Cameron Highlanders - which battalion was he in (or both) ?

[davidbohl]

One for the followers of the Cameron Highlanders please:-

Pte Claude Ballard MM CWGC

He transferred out of Kings Liverpool to the 5th Battn Cameron Highlanders according to CWGC and SDGW

His Roll and Mic state the 7th Battn, could both be true ? also is it likely it was a transfer of his own request?

It would be helpful to know which battalion so that I can trawl the war diary to see if his MM is mentioned.

many thanks

Dave

From Ancestry

 

 

[RussT]

52 minutes ago, davidbohl said:

He transferred out of Kings Liverpool to the 5th Battn Cameron Highlanders according to CWGC and SDGW

His Roll and Mic state the 7th Battn, could both be true ?

Unless I'm mistaken you will find not a single example in the CH Medal Roll that gives a man's Battalion other than the one he served with last. Yet we know that would be highly improbable - indeed simply not true. There was no need to list previous Battalions (only previous Regiments/Corps) on the Medal Rolls, and it seems the CH was one Regiment that decided not to do so.

On that basis, it is certainly possible he served in previous Battalions of the CH but ended up in the 7th.

Regards

Russ

[davidbohl]

15 hours ago, RussT said:

it is certainly possible he served in previous Battalions

Russ, thanks for your comments on this.

His MM Gazette entry was the best part of 4 months after his death, I've looked at both war diaries and can't spot his name. The 7th Battn. is very detailed in the award of medals in the latter half of 1918, whereas the 5th isn't.