Researching James Myron Gordon Highlanders

[Heidi Hankins]

Hello everyone I’m new here and hoping someone can point me in the right direction. I’m trying to find out more about a possible relative, PrivateJames Myron.

This is what I know so far.He was a private in the Gordon Highlanders and was killed in action in France,16 May 1917 his service number was 266433 . His birth year was approximately 1884/5, his next of kin,according to the list of soldiers effects and the local newspaper,was his aunt Miss Maggie Gunn of Back Street Dufftown.I have seen his medal card,and the list of soldiers effects,but I’m unable to trace his attestation papers, which I was hoping would possibly give me his place of birth or his parents names. I know that a lot of papers were lost in WW2, but is there anywhere else I can look?

Thank you and I hope that this isn’t inappropriate 

[Bob Davies]

1 minute ago, Heidi Hankins said:

Hello everyone I’m new here and hoping someone can point me in the right direction. I’m trying to find out more about a possible relative, PrivateJames Myron.

This is what I know so far.He was a private in the Gordon Highlanders and was killed in action in France,16 May 1917 his service number was 266433 . His birth year was approximately 1884/5, his next of kin,according to the list of soldiers effects and the local newspaper,was his aunt Miss Maggie Gunn of Back Street Dufftown.I have seen his medal card,and the list of soldiers effects,but I’m unable to trace his attestation papers, which I was hoping would possibly give me his place of birth or his parents names. I know that a lot of papers were lost in WW2, but is there anywhere else I can look?

Thank you and I hope that this isn’t inappropriate 

Welcome to the Great War Forum Heidi,

nothing you have written there is inappropriate.

There are a lot of knowledgeable and experienced members on here and I am confident they will help you in any way they can.

Best Wishes, Bob.

[RussT]

I have looked and it seems his was one of the many records that were destroyed in WW2.

His Soldiers' Died Great War record tells us he enlisted in Dufftown -which I'm told is a Burgh in Moray but is also historically part of Banffshire.

There are two men with that name who were born it seems from this geographical area - the second one of the two being closest to your DoB (1901 Census):

 

Regards

Russ

Images Courtesy FMP

[RussT]

There are few newspaper articles about him being missing - but the incidental information provided does not add anything already known.

They describe him being employed on a farm before the war - but both youths on the 1901 Census are farm workers.

Russ

[rolt968]

Welcome to the forum.

Dufftown was indeed a police burgh in Banffshire (notable for its distilleries). Alas Banffshire is no more and Dufftown is in the western section which was allocated to Moray.

You might like to look at this:

http://libindx.moray.gov.uk/people/people_report_view.asp?REF_ID=NM283992

I don't know what the original source is. Moray Archives have digitised quite a lot of their resources.

If the date of birth is correct it would match up with James Myron, born in Rothes, Morayshire in 1885; mother's maiden name, Dustan . (scotlandspeople Index)

(As you are probably aware there was also a James Myron born in Mortlach, Banffshire in 1898. (Dufftown is in Mortlach parish.) (scotlandspeople Index))

From the Dufftwon News and Speyside Advertiser, 30 June 1917, "Miss Maggie Gunn, Back Street, has received official information that her nephew Pte jame Myron, Gordon Highlanders has been posted missing since 16th May. ......." (via FindmyPast). (She is called Margaret Gunn in other newspapers.

Unfortunately two James Myrons are recorded as having died in 1917 in the Service Return for 1917 (Scotlandspeople Index). The age of one is given as 23, the other is not recorded.

The parents of the James Myron born in 1885 are probably James Myron and Elizabeth Dustan who married in Morthlach in 1885 (Scotlandspeople Index)

Does any of this help?

RM

EDIT: Corrected "Dunn " to "Gunn".

Edited 8 May by rolt968

[RussT]

He does appear on a scrap of a record - Part II Orders (dated 18/01/1916) for the 3/6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders where he is recorded as being discharged from hospital.

He was in B Company of that Battalion and the record is under his original 6th/Bn 5-digit TF number of 12403 which became 266433 when the TF was re-numbered as a whole in early 1917. The 3/6th Bn was a Reserve Battalion, in which he would have enlisted and trained.

