What do I do now?

[AnnieMack]

Right, I know his name, his parents, his regiment, his date and place of death and now that there are 4 items held in respect of his soldier's will/pay book.

How can I see these items - do I need to take the reference to Kew?

Annie

[DavidWW]

Right, I know his name, his parents, his regiment, his date and place of death and now that there are 4 items held in respect of his soldier's will/pay book.

How can I see these items - do I need to take the reference to Kew?

Annie

If you post the details, particularly the regiment and date and place of death we be better able to help you.

The "4 items" are held where?

David

[AnnieMack]

From the NAS website:

CountryCode GB
RepCode 234
RefNo SC70/8/635/4
Repository National Archives of Scotland
Title Will of 11118 Guardsman Private David INNES, or 2nd, Scots Guards. Cause of death: Killed in action, Belgium, France and Flanders, 31 July 1917
Date 23 Feb 1915
Extent 4 items
Description Formal will from Pay Book (Army Form B.243) War Office refs: E/427654/1, 330/568197/17/18
AccessStatus Open

Does this help?

Annie

[DavidWW]

From the NAS website:

CountryCode GB
RepCode 234
RefNo SC70/8/635/4
Repository National Archives of Scotland
Title Will of 11118 Guardsman Private David INNES, or 2nd, Scots Guards. Cause of death: Killed in action, Belgium, France and Flanders, 31 July 1917
Date 23 Feb 1915
Extent 4 items
Description Formal will from Pay Book (Army Form B.243) War Office refs: E/427654/1, 330/568197/17/18
AccessStatus Open

Does this help?

Annie

Very much so

I didn't realise that you were talking about material at NAS, - a soldier's will.

You need first to ask NAS for copies, - email them for a quote.

The NAS material should also show his regimental number (you may already have that above, - the "11118", - but I'm not familiar with the full detailed layout of these NAS records).

Armed with that, you then need to check with TNA at Kew if there are any surviving records for him. If he only served in WWI then it's a lottery as to whether his records survived German bombing of a repository in WWII; but be aware that, even if there are extant records, the level of detail is much less than for equivalent peacetime records. You may have to visit Kew yourself, or engage the services of a researcher, as TNA will not carry out research for enquirers, - consult their electronic indexes, yes (and quote you for copies), but research no.

If he had also served in the army before WWI, then there's a better chance of records, quite detailed, having survived.

David

[AnnieMack]

Thanks David - email now winging its way to NAS.

Annie....keeping everything crossed that it's not over my pocket money limit! [-o<

[rivergazer]

Annie

Have you checked your Scots Guardsman on CWGC. The date indicates he was killed at the 3rd Battle of Ypres. The Guards Division fought alongside the 51st Highland Division. It is said, there are more Scots soldiers buried around Ypres than in any other part of France & Flanders. Here is a link to the battle:


http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~dccfa ... 0Ypres.htm

[AnnieMack]

Thanks for that, it is good to see the detail in the map and photos.

annie

[DavidWW]

I thought that I had some info on Scottish involvement at 3rd Ypres, but it turns out that I don't.

I was hoping that I had something equivalant to:

Loos 1915
36 battalions out of 72 were Scottish
Final casualties 2,466 officers and 59,247 other ranks killed, 1/3rd Scottish

Arras April/May 1917
44 Scottish, plus 7 Canadian Scottish battalions were in action on the first day alone.

David

[rivergazer]

Yes, everyone goes on about the Somme (1916), but Loos was the first great battle of WW1, with some authors refering to it as the 'Scottish' battle.

That's a huge Scottish commitment of troops at Arras too, David. Also with much loss of life.

Sorry! I don't have the figures for the Scots losses at Passchendale.

[DavidWW]

For others' info, 3rd Ypres was possibly better known as Passchendale.

David