Great Uncle MIA, Somme July 1916; looking for publication source of family plea for information.

[Jean Matthews]

July 9, 2022

Hello from Calgary, Canada. 

RE: Private David Smith 331712, 9th (Glasgow Hdrs.) Bn., Highland Light Infantry.  KIA July 1916.  Commemorated at Thiepval.  

I'm hoping you can give me some direction so that I can tie up a 'loose end'.  I have a lot of information about my great uncle David's service with his battalion in Belgium and the Somme.  Shortly after he went missing at High Wood, near Mametz, E. of Albert on July 15, 1916, his father posted at home, a plea for information about David's whereabouts -  however, sadly the transcription has no date or source.   I'm hoping that in this forum, someone may be able to direct me to newspaper sources or perhaps to a battalion newsletter that this may have been posted in.     It is as follows -    

"Private David Smith, Glasgow Highlanders
           Mr. Charles Smith, who resides at 16 Blackiemuir Avenue, Laurencekirk, has informed that his son - Private David Smith - has been posted as missing since 15 July, and Mr. Smith is asking any of his son's comrades who can do so to inform him of his latest movements or send any other information.  Private Smith was born at Fettercairn and served his time at Edzell. Before enlisting, he was employed in a ship building yard on the Clyde, and previous to that he was employed in the Central Station Glasgow. "

Thank you for any advice you can lend.

Sincerely, Jean Matthews.

 

[Gunner 87]

12 minutes ago, Jean Matthews said:

July 9, 2022

Hello from Calgary, Canada. 

RE: Private David Smith 331712, 9th (Glasgow Hdrs.) Bn., Highland Light Infantry.  KIA July 1916.  Commemorated at Thiepval.  

I'm hoping you can give me some direction so that I can tie up a 'loose end'.  I have a lot of information about my great uncle David's service with his battalion in Belgium and the Somme.  Shortly after he went missing at High Wood, near Mametz, E. of Albert on July 15, 1916, his father posted at home, a plea for information about David's whereabouts -  however, sadly the transcription has no date or source.   I'm hoping that in this forum, someone may be able to direct me to newspaper sources or perhaps to a battalion newsletter that this may have been posted in.     It is as follows -    

"Private David Smith, Glasgow Highlanders
           Mr. Charles Smith, who resides at 16 Blackiemuir Avenue, Laurencekirk, has informed that his son - Private David Smith - has been posted as missing since 15 July, and Mr. Smith is asking any of his son's comrades who can do so to inform him of his latest movements or send any other information.  Private Smith was born at Fettercairn and served his time at Edzell. Before enlisting, he was employed in a ship building yard on the Clyde, and previous to that he was employed in the Central Station Glasgow. "

Thank you for any advice you can lend.

Sincerely, Jean Matthews.

 

Hello Jean. Welcome to the forum. I have searched the newspapers in Find My Past and found nothing though of course I may have missed it. Will certainly keep looking. Could I suggest that you visit the British Newspaper Archive as I understand they have a greater pool to search against and offer a number of free downloads should you get a hit once you have registered. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

If this is not successful you may wish to look up the local newspaper that covered David's home town or where he worked and see if they are archived. 

Hope this is of some use Gunner 87

[Buffnut453]

Hi Jean,

Welcome to the forum.  Like @Gunner 87, I've been searching the BNA with no joy.  I'll keep looking but his advice about focusing on local newspapers near David's hometown is solid (and such papers may not be accessible via online resources).  

Sorry I can't be more help.  I will keep searching in case something pops up.  Best wishes with your research.  

[Gunner 87]

Jean, if you haven't already got this it may assist with your search ... tragically it appears his brother was also killed in action in Mesopotamia on the 7th March 1916. 

Edited 9 July , 2022 by Gunner 87

[Gunner 87]

Article in The Scotsman 4th April 1916 listing James as died of wounds... 

[Jean Matthews]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions.  I very much appreciate them all.  My great uncle lodged with William and Helen from his home in Edzell/Fettercairn when they lived on Carrickarten and possibly on New City Rd.  He was also a baker's apprentice in Glasgow.   David had 8 siblings but a James wasn't one of them, so I've spent the evening searching to see what I've missed in my research.  So far I've come up empty.  Confirmed censuses don't list a James in our family line.  Interesting though, that on one of the war records for James is the suggestion that the regimental number is reversed and the two records have been linked -  9784 also links to a James Smith, whose mother is Charlote (sic). 

So I'll keep searching...

Jean

 

[Jean Matthews]

Thank you so much for this “lead”!  I’ll check it out.  Jean 

UPDATE-July 12. Heard back from my query to Local Studies in Aberdeen. No luck.  They reached out to partners Aberdeen City Library and Aberdeenshire Libraries and it appears that the K. Observer is unavailable online yet.  They suggested that while some issues may be available in hard copy or microfilm there locally, the British Newspaper Archive/ Find My Past has not digitalized that newspaper yet. They recommended that I make a request that BNA digitize the newspaper for 1916/1917, which I’ll do..  

Many thanks again for the valuable suggestion, perhaps I’ll get somewhere with BNA.  Jean