Guest gale Posted 25 August , 2005 Share Posted 25 August , 2005 this is my grandpa. iam trying to find info about him. can anyone identify this uniform? any info greatly apericiated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 25 August , 2005 Share Posted 25 August , 2005 try again Gale - we'll have a go at helping! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gale Posted 25 August , 2005 Share Posted 25 August , 2005 try again Gale - we'll have a go at helping! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> is my picture really crappy. i don't know how to shrink it down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 25 August , 2005 Share Posted 25 August , 2005 Try the 'place to play' section at the bottom of the forum. Experiment until you've got the right image. Best wishes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 26 August , 2005 Share Posted 26 August , 2005 Hi Gale, As perr your PM this is the man. Would love to see a photo if you can crack it! Description Medal card of Smith, Walter Corps Regiment No Rank Gordon Highlanders 1747 Private Gordon Highlanders 272193 Private You can download his Medal Index Card here: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...1&resultcount=1 You will get six cards in the download and your mans will have the numbers above. If you post it in the Soldiers section on the Forum someone will be able to help interpret what it means. His numbers indicate that he was probably initially attached to a territorial battalion. Territorial Force men initially had four digit numbers but were renumbered to six digits later in the war. When you have posted the information from the Medal Index Card you can get someone to look at the Medal Rolls (numbers are on the card) and that should tell you which battalion he was in. After that you can research what the battalion did. It is also worth getting someone or a researcher to check for his service papers at the National Archives. About 40% survived the bombing in WW2 but it is always worth a look. You can read more about this research here: http://www.1914-1918.net/ You may find that he enlisted in his local Gordon Highlanders Battalion. The TF Gordons had battalions at Aberdeen, Peterhead, Keith, Banchory and elements at Lerwick. You can read more about the Gordon Highlanders here: http://www.1914-1918.net/gordon.htm Rgds Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 26 August , 2005 Share Posted 26 August , 2005 Gale, You owe me a beer if you are ever in Australia. E-mail me the photo and I'll see what I can do with it - timdawe@bigpond.com. The MIC indicates that your grandfather was Private Walter Smith of the Gordon Highlanders. He was originally numbered 1747 but later re-numbered 272193. It appears that his original number had a /7 also attached which probably means he was a 7th Battalion man. The 7th Battalion had two formations (complete battalions) known as the 1/7th Battalion and the 2/7th Battalion known as The Deeside Highland Battalions, which were raised on Banchory. The 2/7th Battalion did not leave the UK so I would guess he was probably in the 1/7th Battalion. You should be able to confirm his battalion from the Medal Rolls. You will have to get someone in the UK to do this. He entered the was in France on 4 December 1915 and was disembodied (discharged) on the 19 March 1919. For his service he was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. His Medal Roll numbers for the 1914/15 Star and the BWM/VM are noted on the card. The notation on the bottom right of the card refers to him being re-numbered. Hope this helps. Rgds Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 26 August , 2005 Share Posted 26 August , 2005 O.K. Have also had a look at Soldiers Died in the Great War. There are no Gordon's men listed with a 6 digit number commencing 272???. I believe that the second number did not come out properly on the Medal Index Card and it is actually a 9. Hence his number is 292193. There are 87 Gordon's men listed as having a number commencing 292???. Of the 87 a total of 67 were KIA whilst serving with the 7th Battalion. I would be pretty confident your man was 7th Battalion. Rgds Tim D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gale Posted 26 August , 2005 Share Posted 26 August , 2005 O.K. Have also had a look at Soldiers Died. There are no Gordon's men listed with a 6 digit number commencing 272???. I believe that the second number did not come out properly and it is a 9. Hence his number is 292193. There are 87 Gordon's men listed as having a number commencing 292???. Of the 87 a total of 67 were KIA whilst serving with the 7th Battalion. I would be pretty confident your man was 7th Battalion. Rgds Tim D <{POST_SNAPBACK}> my grandpa didnt die in the war. he was discharged sometime after. were not sure when. he passed away in 1959 in canada. thank you tim. you have been a great help. gale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 26 August , 2005 Share Posted 26 August , 2005 Sorry Gale I should have explained more clearly, The SDGW lists all men in the British Army who died in the war. I was merely looking at numbers similar to your grandads to try and ascertain which battalion he may have been in. Most men with similar numbers served in the 1/7th Battalion, which seems to be confirmed by his original number with /7 attached to the end. Rgds Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 26 August , 2005 Share Posted 26 August , 2005 From the TF re-numbering study site: http://www.tf.1914-1918.net/TF_renumbering_infantry.htm 200001 240000 4 Gordon Highlanders Aberdeen (City) 240001 265000 5 Gordon Highlanders Aberdeen 265001 290000 6 Gordon Highlanders Aberdeen Also Banff CTA 290001 315000 7 Gordon Highlanders Aberdeen Also Kincardine CTA If the "odd" number is a 7 then he was allocated a 6th Battalion number. It may well be a "9" in which case 7th Battalion would fit. With the evidence so far I would concur with Tim as 7th Battalion. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 26 August , 2005 Share Posted 26 August , 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gale Posted 30 August , 2005 Share Posted 30 August , 2005 From the TF re-numbering study site: http://www.tf.1914-1918.net/TF_renumbering_infantry.htm 200001 240000 4 Gordon Highlanders Aberdeen (City) 240001 265000 5 Gordon Highlanders Aberdeen 265001 290000 6 Gordon Highlanders Aberdeen Also Banff CTA 290001 315000 7 Gordon Highlanders Aberdeen Also Kincardine CTA If the "odd" number is a 7 then he was allocated a 6th Battalion number. It may well be a "9" in which case 7th Battalion would fit. With the evidence so far I would concur with Tim as 7th Battalion. Steve. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> sorry for the late reply. ive been away. i just wanted to say thanks for the info and i'll go and check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gale Posted 30 August , 2005 Share Posted 30 August , 2005 <{POST_SNAPBACK}> i wanted to say thank you for fixing up the photo of my grandpa. you did a good job considering the quality of the photo. iam going to try to put the pic at the top of my post soon. cheers gale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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