Tracing my Grandfather's Great War battle route, September 2023

[jimpalmer58]

Hello, all.

A friend and I will be in France in late September and early October this year tracing our Grandfathers' Great War service. My grandfather, Nathaniel Palmer, enlisted in 1915 in Canada with the 48th Highlanders, but was TOS by the 13th Battalion Black Watch for active service. He was wounded on October 8th 1916 in the Somme at the battle of Ancre Heights.  After evacuation to England and lengthy convalescence, he returned to the 13th in August 1918 for the remainder of the war.  My friend's grandfather was a Captain in the Canadian Army Medical Corps, and served at various locations in England, and in France. We will also honour his great uncle, a lieutenant with the Princess Patricia's Light Infantry of Canada, who fell in 1918 in the Battle of Scarpe. 

We will visit various monuments and cemeteries. I will be bringing my Great War era bugle, and will use it to honour my friends uncle, and the 45 men, some as young as 16, who died in the same attack that my grandfather was wounded in.

I am also putting together a reasonable replica of my grandfathers Great War highland uniform, that I will use to take pictures in some of the locations he fought in.

Any advice or other assistance you can offer would be greatly appreciated. 

Jim

[Gunner 87]

Welcome to the forum Jim.

Great pictures, thank you for sharing.

Have you looked at the 13th BW War Diary for the period 1st July 1918 to 31st July 1919 which will list the locations of the battalion after your Grandfather returned to the unit and which may assist with places to visit. This is free to download once registered at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7354715

According to the Long Long Trail the 13th BW were in Egypt the Salonika in 1916 and as such there's no War Diary https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/royal-highlanders-black-watch/

Edited 8 April , 2023 by Gunner 87

[jimpalmer58]

My grandfather was with the Canadian Black Watch, 13th battalion (The Black Watch of Canada)  of the 1st Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force.  I have a link to his battalion's history:  https://archive.org/details/royalhighlanders00fethuoft/page/n9/mode/2up.

As much as we get confused with the various counties and units, I can just imagine how complicated it was in 1916!

[jimpalmer58]

23 hours ago, Gunner 87 said:

Welcome to the forum Jim.

Great pictures, thank you for sharing.

Have you looked at the 13th BW War Diary for the period 1st July 1918 to 31st July 1919 which will list the locations of the battalion after your Grandfather returned to the unit and which may assist with places to visit. This is free to download once registered at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7354715

According to the Long Long Trail the 13th BW were in Egypt the Salonika in 1916 and as such there's no War Diary https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/royal-highlanders-black-watch/

That was great advice, Gunner!  Since my Grandfather was in the Canadian Black Watch, 13th Battalion, I had to go to the Canadian National Archives. Their online library had detailed battle diaries for their time at the Somme, including Ancre, as well as the actions he was involved in during the last 100 days in 1918. I have them downloaded and will be going over them. Lots of interesting stuff, including notes that were sent on the field, trench maps, and photos. 

Thanks! Jim

[Markr]

7th South Staffs relieved the Black Watch in the trenches 1917 3rd Battle of Ypres where my grandfather lost his life.