eltoro1960 Posted 3 September , 2006 Author Share Posted 3 September , 2006 Re his father's death he was refused permission to attend the funeral and sent a telegram home, it read - NOT COMING, it was a hard, hard time for the laddie I feel. Not only him, I made mention of Corporal Peter Cornwall MM 330142 Gorebridge / Newtongrange I was checking for something else and came across this Another hidden 'casualty' of war Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eltoro1960 Posted 21 September , 2006 Author Share Posted 21 September , 2006 I revisited some of my research and came across a letter home to Major W E Thorburn in which it sings the praises of James, it recalls a incident whereby the 8th RS had to relocate under shell fire and James went back for his bugle and other bits and pieces. It appears that he took a bit of chaffing from the men (in good nature) but as we say in Scotland he was a gallus laddie and gave as good as he got, I have attached the letter. James's Diary corroborates this letter and gives the date as December 15th 1914 and that a man was wounded and two horses killed. As an aside the letter appeared in the paper 4 days after the event, not bad going. I feel humble in his 'presence' Apologies for the double post, I don't know how that happened, it also appears that the letter has 'gone' , I will reinstate it as soon as I can Thats better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie Posted 4 August , 2007 Share Posted 4 August , 2007 Found This photo today Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie Posted 4 August , 2007 Share Posted 4 August , 2007 and this was under the Pic same as above from John Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryegate Posted 4 August , 2007 Share Posted 4 August , 2007 What a wonderful story. Absolutely fasinating. regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eltoro1960 Posted 4 August , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 August , 2007 What a fantastic photo Tom , very much appreciated , I have the article which is from the Advertiser but have never seen the photo, my god he is just a bairn, it makes you think what a man above his years he was. It's a good job Dycers dad didn't see this or George might not have been with us today. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 6 August , 2007 Share Posted 6 August , 2007 Yes John,I do wonder. I can only suppose my Grandfather kept an iron grip on his youngest Son. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilJamesBrockie Posted 30 September , 2007 Share Posted 30 September , 2007 Well I managed to trace the grave of James Meldrum Marchbank.by accident or design his family plot is surrounded by CWGC headstones, which I feel is fitting, it would appear he had a long and happy marriage with his wife Marion who died in 1984 aged 84, maybe they had been school friends before the war? They had a daughter Isobel who died a couple of years ago aged 71. I noticed that her married name was Brockie and that the author of James diary/book was also called Brockie, probably his Grandson. I haven't traced him but if the family were proud enough to write a book, I think we can assume that the medals are in good hands and leave at that, I'll see. RIP James Crumbs, I don't know where to start. I'm James Marchbank's Grandson and had no idea there was information in public about him. A few years ago I typed out his diary and the notes that he wrote in the 60's because his hand writing was difficult to read and I thought the rest of my family would like to see it. I have since discovered more writings and have still to find the time to "translate" his writing. I also have an audio tape of him discussing the war that was recorded by Newbattle Collage I think? I have no idea were you sourced the material from but if you are interested in him, I have a lot of memorabilia and of course his medals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eltoro1960 Posted 30 September , 2007 Author Share Posted 30 September , 2007 Crumbs, I don't know where to start. I'm James Marchbank's Grandson and had no idea there was information in public about him. A few years ago I typed out his diary and the notes that he wrote in the 60's because his hand writing was difficult to read and I thought the rest of my family would like to see it. I have since discovered more writings and have still to find the time to "translate" his writing. I also have an audio tape of him discussing the war that was recorded by Newbattle Collage I think? I have no idea were you sourced the material from but if you are interested in him, I have a lot of memorabilia and of course his medals. Interested - you better believe it ! I have read the book Voices from War which I would imagine the interview is where the material for the book came from . If you could PM me I would love to meet up. I would love to hear the voice of the man himself. Almost forgot welcome to the Forum John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilJamesBrockie Posted 30 September , 2007 Share Posted 30 September , 2007 Interested - you better believe it ! I have read the book Voices from War which I would imagine the interview is where the material for the book came from . If you could PM me I would love to meet up. I would love to hear the voice of the man himself. Almost forgot welcome to the Forum John I'll PM you shortly but here a couple of the photos I have of him during the war. Stobs Camp, Haddington. In the middle without a hat. ] Back row centre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bantamforgot Posted 30 September , 2007 Share Posted 30 September , 2007 Talking of underage soldiers ,airmen, seamen, I recall Sterling, Hobbs (Quarry cem, Montauban) also the South African Pte. David S. U. Ross, KIA 1918 age 14, wounded the year before.!! Many many more. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilJamesBrockie Posted 30 September , 2007 Share Posted 30 September , 2007 Talking of underage soldiers ,airmen, seamen, I recall Sterling, Hobbs (Quarry cem, Montauban) also the South African Pte. David S. U. Ross, KIA 1918 age 14, wounded the year before.!! Many many more. Colin A childhood friend of mine had a wonderful grandfather who served in the conflict. He claimed that he new of a lad of 12 years of age who was killed. I don't know if he knew the lad personally or whether he heard the story second hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie Posted 1 October , 2007 Share Posted 1 October , 2007 Neiljb, Thank you for sharing those great photos of the 8th Royal Scots. All, What type of hats are they wearing in the Top Photo, Never seen them on Royals before?? Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie Posted 1 October , 2007 Share Posted 1 October , 2007 John, Is the Line above the Peter Cornwall Bit "his only Niece" related to Peter??? Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eltoro1960 Posted 1 October , 2007 Author Share Posted 1 October , 2007 John, Is the Line above the Peter Cornwall Bit "his only Niece" related to Peter??? Tom From memory Tom, I don't think so but I will check the next I at the library. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 2 October , 2007 Share Posted 2 October , 2007 Neiljb, Thank you for sharing those great photos of the 8th Royal Scots. All, What type of hats are they wearing in the Top Photo, Never seen them on Royals before?? Tom Tom, They are Slouch Hats a la ANZAC.I've a pre-War Camp photo of the 8th wearing them.If we can date Neil's photo to summer 1914 it looks as if the Battalion wore them when training for France. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eltoro1960 Posted 2 October , 2007 Author Share Posted 2 October , 2007 Tom, They are Slouch Hats a la ANZAC.I've a pre-War Camp photo of the 8th wearing them.If we can date Neil's photo to summer 1914 it looks as if the Battalion wore them when training for France. George George if they are not 1914, which I suspect they are , the earliest they will be is 1913 as this is when James joined the 8th. I was wondering if the Corporal / Piper belonged to the 8th or another unit though. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 2 October , 2007 Share Posted 2 October , 2007 George if they are not 1914, which I suspect they are , the earliest they will be is 1913 as this is when James joined the 8th. I was wondering if the Corporal / Piper belonged to the 8th or another unit though. John John, You are right with the date being 1913/14. To be honest I'm not sure about the Corporal.He's wearing a kilt and appears to have a hackle.I've a photo of a young George wearing a kilt and in the band photo I can't make out if the pipers are wearing kilts. I know you and Neil are hoping to meet up.It might be worth looking at the Camp photo closely as we could be mistaking the hackle for a guy rope,etc.We both know that the 8th were brought up to strength by drafts from other Battalions/Regiments.It is possible, if it's a 1913 photo, that the Corporal attended Camp from another Regiment to give his expertise or if 1914 was drafted in to bring the Battalion up to strength. Possibly one of our uniform experts will come along and assist us. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eltoro1960 Posted 2 October , 2007 Author Share Posted 2 October , 2007 Just noticed that if you look at the picture of the bandsmen in their dress uniform, the Corporal from the camp photo appears to be the man in the middle row 1 right of centre. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilJamesBrockie Posted 2 October , 2007 Share Posted 2 October , 2007 Tom, They are Slouch Hats a la ANZAC.I've a pre-War Camp photo of the 8th wearing them.If we can date Neil's photo to summer 1914 it looks as if the Battalion wore them when training for France. George The Company went to Stobs in mid-July amid rumours of war but they were sent home. When war was declared on the 4th of August there was no time wasted calling them up. They then went to Haddington for 3 months for three months of "very hard training, the main component of which was foot slogging." I always asumed that the slouch hat picture was from either of those periods, but as he joined the Battalion in 1913 it could be earlier. Doubt it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 2 October , 2007 Share Posted 2 October , 2007 Neil, Your Photo is certainly 1913 or 1914.I can't remember the date your Grandfather joined but from the earlier postcards I have the Battalion always went to Camp in July. I'll check the date of the PC I have of the Battalion wearing the Slouch Hat.I've a feeling it's 1910/11. Assuming it is, your photo confirms they continued to wear the Slouch Hat until 1913/14. It comes as a surprise to many on the Forum that British TF Soldiers continued to wear the Slouch Hat between the Boer War and WW1 whilst at Camp in the UK. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilJamesBrockie Posted 2 October , 2007 Share Posted 2 October , 2007 Date of attestation was August 1913, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilJamesBrockie Posted 2 October , 2007 Share Posted 2 October , 2007 Neil, Your Photo is certainly 1913 or 1914.I can't remember the date your Grandfather joined but from the earlier postcards I have the Battalion always went to Camp in July. I'll check the date of the PC I have of the Battalion wearing the Slouch Hat.I've a feeling it's 1910/11. Assuming it is, your photo confirms they continued to wear the Slouch Hat until 1913/14. It comes as a surprise to many on the Forum that British TF Soldiers continued to wear the Slouch Hat between the Boer War and WW1 whilst at Camp in the UK. George One thing now that you mention the hats, is that the man standing up has the pinned up side on his right and all the others were on their left? Edit: probably being daft for the camera? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilJamesBrockie Posted 2 October , 2007 Share Posted 2 October , 2007 I've just noticed on the back of the second picture of the band (not the slouch hat one). Edit: it also shows that the photo was a cut post card, who knows if there was anything else useful on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eltoro1960 Posted 2 October , 2007 Author Share Posted 2 October , 2007 Neil , looking at the bottom left hand corner , it looks like 'ddry' , I reckon this photo was maybe take at Longniddry, not a million miles from Haddington. The picture of the AB64 paybook is crystal clear, and it states Jamse was C Coy which is the Prestonpans company, it suggest there was some re-jigging of the companies as I would have expected James to be in E or Dalkeith Company. You may well find a page that has been ripped out, this might be his will which would have been sent home 'just in case'. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now