Scottish Command Orders

[nhclark]

Does anyone know where the Scottish Command Orders can be accessed, preferably on-line of course? Specifically I'm looking for an order relating to Stobs Camp in late May/early June 1916. I have a newspaper reference to the Order, but none of my subscriptions cover the particular edition of "The Scotsman" - 9th June 1916.

Thank you,
Noel

[Gunner 87]

5 hours ago, nhclark said:

Does anyone know where the Scottish Command Orders can be accessed, preferably on-line of course? Specifically I'm looking for an order relating to Stobs Camp in late May/early June 1916. I have a newspaper reference to the Order, but none of my subscriptions cover the particular edition of "The Scotsman" - 9th June 1916.

Thank you,
Noel

Hi Noel. I think this is the article in the 'The Scotsman' 9th June 1916, you refer to. 

[nhclark]

Many thanks my friend! That's the one. So, as I thought, he wasn't Commandant at Stobs itself. Instead it was Raasay, a whole new rabbit hole to explore!

Noel

[nhclark]

And what a rabbit hole! It seems that quite possibly that Gaskell never reached Raasay. Various sources point to the Commandant there being Captain Kenneth Grant MacLeod from the Gordon Highlanders (remarkable athlete, played rugby for Scotland, cricket for Lancashire, football for Manchester City etc. etc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._G._MacLeod)). If Gaskell was at Raasay it must have been for a very short time only, and it's a matter of trying to find out just when he went on sick leave and also on to half-pay for a while before returning to India.

So thanks again Gunner!

Edited 28 November , 2022 by nhclark

[Gunner 87]

On 28/11/2022 at 22:28, nhclark said:

And what a rabbit hole! It seems that quite possibly that Gaskell never reached Raasay. Various sources point to the Commandant there being Captain Kenneth Grant MacLeod from the Gordon Highlanders (remarkable athlete, played rugby for Scotland, cricket for Lancashire, football for Manchester City etc. etc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._G._MacLeod)). If Gaskell was at Raasay it must have been for a very short time only, and it's a matter of trying to find out just when he went on sick leave and also on to half-pay for a while before returning to India.

So thanks again Gunner!

Noel, the first attachment is from the 'Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore)' 8th January 1916 and second, same publication, 23rd April 1916, just prior to being appointed Commandant of Rassay, which may assist you determining when Gaskell went on leave / sick. 

Hope that is of some use... Gunner 87. 

Edited 30 November , 2022 by Gunner 87

[nhclark]

Many thanks for your efforts. I'm plotting his whole course via Monthly Army Lists and Indian Army Lists, so no need to spend more time on it yourself.

I very much doubt that he ever went to Raasay, and even if he did it could not have been for more than a few days. The Commandant there was Kenneth Grant MacLeod, the distinguished Rugby international for Scotland and all-round sportsman.

[Matthew B.]

Noel,

As it happens I did some research on the Gaskell family some years ago and came up with this, 

Thomas Kershaw Gaskell (b. 1870) was commissioned into the Suffolk Artillery (Eastern Division, Royal Artillery), transferred into 1st Royal Fusiliers 19th October 1892 and transferred to the Indian Army in September 1897 and the 89th Punjabis. Later a company commander (6th June 1911) with the 91st Punjabis. He was promoted to Major 19th October 1910. At the start of the war he was on leave on a medical certificate. Leave ex India on medical certificate to 31st March 1915 but extended 6 months (January 1915 IAL) later extended to 28th April 1916 (January 1916 IAL).
Transferred to the temporary Half Pay List 1st April to 11th October 1916. On the 20th October 1916 he was specially attached to the General Staff branch, IA, (still in July 1919 IAL) and served during WW1. He was granted the rank of Lt-Colonel on retirement on 24th June 1920. Died 20th November 1934.
 

(There were three brothers who became soldiers - Thomas the oldest, then Reginald William (also an Indian Army officer) and finally Herbert Stuart who was RE)

I hope that helps,

Matthew

[nhclark]

Thank you Matthew. I had most of that, but you have been able to add to it. I will pass it on to Kim Lindsay, who has his medal group. He was in fact entitled to only the BWM, but awarded himself the 1914/15 Star and the VM. 

Noel

[nhclark]

A couple of interesting points remain and I would be grateful if anyone can throw any light on them.

1.The Gradation List in the Quarterly (British) Army List for the Fourth Quarter of 1916 shows his period of half-pay commencing on 1st April 1916 and his rejoining the Indian Army on 11th October 1916. Does this mean that during this period on half-pay he was technically attached to the British Army, and is this how he came to be subject to Scottish Command Orders? Further, how come he was appointed Commandant at Raasay, and actually commenced training at Stobs Camp while he was still on half-pay?

2. The Monthly (British) Army Lists from August 1915 to May 1916 inclusive show him as a Major with the 91st Punjabis, but "Empld. Ind. Mil. Depot." I accept that there's probably some lag in the accuracy of the monthly lists, but these do appear to show that while he was still on sick leave he was moved to the establishment of the Indian Military Depot. It was originally assumed that this reference was to the base of the Indian Army at Marseilles, but I'm more inclined to believe that it was to the Depot at Milton in Hampshire, although I suspect that he was never physically at whichever it was. But how did he become subject to Scottish Command from whichever it was? Or was there such a depot in Scotland?

Noel