WWI - Can I prove we are related?

Rockford · Post by **Rockford** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:03 pm

Hi everyone,

I have a hunch that I may have found a relation who died at Loos on 25/09/1915. The soldier's name was Peter HUNTER and he was born in New Monkland, although he enlisted in Kirkcaldy. He served as a Private with the Black Watch (9th Batt)/(Royal Highlanders).

My relation was born in March 1883 in Airdrie but I know that by 1906 he had an Auntie and Uncle living in and around Kirkcaldy.

I haven't been able to find a date of birth or family information for the Peter Hunter killed in WWI, so does anyone know where I should begin to look, so that I can establish if they are the same person?

Thanks

Brian

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:07 pm

Does the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site give any info on next of kin?

Any army papers that survive at TNA at Kew might give more info, but a proportion were destroyed by bombing during WWII. The TNA medal cards are reported as occasionally having an address on the reverse side (not digitised, - the reverse side, that is).

Have you tried the NAS database on soldiers' wills?

David

Rockford · Post by **Rockford** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:33 pm

You're a star!

DavidWW wrote:Does the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site give any info on next of kin?

No. BUT....

DavidWW wrote:Have you tried the NAS database on soldiers' wills?

He's there - An informal will in his Pay Book. I would never have thought to look for him here.

A wee trip to Edinburgh, methinks!

Best wishes

Brian

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:43 pm

Rockford wrote:You're a star!

DavidWW wrote:Does the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site give any info on next of kin?

No. BUT....
DavidWW wrote:Have you tried the NAS database on soldiers' wills?
He's there - An informal will in his Pay Book. I would never have thought to look for him here.

A wee trip to Edinburgh, methinks!

Best wishes

Brian

And does his soldier's will name a next-of-kin ?

David

Post by **Pandabean** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:47 pm

Another way to find information out about him is to contact the local library for that area to see if a death notice was put in. For the case of my two Greenlees brothers what confirmed it was the parents names and the area.

Regarding the Will, again in my case I managed to get a copy of one and it had very little. He said he left it all to his mother at "address". It might be helpful in determining an address or area.

Also it may be useful to visit the Great War Forum. They are very helpful over there and may be able to dig some more information up on him.

Andy

Rockford · Post by **Rockford** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:24 pm

David,

I can't access the image from the NAS website. There's no next of kin information listed next to the entry in the catalogue. I'm going to have to look at the original in Edinburgh.

Andy,

Even an address would be superb [-o< . I've got relations in Fife, so I'll maybe bribe them to check the archives of the local paper....

Brian

rivergazer · Post by **rivergazer** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:30 pm

Hi

It's a pity, the CWGC site has 'age unknown' for your Peter Hunter. At least it is good to know that he has an actual grave. He is buried at Philosphe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe. His Grave Ref: III. H. 15.

This cemetery is not too far from the village of Loos-En-Gohelle. My grandfather died at the same Battle of Loos, 25th September, 1915. He is one of the many missing named on a panel at Dud Corner cemetery. I am hoping to visit again later this year. Hopefully might get a photo your man's grave for you.

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:24 pm

Hi Brian
An option might be to contact NAS and ask the cost of either a photocopy or a digitised version of the will - I think they were digitising "on demand" at one point, maybe still are: if a particular one was asked for it was done ahead of those which were not asked for, with the eventual aim being digital copies of all of them.

Best wishes
Lesley

p.s. but you can pretend you did not read this if you were looking forward to a wee trip to Edinburgh!!

Post by **Pandabean** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:43 pm

As Lesley said it might be worth seeing if they will do a photocopy of it. I got my last will a couple months back without a problem.

Just wanted to point you to extra information on the Black Watch, 9th Btn.

http://www.1914-1918.net/blackwatch.htm
9th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Perth, 13 September 1914, as part of K2. September 1914 : attached to 44th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. 7 February 1918 : transferred to 46th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. 19 May 1916 : reduced to cadre strength. 21 May 1918 : transferred to 118th Brigade, 39th Division. 17 June 1918 : transferred to 16th Division. 19 June 1918 : reconstituted, absorbing the 15th Bn. 2 July 1918 : transferred to 47th Brigade, 16th Division.

Rockford · Post by **Rockford** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:11 pm

Thanks everyone for your help.

Rivergazer - Thanks for the offer of a photograph. I'll let you know if I establish that the two Peter Hunters are the same person.

Andy - thanks for the link. I've looked at the 1914-1918 site before in general terms, but could get sidetracked for hours..

Lesley

$ I'm a refugee from the Lothians and can only pop over the border occasionally. Don't tell anyone that you can get copies without the trip - my wife could find out.......

Brian