His MIC/Medal Roll "tells" you three things:

1) He was only entitled to the VM/BWM and so was sent overseas after 1915

2) The presence of his 5-digit number indicates he went overseas before the TF was re-numbered in early 1917.

3) His Battalion is given simply as "6th Battalion" - but this does not cause confusion because only the 1/6th Bn served overseas, so the War Diary for that Battalion is the one you need if you wish to follow his footsteps.

I would put his original number of 12403 as being allotted in early/mid October 1915. The 1/6th Bn first went overseas in November 1914 so it is evident for multiple reasons that he must have joined the 1/6th Bn in 1916 (probably as a reinforcement draft).

Regards

Russ

Image Courtesy FMP

 

[Tom Lang]

6 hours ago, Heidi Hankins said:

Hello everyone I’m new here and hoping someone can point me in the right direction. I’m trying to find out more about a possible relative, PrivateJames Myron.

This is what I know so far.He was a private in the Gordon Highlanders and was killed in action in France,16 May 1917 his service number was 266433 . His birth year was approximately 1884/5, his next of kin,according to the list of soldiers effects and the local newspaper,was his aunt Miss Maggie Gunn of Back Street Dufftown.I have seen his medal card,and the list of soldiers effects,but I’m unable to trace his attestation papers, which I was hoping would possibly give me his place of birth or his parents names. I know that a lot of papers were lost in WW2, but is there anywhere else I can look?

Thank you and I hope that this isn’t inappropriate 

Welcome to the Forum.

The War Diary for the 6th Bn Gordons for the month of May 1917 describes the 'action', a list of Casualties (not by name), and a Map. (courtesy TNA)

I hope this helps.

Kindest Regards,

Tom.

[Heidi Hankins]

Good morning from Australia ! Thank you so much for your replies! I’ve got more to go on now! It may turn out that I’m not related to James, but even so, I just want to ensure that he’s remembered .

[Heidi Hankins]

On 09/05/2024 at 00:03, RussT said:

He does appear on a scrap of a record - Part II Orders (dated 18/01/1916) for the 3/6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders where he is recorded as being discharged from hospital.

He was in B Company of that Battalion and the record is under his original 6th/Bn 5-digit TF number of 12403 which became 266433 when the TF was re-numbered as a whole in early 1917. The 3/6th Bn was a Reserve Battalion, in which he would have enlisted and trained.

His MIC/Medal Roll "tells" you three things:

1) He was only entitled to the VM/BWM and so was sent overseas after 1915

2) The presence of his 5-digit number indicates he went overseas before the TF was re-numbered in early 1917.

3) His Battalion is given simply as "6th Battalion" - but this does not cause confusion because only the 1/6th Bn served overseas, so the War Diary for that Battalion is the one you need if you wish to follow his footsteps.

I would put his original number of 12403 as being allotted in early/mid October 1915. The 1/6th Bn first went overseas in November 1914 so it is evident for multiple reasons that he must have joined the 1/6th Bn in 1916 (probably as a reinforcement draft).

Regards

Russ

Image Courtesy FMP

 

Many thanks for this I have now found this  from the Banffshire Herald dated 16 October 1916 (from Find My Past)showing that he joined 6th Gordon Highlanders at headquarters, where would that be? Is that the Territorials? 

[kenf48]

3 hours ago, Heidi Hankins said:

I have now found this  from the Banffshire Herald dated 16 October 1916 (from Find My Past)showing that he joined 6th Gordon Highlanders at headquarters, where would that be? Is that the Territorials? 

There is a typo in your post.  The newspaper article is from 16 October 1915 which accords with @RussT earlier suggestion that his original number was allocated in October 1915, and the fragments previously found and listed above that indicate he was with the 3/6 in January 1916.

If new to researching soldiers of the Great War we recommend you study the Long Long Trail (LLT) Website link top left

This is the page for the Gordon Highlanders https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/gordon-highlanders/

The Depot for the Gordon Highlanders was at Aberdeen.

