barrieduncan Posted 20 December , 2005 Share Posted 20 December , 2005 Hi peeps, Hoping someone can help here. I have a memorial card for a Private Alexander McNeil #13982 (fought as Alexander Allan/Allen) of the 12th RSF who died of gas poisoning on the 29/8/18 at the 55th Field Hospital, France. On one of his MiC it puts him as 8th Battalion but on the family memorial card it is the 12th, so i'm not sure which one is right. I would like to know if anyone has a war diary for either battalion that makes mention of any gas attacks around august of 1918. For all I know he may have been ill for a long time or it may have been a matter of days but I need to start somewhere. Any help would be great. Also, i'm curious, if he died in a field hospital, why doesn't he have a grave? Thanks Barrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Brown Posted 20 December , 2005 Share Posted 20 December , 2005 Hi Barrie On the CWGC Website it states that he was 12th Battalion Name: McNEIL Initials: A Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment: Royal Scots Fusiliers Unit Text: 12th Bn. Age: 36 Date of Death: 29/08/1918 Service No: 13982 Additional information: (served as ALLAN). Son of Thomas and Jane Allan McNeil, of Hamilton, Lanarkshire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: II. F. 23. Cemetery: TERLINCTHUN BRITISH CEMETERY, WIMILLE Country: France Locality: Pas de Calais From the SDGW it gives the following information. Alexander Allan 13982 12th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers Born. Blantyre Enlisted. Methil, Fifeshire Resided. Hamilton Died of Wounds France and Flanders I think that is a grave reference "Grave/Memorial Reference: II. F. 23." that's shown on the CWGC comemoration. The only account I have of the 12th Battalion around the dates you say, come from The History of the RSF by John Buchan, which isn't much. May - July 1918 "The 12th royal Scots Fusiliers, in the 229th Brigade of the 74th Division, after much strenuos work in Palestine in the first months of 1918, embarked, under Lt-Col W. T. R. Houldsworth, at Alexandria on the 30th of April, and on arrival in France became part of the 94th Brigade in the 31st Division. In june and July they were in the Bailleul area, opperating under the orders of the 92nd Brigade, and for the most part engaged in patrol duties." There is no other reference to the 12th Battalion RSF after these dates. PPCLI (Stuart) Gives an indication as to which War Diarys survive here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 20 December , 2005 Share Posted 20 December , 2005 SNWM has four men of 12th Battalion died that day. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrieduncan Posted 22 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 22 December , 2005 Hi Guys, Thanks very much for your help. I had not realised that reference number was for a grave, I thought it was for a memorial, silly me I looked up the link to the other post listed and I think I will pop into the RHF museum in Glasgow to see if they can shed any further light on it all. Malcom, do you have the names of the other soldiers who died on that day? And sorry for asking but what is SNWM? Thanks again for all your help, Barrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 22 December , 2005 Share Posted 22 December , 2005 Scottish National War Memorial. http://www.snwm.org which has a searcheable database which you can search by date or number. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 22 December , 2005 Share Posted 22 December , 2005 Sorry, a total of three. Surname ALLAN Firstname Alexander Service Number 13982 Date Death 29/08/1918 Decoration Place of birth Blantyre Other 12th Bn. SNWM roll THE ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS Rank Pte Theatre of death F.& F. Surname BARNES Firstname Frank Service Number 295651 Date Death 29/08/1918 Decoration Place of birth Other 12th Bn. SNWM roll THE ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS Rank Pte Theatre of death F.& F. Surname DEMPSTER Firstname George Service Number 37943 Date Death 29/08/1918 Decoration Place of birth Govan Lanark Other latterly 26436 2/5th Bn. The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment). SNWM roll THE ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS Rank Pte Theatre of death F.& F. (probably 12th Bn) Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrieduncan Posted 23 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 December , 2005 Thanks for that Malcolm, Thats an excellent site, never even knew it existed. Barrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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