Help needed Cameron Highlanders

[robin morley]

Hello Everyone.

My Local primary school have an ongoing project to research all those named on our war memorial at Errogie, Highlands. So far research has been successful on all named with the exception of the two below about which little has been discovered.

Being aware of the depth of expertise on this forum I was hoping that you could help put some flesh on the bones of these two soldiers.

Many Thanks

Robin

Donald McGILLIVRAY (LOCHGARTHSIDE ) "Private, Cameron Highlanders ({ from Commonwealth War Graves Commission} Rank: Private Service No: S/23862 Date of Death: 28/04/1917 Regiment/Service: Cameron Highlanders 7th Bn. Panel Reference Bay 9. Memorial ARRAS MEMORIAL. Only name on CWGC to fit )


"William CAMPBELL (ERROGIE) " Bugler, Cameron Highlanders ( 4 possibilities { from Commonwealth War Graves Commission} service number 1652 drummer ,16202, S/17970 ,5527)

[Adrian Stevenson]

Medal card index for Donald

[Adrian Stevenson]

.

[robin morley]

Thanks Adrian, Would anyone have any ideas where preferably on-line I could source the unit diaries to trace the units activity on the days both lads died.

[ynot]

They can be downloaded on ancestry, unfortunately I'm no longer a member so can't help you out however, they're also available on the national archive site for a fee. The NA appears to be offline at the moment so I can't add a link to the correct page.

Tony

[ynot]

Robin, the NA site is working again, here's a link for the 7/Cameron Highlanders diary covering 1915 to 1918 7 Battalion Cameron Highlanders | The National Archives

And the Cameron Highlanders in general The National Archives | Search results:cameron highlanders

Tony

[robin morley]

Thanks Tony that is truly superb.

[Aberdeen Medals]

Hi Robin,

While - earlier today - researching one of the 'William Campbells' in your opening post (No S/17970 of 5 Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders), I came across your request for a positive ID of Bugler William Campbell whose name appears on the Errogie War Memorial.

If you do not already know, I can now categorically affirm that none of the below following options are 'Your' man;

- S/17970: Was born in Parish of Barony, Glasgow, Scotland circa 1880 (ref various sets of service papers held at The National Archives)
- 16202: Was a native of Falkirk, Scotland (ref Soldiers Died in the Great War)
- 5527: Was a native of Edinburgh, Scotland (ref Soldiers Died in the Great War)

'Your' man is almost certainly, without any doubt, 1652 'Drummer' William Campbell

Note in the era of the Great War 'all' Drummers in British Army infantry regiments, were also trained as buglers. In the case of your man, on-line records for him show him variously as 'Drummer' (C.W.G.C. / Medal Index Card), or 'Bugler' (Registers of Soldiers Effects 1901-1929 / Soldiers Died in the Great War). In all the aforementioned sources the exact same regimental number is shown, viz 1652 - so no question that Drummer / Bugler William Campbell is one and the same man, here being positively identified.

Downside is that no complete service records exist, or are extant for 1652 William Campbell to confirm his place of birth, however 'Soldiers Died in the Great War' does show his place of birth as 'Inverness, Inversness-shire'........

On checking the entry for 1652 William Campbell in 'Registers of Soldiers Effects 1901-1929', his next of kin to whom monies were sent are shown as being;

- Father: Murdock (sp) Campbell
- Brother: Murdock (sp) Campbell
- Sister: Margaret Campbell

In my opinion the use of 'Murdock' as the form of spelling, is most uncommon for a name usually seen recorded in Scotland as 'Murdoch', so here allow for some slack with the names as presented by the clerk who recorded those details........

Further research into local registers / census returns will almost certainly nail and corroborate all what I have presented above as a positive ID for your William Campbell.

Interestingly, I note that both of the medal roll entries for 1652 William Campbell, show that the medals awarded posthumously and sent to his nominated next of kin (the names listed above) were 'Returned' to the issuing authority on 2 June 1923. Indicating that the main nominee NOK was no longer resident at the address held / given earlier at the time the NOK nominations were made. This is not uncommon with NOK in relatively isolated Highland communities. I checked the corresponding Medal Index Card, and it confirms that the war medals were received as 'Returned' by the issuing authority - sadly I can see no further notation to affirm that the medals were ever subsequently re-claimed.........and if so, they would have been scrapped at a later date!

I hope you find the above useful in your research.

As information.

Mark

[robin morley]

Thank you Mark, Thats superb.