The 6th Battalion was a Battalion of the Territorial Force. It is unclear, in isolation, from the newspaper which 'Headquarters' they are referring to.  The Headquarters for the 6th Battalion was at Keith; originally  'B' Company was located at Dufftown. Given the different locations listed in the piece I'd suggest they are referring to Keith. Soldiers Died in Great War shows his enlistment as Dufftown, in all probability he attested at the local Drill Hall where the 'Company Headquarters' were  located.

 As Russ notes the six digit number 266433 was an administrative change in 1917 and was in the series allocated to the 6th Battalion 

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/renumbering-of-the-territorial-force-in-1917/renumbering-the-tf-infantry-in-1917/

The newspaper is referring to attestation (as stated)under the Derby or Group Scheme, not necessarily the date of mobilisation.  His age and marital status would determine when his Group would be mobilised. Meanwhile these men were given an armband, placed on the Army Reserve 'B' and sent home to await call up.

 Either way direct enlistment into the TF for Home Service had ceased by then although men could elect for immediate enlistment which retained an element of free choice. Married men (who had been told they would not serve overseas) and single men in a lower medical category were often directed into TF Battalions in this period. As the fragment found by Russ indicated he was eventually posted to  the third line or 3/6th Battalion. Details for the Derby Scheme can be found on the LLT.

To understand the difference between the first line second line and third line see again https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/the-territorial-force/

By April 1916 they had been renamed as a Reserve Battalion and were stationed at Ripon.  

The Reserve Battalions supplied replacements for the active service Battalions (or they remained at home on Coastal Defence for example).  We don't know (yet) when he joined the BEF in France save for the Part II Orders which show he was in the UK in January 1916.

 

[Heidi Hankins]

2 hours ago, kenf48 said:

There is a typo in your post.  The newspaper article is from 16 October 1915 which accords with @RussT earlier suggestion that his original number was allocated in October 1915, and the fragments previously found and listed above that indicate he was with the 3/6 in January 1916.

If new to researching soldiers of the Great War we recommend you study the Long Long Trail (LLT) Website link top left

This is the page for the Gordon Highlanders https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/gordon-highlanders/

The Depot for the Gordon Highlanders was at Aberdeen.

The 6th Battalion was a Battalion of the Territorial Force. It is unclear, in isolation, from the newspaper which 'Headquarters' they are referring to.  The Headquarters for the 6th Battalion was at Keith; originally  'B' Company was located at Dufftown. Given the different locations listed in the piece I'd suggest they are referring to Keith. Soldiers Died in Great War shows his enlistment as Dufftown, in all probability he attested at the local Drill Hall where the 'Company Headquarters' were  located.

 As Russ notes the six digit number 266433 was an administrative change in 1917 and was in the series allocated to the 6th Battalion 

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/renumbering-of-the-territorial-force-in-1917/renumbering-the-tf-infantry-in-1917/

The newspaper is referring to attestation (as stated)under the Derby or Group Scheme, not necessarily the date of mobilisation.  His age and marital status would determine when his Group would be mobilised. Meanwhile these men were given an armband, placed on the Army Reserve 'B' and sent home to await call up.

 Either way direct enlistment into the TF for Home Service had ceased by then although men could elect for immediate enlistment which retained an element of free choice. Married men (who had been told they would not serve overseas) and single men in a lower medical category were often directed into TF Battalions in this period. As the fragment found by Russ indicated he was eventually posted to  the third line or 3/6th Battalion. Details for the Derby Scheme can be found on the LLT.

To understand the difference between the first line second line and third line see again https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/the-territorial-force/

By April 1916 they had been renamed as a Reserve Battalion and were stationed at Ripon.  

The Reserve Battalions supplied replacements for the active service Battalions (or they remained at home on Coastal Defence for example).  We don't know (yet) when he joined the BEF in France save for the Part II Orders which show he was in the UK in January 1916.

 

Oops! Didn’t notice the typo! Thankyou so much for all this information,I’ve got lots of reading to do!