6th or 7th Royal Highlanders?

[Ralph J. Whitehead]

Hello everyone,

I have a record of a small German raid against the British lines just outside the village of La Boisselle on the night of 8/9 August 1915. The patrol penetrated into the British trench and attacked a sentry outpost. One man was shot in the thigh and wounded by hand grenade fragments before being carried off to the German lines.

This would make the soldier captured one of the first two British prisoners taken by the Germans on the Somme, the other, a corporal, was captured by men from RIR 99 near the Ancre.

The raiding party I am looking into consisted of volunteers from RIR 109. The records indicate he was a fully equipped soldier from a Black Watch regiment. I believe that it was probably either the 6th Royal Highlanders - Perthshire, 153rd Brigade or possibly the 7th Royal Highlanders - Fife, also from the 153rd Brigade.

I was wondering if any member might have any battalion diaries or other information that mentions this raid and the loss of at least one sentry. Any information would be greatly appreciated, thanks for checking for me.

Regards,

Ralph

[Jack Sheldon]

Ralph

This individual, who was severely wounded, was from 6th Bn Black Watch. I do not know his name, but he was 22 years old, a pastry cook by trade, had been in the Territorial Army for four years and arrived in France at the beginning of May 1915. I am sending you a copy of the interrogation report on him and a member of 1st Bn East Lancashire Regiment off-Forum, but hope that the above info may help someone to come up with an identification for you.

Jack

[Ralph J. Whitehead]

Thanks Jack, thst would be great. I have always wondered who he might be, hopefully this information will help. Thanks again,

Ralph

[Simon Jones]

I have been puzzling over this raid because I have used it as the opening sequence for my book on La Boisselle! I found two anomalies. I have the Battalion and Brigade War Diary extracts and can confirm that it fell against the 6th Black Watch (the 7th were in Albert with a detachment in Becourt Redoubt). The Black Watch history (Wauchope ed.) states:

This does not square with the account in the history of RIR 109 of the raid led by Sgt Major Adler refered to by Ralph where the prisoner is wounded in the thigh, pursued into a dugout etc. I had even wondered whether Adler concocted his report of his heroic pursuit and capture of the prisoner after they conveniently found Nicholson lying in no man’s land. I think however that the claim about Nicholson being blown into the air is false as it does not exactly square with the other British accounts of the damage caused by the two German mines. Although Adler mentions British soldiers running away, the War Diaries make no mention of a raid. The troops who ran may have decided not to mention this and claimed that Nicholson had been blown in the air to conceal this.

6th Black Watch War diary 8/8/15:

“10.50pm Germans exploded mine at NE corner of Ilôt. Exploded into gallery of French counter mine & did little damage.

11.45pm another mine blown up. Whole front wrecked. parapets levelled. Two dug-outs demolished & garrisons buried. – No. 3 coy. Parties working all night repairing damage & digging out men. Enemy made no attempt to attack. Crater shelled by enemy’s trench mortars, rifle grenades and aerial torpedoes. Casualties – 1 man killed, 1 missing 14 wounded or crushed.”

153 Bde War Diary 8/8/15:

“11.45pm [sic] a small mine was exploded on right from T of Ilôt … 11.45pm [sic] Very large mine exploded on left of Ilôt blowing in parapet & burying men in two shelters. This mine also blew in & destroyed part of German trench opposite. Mine was followed by Whizz bangs, Bombs & Rifle grenades, but trench was cleared of debris & men dug out. Result 1 killed, 1 missing, 8 wounded. The wounded were all injured by shelters wh fell in thro force of explosion. No warning was given by French Sappers.”

CWGC records confirm that Nicholson later died in German captivity and was buried by them. However, the second complication is that Nicholson was the assumed name of William McCorist:

Name: McCORIST

Initials: W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

Unit Text: 6th Bn.

Age: 21

Date of Death: 12/08/1915

Service No: 1727

Additional information: (Served as NICHOLSON). Son of John and Ann McCorist, of 61, East High St., Crieff, Perthshire.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Flers Mem. 1.

Cemetery: A.I.F. BURIAL GROUND, FLERS

The medal card for 'William Nicholson' shows that he went overseas on 2 May 1915, as did the rest of the 6th Black Watch.

His age almost matches with Jack’s interrogation report. Does all this hinge on whether Nicholson/ McCorist was a pastry chef?

Jack – I would love a copy of the interrogation report.

Regards

Simon

[Jack Sheldon]

Simon

I've sent it to you separately. Please let me know that you have received it safely and that it is legible.

Jack

[Simon Jones]

Received, thanks Jack, you'll have got my email.

Regards

Simon

[Ralph J. Whitehead]

Thanks Simon, This is great information. According to RIR 109 the mine explosions were being used as diversions while the 7-8 man patrol entered the British trench, spotted several sentries and called for their surrender, in French no less, then when one sentry ran off the other, the PoW came forth at first then ran off, this is where he was shot with the pistol. After ducking into the dugout the patrol leader tossed a hand grenade in and found the sentry on the ground where he was taken away.

This all of course took place some distance from the diversionary mines.

Per Jack Sheldon's document the prisoner was somewhat talkative and even though severely wounded he was positive of an eventual British victory.

I want to thank everyone for their input and information, especially Jack for the document he sent over, made for great reading. it has helped to piece together a brief event in a very large war.

Thanks again everyone.

Ralph