WW1 recruitment offices in Argyll.

[doddie]

Does anyone know (or know where I can find out) where abouts in the Argyll area the various army recruitment offices were during the First World War? My late grandfather was living in Ardrishaig when he enlisted in late 1916 and it indicates on his attestation papers that they were signed in Ardrishaig. I suppose the recruitment office may just have been the local village hall but it would be nice to know for certain.

Regards

Doddie

[Currie]

Hello Doddie,

I suspect the “Recruiting Office” arrangements would have changed over the course of the War. Early in the War at least the individual regiments seem to have been drumming up their own recruits.

What was the actual date he enlisted, in which regiment and battalion, and what was the name and rank of the officer who witnessed or signed the enlistment document.

From The Scotsman, 30 July 1915.
RECRUITING IN ARGYLLSHIRE.
The Marquis of Breadalbane, Lord-Lieutenant of Argyll, and Major Alexander J. M. Bennett, secretary of the county Territorial Force Association, have now completed a successful recruiting tour through Mull, Iona, Coll, and Tiree in the interests of the conty [County?] battalion”

So there’s a recruiting tour, and I’ve seen mention in the Scotsman of recruiting marches, of recruiting parties wandering about, and of recruiting meetings being held. Nothing is coming up in the search for the recruiting Ardrishaig combination. Maybe it was one of these recruiting drives that passed through Ardrishaig and collected recruits along the way and there was no permanent or semi-permanent setup in the town.

The second half of this page has some information about wartime recruitment. http://www.1914-1918.net/recruitment.htm

All the best,
Alan

[doddie]

Hi Alan, thanks for taking the time to reply to what is a rather mundane inquiry. My grandfather originally signed up on 28th November 1916. His first regiment was the Lovat Scouts (before transferring to the Cameron Highlanders later the next year). The name of the witness to the signing of the attestation papers was, as best as I can make out, William Lachllan (no rank given). The section relating to "CERTIFICATE OF MAGISTRATE OR ATTESTING OFFICER" was filled in by a D. Strang who may have been Duncan Strang, a local J.P. whose name cropped up regularly in the local newspaper (The Argyllshire Advertiser and Loch Fyneside Echo) during my research. That's about all the detail there is on my grandfather's initial recruitment.

Regards

Doddie

[Currie]

Hello Doddie,

I’m sorry to say that I haven’t really got anywhere with this. Maybe if there was some sort of military establishment in Ardrishaig during WW1 the recruitment formalities would have been carried out there. Just prior to WW1 H Squadron of the 2nd Scottish Horse stationed at Connell, Argyll, appears to have had a detachment at Ardrishaig but I don’t know if that’s relevant.

All the best,
Alan

[Adam Brown]

originally signed up on 28th November 1916.

Doddie

I don't think this helps but conscription was introduced in early 1916 so the place in Ardrishaig may not have been a recruitment office. It may have been somewhere he signed something as a formality perhaps. e.g. a Police Station?

His first regiment was the Lovat Scouts (before transferring to the Cameron Highlanders later the next year).

The front line units of the Lovat Scouts merged to become 10th Bn Cameron Highlanders in September 1916. They were still uniformed as Lovat Scouts. Which battalion of Camerons did he serve in?

Adam

[doddie]

Hi Adam, he served with the 6th battalion Cameron highlanders. Soon after he joined the Lovat Scouts he was transferred to the Lovat Scouts 1st Yeomanry Cyclist Regiment. He was based for a time in the Suffolk area (Gorelston/Southwold?) where he then transferred to the C. Highlanders and then headed for France. I know I am digressing a bit from my original query. It becomes a bit of a habit after a while.

Regards

Doddie