A second Image and his Unit identification 1917-18 in Ireland, please: Lt. W. G. Wedderburn-Ogilvie, Sco. Hs.

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

I have the 15 Star Trio named to the Scottish Horse (and a 1938 Image only) of Captain Walter Gray Wedderburn-Ogilvy, 1880-1944. He was the brother of Sir John Andrew Ogilvy-Wedderburn, 5th Baronet.  Why the older brother (who was born Wedderburn-Ogilvy) reversed the names is not known.

Having held a 1908 Scottish Horse commission, W. G. Wedderburn-Ogilvy spent ca. four years in Canada. In 1914 he returned to secure a 25 Aug 1914 Scottish Horse commission - and was seconded to 29 Lancers, IA (Deccan Horse) in France, on 17 Apr 1915 (together with two other Scottish Horse officers: Major B. Murray White and Capt C. O. Nicholson).

Following actions in the Mametz area, Zillebeke and elsewhere, under fire and in adverse weather conditions, 2Lt (T/Capt) Wedderburn-Ogilvy was evacuated to hospital on 23 Nov 1915. He subsequently received a Silver War Badge No. 2808 and a post-War Pension for Chronic Bronchitis.

23 Feb 1916 married Nora Kathleen Layton, dau. of C. T. Layton, JP (descendant of an ancient North Britain king).

Lond. Gaz.: (i) 2Lt (T/Capt) Scottish Horse relinquished commission on account of ill-health: 28 Sep 1916. (ii) 2Lt to be Lt with precedence as from 1 Jun 1916: 15 Aug 1917. (iii) Lt to have pay and allowances of that rank: 1 Jul 1917.

His 1944 quasi-Obituary stated: '...sent home (from France) and served with a British Regiment in Ireland'. Which regiment? Perhaps an Officer group photo exists? W. G. Wedderburn-Ogilvy's Officers' papers WO 374 72861 are out of my reach (I reside in sw Germany)...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[George Rayner]

The Scotsman 09 February 1921 says that he resigned his commission as a Lieutenant and was granted the rank of Captain. (From Scottish Horse Yeomanry)

George

[FROGSMILE]

My guess would be that after medical treatment and recuperation he might have served with the Scottish Horse Brigade formed from 2/1st, 2/2nd and 2/3rd Scottish Horse, which deployed to Ireland (including Limerick) from April 1918.

Edited 5 May , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear George and Frogsmile,

Many thanks to you both for your prompt and helpful replies.

The Scottish Horse Brigade deployed in Ireland, sounds a likely place for a war-worn but experienced aristocratic Officer with Highland connections. (His sister-in-law was the daughter of Brig.-Gen G. W. St, G. Grogan, VC, CB, CMG, DSO and Bar, for example).

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Tawhiri]

As previously posted, from The Gazette of 8 February 1921:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/32221/supplement/1128

Furthermore, from The Gazette of 4 April 1919, relinquishing the rank of acting Captain on ceasing to command a company of the Scottish Horse on 10 October 1918:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31272/supplement/4506

There are previous Gazette mentions as noted above by Kim, but there are many earlier ones too.

Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 3 March 1906:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27891/page/1520

Appointed to the Scottish Horse Imperial Yeomanry as Second Lieutenant on 1 April 1908:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28195/page/8167

Promotion to Lieutenant on 15 July 1909:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28315/page/9329

Resigning his commission as a Lieutenant in the Scottish Horse on 19 April 1913:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28711/page/2813

Reappointed as Second Lieutenant on 25 August 1914, followed by promotion to Lieutenant on 16 October 1914:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28920/supplement/7781

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28953/page/8648

Promotion to temporary Captain with the Scottish Horse on 12 May 1915:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29331/supplement/10249

He seems to have resigned his commission and then rejoined the Scottish Horse on at least three separate occasions. It also looks as though he had at least two brothers who were with him in the Scottish Horse, Donald Stuart and the aforementioned John Andrew Wedderburn-Ogilvy.

Edited to add that he appears in the March 1918 Army List with the Scottish Horse as a Lieutenant, but with the rank of acting Captain dating from 15 August 1917:

https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/103593602

Another fun fact is that according to The Wedderburn Book: A History of the Wedderburns in the Counties, Walter was born was on 7 July 1880 at Quedlinberg, Germany.

Edited 6 May , 2022 by Tawhiri

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Tawhiri,

Many thanks for kindly completing the interesting London Gazette entries for the in-and-out Scottish Horse Officer, Walter Gray Wedderburn-Maxwell. Super!

The entry for his 3 March 1906 second-lieutenancy was not attached (the next entry was double), but I can trawl the 1906 Index for that, thanks.

Highly interesting also was the mention of "The Wedderburn Book: A History of the Wedderburns in the Counties", hitherto unkown to me: thanks for that, too. The Great War Forum is absolutely a treasure-trove of expertise. This, especially, as so many members are willing to share their knowledge with the less capable. 

Yes, it is somewhat ironic that Walter Gray (his mother's maiden name) Wedderburn-Maxwell was born in 1880 Quedlinberg. This points to affluent parents who were able to travel at will, with perhaps good connections to the local aristocracy. 

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Tawhiri]

Kim

My apologies for the doubled up link, I have corrected the 3 March 1906 link so that it is now pointing to the right Gazette entry.

If you haven't already found it copies of both volumes of The Wedderburn Book: A History of the Wedderburns in the Counties can be found in the digital collection of the National Library of Scotland.

https://digital.nls.uk/histories-of-scottish-families/archive/97146998

 

 

[Rockford]

On 05/05/2022 at 02:43, Kimberley John Lindsay said:

...Why the older brother (who was born Wedderburn-Ogilvy) reversed the names is not known....

Hello Kim,

He will have reversed the name order when he succeeded to to baronetcy.

As the 5th baronet wasn't the son of the 4th (cousin?) and the baronetcy is been titled "Ogily Wedderburn", Sir John probably reversed the order to match (and might have been expected/required to do so).

Best wishes

Brian

 

 

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Tawhiri and Brian,

Thanks to your twofold sterling efforts, everything Wedderburn-Ogilvy is becoming clearer in focus. Much appreciated!

There is still much spade-work to do, not least press-ganging someone to copy his WO 374/72861 Officers Papers at TNA (I am in sw Germany).  However, that is half the fun of first collecting, then researching what one has collected. All this in the hope of finding a Good Story, not to mention that elusive Image!

Apropos Image, here he is, or was, on 31 December 1938. The rev of his 1914-15 Star is also not without interest - the impressed naming stretching from tip to tip...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

 

 

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All, and Brian,

Silvie House, Alyth, Scotland, is an Arts & Crafts country house designed for John Andrew Wedderburn-Ogilvy in 1910, following his marriage to (the daughter of a neighbour, Brig-Gen Grogan, VC, CB, CMG, DSO and Bar) Meta Grogan, and his inheriting the family estates.

The Baronetcy came in 1918, upon the death of a distant cousin (Ogilvy-Wedderburn), and the couple became Sir John and Lady Ogilvy-Wedderburn.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

I have ordered a researcher to beam me copies of the Officers Papers for John Andrew Ogilvy-Wedderburn's brother, Captain Walter Gray Wedderburn-Ogilvy, late Scottish Horse. These TNA papers should fill out certain areas of information, and hopefully name W. G. Wedderburn-Ogilvy's Old School...