Royal Scots Fusiliers 6th Battalion June 1916

[Lisa Stew]

My Great granduncle William Henry Gilburt (could be documented as Gilbert) served with Royal Scots Fusiliers I have found evidence that says 6th battalion that I am aware amalgamated with 7th battalion in 1916. I am wondering whether they would ever be times when they returned to Greenock between battles. In particularly I am looking at June 1916. I know at this time Churchill had a leaving dinner with his officers, is there a way of finding out if William was in Greenock at this time? 

Edited 10 April by Lisa Stew
I added incorrect date

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum. The war diary might show officers (I’m assuming he was an officer, you don’t say but you mention a farewell dinner with officers) proceeding on leave. War diary here, free after free registration 

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352804

I can’t find a commissioned W H Gilbert but  found this MIC image ©️ Ancestry. 
Soldiers did of course get granted leave from the Western Front, and really WW1 was a lot about trench warfare and the boredom of holding the line as much as about battles.

[Lisa Stew]

Yes thanks I do have this on ancestry.com I think he was a sergeant not an officer. I have had a DNA match to a family abroad whose father was the result of an affair during WW1. The dates that are important is mid June 1916. Everything points to this man however he needed to be in Greenock at the very least. I have read through the diaries but there is nothing to suggest he was there or fighting in France. Some documents say he is 6th battalion a family member suggests he was 1st and 2nd. Not sure we will ever know the truth. I know he was wounded in 1918, unsure if wounded prior to this. Would that be the only way they may have been returned to UK or would it be field hospital?

[kenf48]

 

36 minutes ago, Lisa Stew said:

Some documents say he is 6th battalion a family member suggests he was 1st and 2nd. Not sure we will ever know the truth. I know he was wounded in 1918, unsure if wounded prior to this. Would that be the only way they may have been returned to UK or would it be field hospital?

CSM 9169 Wm Henry Gilbert was awarded the Military Medal London Gazette 24.1.1919 whilst serving in the 1st Battalion RSF.

He was admitted to 34 CCS on 2nd October 1918. Wounded ‘Shrap knee L’ while serving with the 1st Battalion.  The 1st battalion was engaged in a major advance an came under enfilade fire. The CO later died from his wounds. The war diary says there is an account of the operation but it’s missing.  The 8th Brigade war diary has an account.

We don’t know when he transferred to the 1st Battalion. The medal Roll shows the 6th and 1st Battalion.

He is in a list of wounded in the Scotsman newspaper Friday October 1st 1915 (6th Battalion) We don’t know the extent of the wound but it is possible it took a few months to recover. In which case he may have been in the UK. 

Typically after evacuation to the U.K. a man was placed on the Depot or non effective strength whilst in hospital.  He would then go through the recovery phase perhaps to a Command Depot.  Finally he would be posted to a Reserve Battalion in the U.K. and from there remain in the U.K. until fit enough to be posted to an active service battalion.

According to the LLT the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion was at Greenock from April 1916 See

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/the-royal-scots-fusiliers-in-1914-1918/

In the absence of a service record we can only speculate. Presumably there is a birth certificate for the child.

 

[kenf48]

The award of the MM was reported in the Hampshire Telegraph January 31st 1919 which gives his home town as Gosport.

[Lisa Stew]

22 minutes ago, kenf48 said:

 

CSM 9169 Wm Henry Gilbert was awarded the Military Medal London Gazette 24.1.1919 whilst serving in the 1st Battalion RSF.

He was admitted to 34 CCS on 2nd October 1918. Wounded ‘Shrap knee L’ while serving with the 1st Battalion.  The 1st battalion was engaged in a major advance an came under enfilade fire. The CO later died from his wounds. The war diary says there is an account of the operation but it’s missing.  The 8th Brigade war diary has an account.

We don’t know when he transferred to the 1st Battalion. The medal Roll shows the 6th and 1st Battalion.

He is in a list of wounded in the Scotsman newspaper Friday October 1st 1915 (6th Battalion) We don’t know the extent of the wound but it is possible it took a few months to recover. In which case he may have been in the UK. 

Typically after evacuation to the U.K. a man was placed on the Depot or non effective strength whilst in hospital.  He would then go through the recovery phase perhaps to a Command Depot.  Finally he would be posted to a Reserve Battalion in the U.K. and from there remain in the U.K. until fit enough to be posted to an active service battalion.

According to the LLT the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion was at Greenock from April 1916 See

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/the-royal-scots-fusiliers-in-1914-1918/

In the absence of a service record we can only speculate. Presumably there is a birth certificate for the child.

 

Oh wow, this is amazing, yes I believe there is a birth certificate but no father documented because she was turned away. But there is a DNA match to myself and other family members. Thank you this will definitely help

[kenf48]

9 hours ago, Lisa Stew said:

But there is a DNA match to myself and other family members.

Forum Pal @rolt968 is doing some research in the pension records to see if it is possible to trace illegitimate children in the pension records I don't know if there has been any results.  A little more biographical details of CSM Gilbert might help others to help you