Black Watch

[bigiain1968]

Hi all

Could anyone please advise me on the meaning of some insignia that appears on a picture of my granfather that i have recently aquired.

The insingnia is in the form of a chevron and two barrs which appear on his left hand forearm.

Any information provided would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Iain

[Tom A McCluskey]

Big Iain,

Looks like a Good Conduct Stripe (the upside-down Lance Corporal's stripe on the left forearm), and the two vertical lines on the left cuff are wound stripes which makes the photo at least 1916.

Iain, could you post a larger photo of his upper arms and his Division might be able to be recognised.

Hope this helps

Tom McC

[bigiain1968]

Hi all

After going into more detail i realize the vast knowledge held by your members so i though i would add a little more detail in the hope that some of your members could possible provide me more information on my granfathers service in the black watch during WW1.

The information i have is that my grandfather (Andrew Burgess from Kirkcaldy Fife) served in the BW during WW1.

Within his time in the black watch he was injured on two occasions.

There is also a story of him being on board a troop ship approaching Alexandria when the ship was torpedoed and he ended up abandoning the ship and spending sometime in the sea before being rescued only for the rescue ship to be torpedoed and he found himself in the sea for a second time.

Any information that could be provided would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Iain

[Tom A McCluskey]

Iain,

Is this your man here:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=1

Aye

Tom McC

[Rob Bulloch]

Iain

I am thinking he may have been on the Troopship Aragon and then HMS Attack both of these ships were sunk in Alexandria Dec 31st 1917. there are several posts regarding this incident. go to search on the forum and put in Aragon and a whole load of stuff will come up.

Cheers Rob.

[Tom A McCluskey]

Iain,

If the MIC is your man, then he is a Black Watch TF man, originally with the 5th (Angus & Dundee) Bn The Black Watch.

Aye

Tom McC

[bigiain1968]

Iain,

If the MIC is your man, then he is a Black Watch TF man, originally with the 5th (Angus & Dundee) Bn The Black Watch.

Aye

Tom McC

Well Well Well

What can i say i cant thank you guys enough my old mum will just love this information especially when delivered on such poignant day as tommorow.

Thanks a million for you're help,

Iain

[Tom A McCluskey]

Iain,

It is possible that your man was going out as a reinforcement to the 2nd Bn The Black Watch in Mesopotamia. This was quite usual, regardless of the fact that he was in the Territorial Force. Please follow the link below for a free copy of With a Highland regiment in Mesopotamia (pdf etc.) - about the 2nd Battalion under Wauchope. Hard copies are available as a re-print through normal internet book purchasing companies:

http://www.archive.org/details/highlandregiment00blamuoft

Hope this helps

Aye

Tom McC

[bigiain1968]

Iain,

It is possible that your man was going out as a reinforcement to the 2nd Bn The Black Watch in Mesopotamia. This was quite usual, regardless of the fact that he was in the Territorial Force. Please follow the link below for a free copy of With a Highland regiment in Mesopotamia (pdf etc.) - about the 2nd Battalion under Wauchope. Hard copies are available as a re-print through normal internet book purchasing companies:

http://www.archive.org/details/highlandregiment00blamuoft

Hope this helps

Aye

Tom McC

Hi Tom and thanks again for youre help,

This information would add up as i was aware he was in france before heading east,

Kindest regards,

Iain

[bigiain1968]

Hi Tom and thanks again for youre help,

This information would add up as i was aware he was in france before heading east,

Kindest regards,

Iain

Hi all i finally got hold of the medal card could anyone please advise me on the content of the card,

Thanks,

Iain

[Black Watch]

Not much on this one. His original number (3768) and after renumbering (241?99). His medals (British War and Victory Medal) and the medal roll numbers. No Star medal which suggests he didn't go overseas until 1916 at earliest.

Neil

[Tom A McCluskey]

Iain,

It's a shame but some of the MICs do not have a great deal on them, considering you have just paid £3.50 for the download. Unfortunately, that is all of the record that some have due to a couple of unfortunate occurrences. The Luftwaffe bombing London did for many of the service records, and somebody at the PRO burned the casualty clearing records in the 1980s. With 2 wound stripes on his arms, possibly Andrew's records amongst them.

The best place for any additional information is the local paper. All of the big towns in Forfarshire had newspapers and it is worth checking in the papers for information on Andrew. Saying that, after about mid-1916 information on specific unit's location and identity tends to be obscured - I would think likely for operational security reasons.

Does Andrew have any other indications of formation on his upper arms or collar? Such as: shapes or material of a different shade etc., as this may give an indication of the unit he was serving with at the time of the photograph.

3768:- is his initial Regimental number

241199:- The Territorial Force was re-numbered about January 1917. His new Regimental number indicates that he is with the 5th Bn The Black Watch. He would keep this number, regardless of which battalion he was allocated to.

R. Highrs:- Royal Highlanders, the official name for The Black Watch

Victory & British are the medals he was awarded. The annotation beside this indicates the reference to the medal roll. These are at the National Archives in Kew.

That's about it really, anyway, I hope this is of use

Aye

Tom McC

[bigiain1968]

Iain,

It's a shame but some of the MICs do not have a great deal on them, considering you have just paid £3.50 for the download. Unfortunately, that is all of the record that some have due to a couple of unfortunate occurrences. The Luftwaffe bombing London did for many of the service records, and somebody at the PRO burned the casualty clearing records in the 1980s. With 2 wound stripes on his arms, possibly Andrew's records amongst them.

The best place for any additional information is the local paper. All of the big towns in Forfarshire had newspapers and it is worth checking in the papers for information on Andrew. Saying that, after about mid-1916 information on specific unit's location and identity tends to be obscured - I would think likely for operational security reasons.

Does Andrew have any other indications of formation on his upper arms or collar? Such as: shapes or material of a different shade etc., as this may give an indication of the unit he was serving with at the time of the photograph.

3768:- is his initial Regimental number

241199:- The Territorial Force was re-numbered about January 1917. His new Regimental number indicates that he is with the 5th Bn The Black Watch. He would keep this number, regardless of which battalion he was allocated to.

R. Highrs:- Royal Highlanders, the official name for The Black Watch

Victory & British are the medals he was awarded. The annotation beside this indicates the reference to the medal roll. These are at the National Archives in Kew.

That's about it really, anyway, I hope this is of use

Aye

Hi Tom

Thanks again for youre help, the option of the old newspapers is a interesting thought as i do love a look through the micro film at the local library,

As you can see i have cleaned the picture up and added a little colour via photoshop, while fixing the picture i had a good look around his sholders but nothing obvious showing.

Anyway thanks again for youre help,

Iain

Tom McC