and, without seeing what he has written, I suspect he may have just told you the same thing

 

Edited 17 April , 2022 by Tawhiri

[FROGSMILE]

19 minutes ago, Tawhiri said:

If you can post the all the information that you have on your great grandfather, such as place and date of birth, known addresses where he lived at, occupation, and anything else that you know about him there are many skilled people on here who may be able to help you track him down and find out more.

I see that Frogsmile has just replied, and, without seeing what he has written, I suspect he may have just told you the same thing

 

Great minds… my friend….

[Elsie Doing Research]

Hi I’m seeking info on my Great grandfather’s war service. His name was Walter Duguid Mearns, he was born in 1897 and died in 1988. He was in the Gordon Highlanders and he was born in Inverurie. We believe that he was at the Somme.

Any further information would be greatly appreciated. 
many thanks to anyone that can help. 
 

[Elsie Doing Research]

That’s super, thank you for your help, I have just posted the info I know in that forum section. 

[Tawhiri]

I'm not seeing an obvious match for a Walter Mearns serving with the Gordon Highlanders in the Medal Index cards. I can find his birth in 1897 on ScotlandsPeople, and what looks like his marriage to a Jessie Penny in Inverurie in 1918, followed by the birth of what is presumably their first child, also Walter Duguid, in 1919. In fact the only obvious match I'm seeing on Ancestry looks as though it relates to the son's service in WW2 with the Royal Artillery.

[FROGSMILE]

21 minutes ago, Tawhiri said:

I'm not seeing an obvious match for a Walter Mearns serving with the Gordon Highlanders in the Medal Index cards. I can find his birth in 1897 on ScotlandsPeople, and what looks like his marriage to a Jessie Penny in Inverurie in 1918, followed by the birth of what is presumably their first child, also Walter Duguid, in 1919. In fact the only obvious match I'm seeing on Ancestry looks as though it relates to the son's service in WW2 with the Royal Artillery.

Wouldn’t the actual marriage and birth certificates possibly contain military information during wartime?

[Tawhiri]

They should, and I think that's what the OP said when she posted the photo in her first thread, that her grandfather's birth record said his father was serving in the Gordon Highlanders at the time of the birth. The marriage certificate would also show whether he was serving at the time of his marriage in 1918, although typically they don't have a service number, just regiment and rank in my experience.

According to FamilySearch, Walter had an older brother, John Duguid Mearns, who died in action in France with the 52nd Trench Mortar Battery, Royal Artillery on 27 June 1918. A look for his Medal Index card shows that he was only entitled to the British War and Victory Medals, so he first served in France sometime after the beginning of 1916.

I'm just wondering whether Walter was possibly in a reserved occupation like mining, and was home service only in the absence of any obvious appearance in the Medal Index cards. He does show up in the Aberdeen electoral roll for 1920 on Ancestry, which again might provide some clues as to what he was doing at the time, but our local library shut down online access to Ancestry at the end of last year so I can't get any further.

[Elsie Doing Research]

Yes indeed that is correct that my great grandfather’s brother John was killed in the war and yes Walter had a son, also Walter, who served in the Royal Artillery during the Second World War. 
I know that Walter Snr worked for a large dairy farm after the war. 
The only info with the photos of him in uniform say that they were taken in France. 
Thank you so much for your help everyone, it’s really appreciated, thank you. 

[Elsie Doing Research]

This is his older brother John Duguid.