James McFaull - Red Leader Private 3rd Battalion KOSB

[lmcfaull]

Hi I am trying to find more information on a James McFaull please (also seen spelt on some records as McFaulds/McFaul).  On his daughters birth and death certificate in 1918 James writes his occupation as :Red Leader Private 3rd battalion KDSB.  A relative thinks this may actually be KOSB - Kings Own Scottish Borders?   James survived the war but I cannot find any service information - enlistment etc/service number.  I have searched Ancestry but can find noone that seems to fit.  I am thinking he enlisted between 1916-1918 as his occupation on anothers childs birth certificate in 1916 was Dock labourer.  James was living in Glasgow Scotland.  Any guidance would be so appreciated.  Thank you 

[Tawhiri]

According to the Long Long Trail the 3rd Battalion of the King's Own Scottish Borderers was a training unit, that never saw active service during WW1. There isn't an obvious medal index card for a James McFaull/McFaulds/McFaul serving with the King's Own Scottish Borderers, so in the absence of a medal index card there are two possibilities, the first being that he never saw active service at all during WW1 and was home service only, the second being that he did enter a theatre of war but it was with a regiment other than the King's Own Scottish Borderers. Unfortunately over 60% of WW1 service records were destroyed in an air raid in WW2, so the medal index cards and associated medal rolls are the usual way of determining whether someone served in a theatre of war during WW1.

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/kings-own-scottish-borderers/

Do you know exactly when his daughter was born and died in 1918, as this may give some clues as to whether it was possible that he served overseas in the closing stages of the war.

Edited 18 March by Tawhiri

[lmcfaull]

Thankyou so much for this.  His daughter was born 23/04/1918 and died 28/09/1918

[Theletterwriter]

Hi

If he was a witness for both the birth and death certificate, that would point to him serving within the UK during those dates.

Regards

Douglas

[lmcfaull]

Thank you Douglas - he witnessed the birth but not the death

[roughdiamond]

I'd say the "red leader" had nothing to do with the KOSB, this would tie in with his occupation on the 2nd Birth Cert as "Dock labourer", the term "red leader" would refer to a man who painted red lead oxide paint on ships, also famous as the colour of the Forth Bridge.

As Tawhiri says, the lack of a Medal Card and a 1918 birth probably means he didn't serve outwith the UK.

 

Sam

[lmcfaull]

Thank you all for your help