2nd/Lt William L Crombie, 3/Royal Scots

[bmac]

Wonder if anyone can help. 2nd/Lt William Lauder Crombie is mentioned on both CWGC and Soldiers Died as having died on 1/7/16. His name is on the Thiepval Memorial. His battalion is give by both sources as 3/Royal Scots. AFAIK, the 3/Royal Scots were a training battalion that never left the UK. I wonder if anyone knows which of the two Royal Scots battalions (15th and 16th) involved on 1/7/16 he was attached to?

[Bob Coulson]

Bill,

No help but Cross of Sacrifice also gives 3rd battalion.

Bob.

[Lost in Tilloy]

Hi BMAC

Don't know if this is the person you are referring to, but in Major John Ewing's account of the Royal Scots, the following can be found in chapter XV, page 278, in relation to the Somme:

'The 15th lost eithteen officers and six hundred and ten other ranks in killed, wounded, and missing. Of the 16th [note 2] three officers were killed, three were missing, and six were wounded .......'

[Note 2 reads] Captains P.Ross, L.G.Coles, and 2nd Lieut. G.S.Russell were killed. It was ascertained later that 2nd Lieut. W.L.Crombie, who was wounded and missing, had been killed........

If it is the same person then thiswould suggest he was serving with the 16th.

Yours

LIT

[bmac]

LIT,

Thanks a lot. That seems conclusive.

Bill