Guest jock075850 Posted 6 February , 2006 Share Posted 6 February , 2006 My grandad John Crawford was born on 8th February 1894 in Maryhill Glasgow. He served in WW1 as a Private in A company 4/5 Battalion of the Royal Highlanders His army number was 13193. He died suddenly in 1953 aged 59, I was just a kid aged 8 years old and cannot really remember him, I do know he had lots of medals (now missing) from his time in the army and seem to remember some relative say that he may have been a sniper? My own late father (his son) and his wife (my late gran) never spoke much about his army service and I am desperate to find out more about him and his service in WW! to pass on to younger members of the family. If anyone can through any light from the above information I would be most appreciative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 6 February , 2006 Share Posted 6 February , 2006 If you go to the Long Long Trail see top left of screen ... go to army organisation/then infantry/then Royal Highlanders .. that will get you the various Bns. Once there check out 4/5th - will give you the division. From there you can find out which actions they were involved in .. after that you'll know the lie of the land! And I bet the Scottish clan on forum will wade in with swift details. Best wishes Des Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom A McCluskey Posted 6 February , 2006 Share Posted 6 February , 2006 Jock, Here are all th medal cards for soldiers with the surname Crawford that served in the Black Watch during the First World War: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...r=1&querytype=1 I could not find him. Someone may have an entry on a different source. Hope this helps Tom McC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 6 February , 2006 Share Posted 6 February , 2006 Medal card of Crawford, Peter Corps: Seaforth Highlanders Regiment No: S/13793 Rank: Private... Note the number .. is there any chance he may also have had the name Peter? The number could have been mistaken ie. 13793 = 13193? Just a thought, still hoking around! Can't explain the Seaforths though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 6 February , 2006 Share Posted 6 February , 2006 I've checked all the 13193 numbers via MICs .. no joy. Where did you get the number from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jock075850 Posted 9 February , 2006 Share Posted 9 February , 2006 I've checked all the 13193 numbers via MICs .. no joy. Where did you get the number from? Many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply to my query. The army number came from his wedding certificate as he married while still serving and before he was discharged His wedding to my Gran took place in Dumbarton on 23rd March 1918. Unfortunately I am in the middle of moving house and the certificate is packed away with my other papers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jock075850 Posted 9 February , 2006 Share Posted 9 February , 2006 Medal card of Crawford, Peter Corps: Seaforth Highlanders Regiment No: S/13793 Rank: Private... Note the number .. is there any chance he may also have had the name Peter? The number could have been mistaken ie. 13793 = 13193? Just a thought, still hoking around! Can't explain the Seaforths though! Don't think, in fact pretty sure, that he did not have Peter in his name. I shall try and get in touch with an old cousin of his who is in his nineties to find out if he was in the Seaforths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 9 February , 2006 Share Posted 9 February , 2006 Ain't easy this game! Any other documents, pics etc which might give members clues? Best wishes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPCLI Posted 9 February , 2006 Share Posted 9 February , 2006 Ain't easy this game! And it's not made any easier when it's probably the online records that are fault. It's interesting to note that although 66 men by the name of Crawford served with the Black Watch during WW1, none of them were named John. Several Jonathan's are returned, but no-one with the more common name of John. In fact, search with "John Crawford" across the whole of the MICs and it only returns 19 hits - search with the less common forename James and 256 MICs are returned. Most of the John Crawfords that are returned are either WO372/23 or 24 (i.e., gallantry MICs) or John is the soldier's middle name. It would appear that most of the "John Crawford" records have not been uploaded onto the database. I have previously informed the National Archives about the exact same uploading error involving "William Campbell" MICs. The National Archives were informed in July 2005, but the database has yet to be updated due to "technical issues". Pte. John Crawford, 13193, 4/5th Bn. Royal Highlanders, will have a MIC but it will have to be checked on microfiche at Kew. If at Kew, it would almost be as easy just to go straight to the medal rolls. These examples should also be used as a cautionary tale when us researchers "can't find our man" - he's not really 'not there', he's just the shy, retiring type who is inhabiting the microfiche world, rather than the brave, new (and not faultless) digital world. Hope this helps, Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 9 February , 2006 Share Posted 9 February , 2006 Excellent piece of advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredJCarss Posted 11 February , 2006 Share Posted 11 February , 2006 Stuart Two BW men were killed with the name JOHN CRAWFORD. 2312 CONTAY BRITISH CEMETERY, Son of James and Jane Crawford, of Dalgairn Lodge, Cupar, Fife, Age 25, "F" Coy. HE'S IN ARBROATH ROLL OF HONOUR, CQMS. 5th Bn Published in the wounded lists 22/08/1916 & 08/06/1915 & 2866 LOOS MEMORIAL 8th Bn Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jock075850 Posted 11 February , 2006 Share Posted 11 February , 2006 He was most definitely John Crawford and may be one of those records that are just missing online, I know he survived the war, he came out of the army and was a milkman for a while, he then became a miner and in the early twenties he played on the wing for Partick Thistle. He was known to his team mates as Whitey because of his shock of blond hair. He then went to Sheffield for a while and his eldest son John Logan was born there, he returned to Scotland and settled in Dumbarton where his wife's folks were. He then went to Tillicouldtry where a lot of his family stayed and remained there to his death in 1952. A mate on another site, and on here as Galatea, has done some digging for me and came up with a huge amount of information about his regiment and what happened to them during the war. It seems the Black Watch went through a pretty horrendous time at Ypres in 1917. I would like to thank everyone who has tried to shed some light on my granddad. You have all been very kind and when I do discover what became of his war records I shall certainly come back and update you all. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom A McCluskey Posted 14 February , 2006 Share Posted 14 February , 2006 Jock, It could be worth getting in touch with Balhousie Castle to find out if he is on the Muster Roll for the 4th or 5th battalion then the 4/5. These were the Dundee and Angus battalions of the Black Watch. Anyway, here is what the 4/5th battalion was up to during the war (from the appendix of their diary) Hope this helps Tom McC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jock075850 Posted 17 February , 2006 Share Posted 17 February , 2006 Jock, It could be worth getting in touch with Balhousie Castle to find out if he is on the Muster Roll for the 4th or 5th battalion then the 4/5. These were the Dundee and Angus battalions of the Black Watch. Anyway, here is what the 4/5th battalion was up to during the war (from the appendix of their diary) Hope this helps Tom McC Thanks Tom and others for all their help. I shall have to go to Kew and see what I can find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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