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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Renfrewshire => Topic started by: orkrad on Wednesday 03 November 10 02:17 GMT (UK)
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Does anyone recognise any of the people in this very dilapidated photo? I think it dates from ww1 and I think the one marked with the X was my grandfather James McLeish (1875-1929) who was born and died in Greenock.
I understand that the 5th battalion was a Territorial Regiment attached to the Black Watch Brigade for Scottish coastal defences. They met in the Drill Hall Finnart Street Greenock.
I will work on restoring the photo later but would be interested if anyone has
any details about the soldiers in the picture
Regards Orkrad
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Hi Okrad
My grandfather James Mitchell was in this Regiment based at the drill hall. I will get my auntie to look at it and see if he is on it.
regards
Kathy
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Thanks Kathleen. I am hoping that someone else has this photo with a few names on the back. Here's hoping that I have found a photo of my grandad at long last.
I am also wondering if the Greenock Telegraph might have something about this regiment in their archives.
Orkrad.
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Hello
The telegraph may well have, but the best bet would be the Watt Library in Greenock. I am still trying to find out what my Granda's army number was!!!
Kathy
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Hi
My great grandfather John Keane was also in this regiment. He was born in 1880 in Co Mayo Ireland and died in 1962 in Kilbarchan Renfrewshire, not sure where he was based.
Werdan
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Kathleen
If you can find your granda's war medals it should have his regimental number and you can take it from there. My grandfather's medals were probably not kept as he had no particular love of things military! So that's not an avenue open to me.
Orkrad.
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Hi Werdan
Here is some info I received from Argyll and Sutherland headquarters. It refers to my grandad but since he and John Keane were in the same unit it might shed some light on his service.
"Since James Mc Phail is pictured in the 3rd / 5th Battalion then he did serve during WW1. This particular battalion was raised in 1915 and acted as a training battalion which trained men for the front as well as undertaking home defence duties. It never went to the front as a battalion in its own right. It was stationed in Greenock, Bridge of Earn in Perthsire, Ripon in England and Galashiels in the borders during the war and disbanded at the end of the war. Prior to WW1 the 5th battalion was a territorial unit made up of men who trained during the odd week night and occasionally on whatever day they were off at the weekend as well as a two week annual camp where they took part in large scale exercises. In WW1 this battalion became known as the 1st/5th and fought abroad. A 2nd/5th and 3rd/5th were raised to train men for the 1st/5th but also for some of the other Argylls battalions fighting outside of the UK. As a cook it may be the case that he spent all his time in britain (which would have been very lucky for him) but the only way to find out would be to try and obtain his service papers."
Hope it's useful. Also if you are lucky enough to have his war medals you could find out about him from the archives at Kew.
Regards Orkrad
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Have you tried sending a copy of the picture to the
Greenock Telegraph and ask them to put a copy in the paper
maybe with a bit of luck someone living local may
recognise some of the men, possible that someone may recognise a grandfather or an uncle
anything is worth a try
Elaine
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Thanks Elaine
I'm going to spend some time making the photo a bit more presentable and then I will consider contacting the Telegraph. Thanks for the suggestion.
Regards Orkrad.
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Hi Orkrad
I found out that my great grandfather John Keane was a private in the Argylls
273 PoWar Coy Labour Reg No 617998 he served in France and England.
according to his records on Ancestry he was a private and a nco
I found these records fascinating and learned a lot about him that even one of his gransons didn't know . I dont know what happened to his medals would i be able to get them from anywhere
Going to pass this information on to his grandson who is 80 years old and his memory
is starting to fade only wish i had a photo of him in his army days
Regards Werdan
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My grandpa was in the battalion as a reserve in WW1. I have just found his records along with photographs of a larger group than yours. Will look and see what information we have, it is his original papers.
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Thanks Carrie Boyd
I would be grateful for any information you have. I was told that this regiment did not serve overseas Do you have any details about where your grandad served with his regiment. You are very fortunate to have access to his personal records.
Regards Orkrad
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Hi all,
the 1/5th argylls definately served overseas, on my grandfathers marriage cert he gave his address as Sunderland (barracks) and we know that he served in Egypt and also on the western front, if my memory serves me right, the 1/5th joined with the 51st lowland division, my grandfather was a Greenock man born and bred and he died in Greenock, but I cannot trace his war record as it was one of the burnt ones.
regards
Kathy
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Will read all it says know that they did go overseas although I'm not sure if my granpa did. He was from Port Glasgow and regiment is family tradition. Will look what it says. Have you tried the regimental museum in Stirling Castle? It is my granpas original demob papers I have in original war office issue - in better condition than my passport !!
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Hi,
yes I have tried all of those with no luck, just wish I could get his army number, I have no idea where his medals went.
regards
Kathy
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Have you looked for his medal card?
That will give his regimental number.
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Hi Johnboy
I have looked for his medal card and have had no luck :'(
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Does anyone recognise any of the people in this very dilapidated photo? I think it dates from ww1 and I think the one marked with the X was my grandfather James McLeish (1875-1929) who was born and died in Greenock.
I understand that the 5th battalion was a Territorial Regiment attached to the Black Watch Brigade for Scottish coastal defences. They met in the Drill Hall Finnart Street Greenock.
I will work on restoring the photo later but would be interested if anyone has
any details about the soldiers in the picture
Regards Orkrad
The sergeant is my Great Grandfather James Dowds
Enlisted into the Greenock Volunteers in 1888 and served with them until 1911. Recalled for service in 1914 when he was, in turn, recruiting Sergeant, Cook and Regimental Postman. He was discharged in 1916 aged 52. Total service 25 years.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98346459@N00/3311334290/in/photolist-63Bsjw
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Hi Edowds
Good to hear from you. I wonder if you have any information on any of the men ( other than your great grandad ) in the photo. I am still trying to establish if the man marked with the cross was my grandad James Mc Leish. Unfortunately there are no family members left who can tell me if he is a long last relative ! There appear to be no medals or war records of James. I don't think his army experience was a very positive one and any reminders have long ago been destroyed.
Regards Orkrad
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Hi all,
the 1/5th argylls definately served overseas, on my grandfathers marriage cert he gave his address as Sunderland (barracks) and we know that he served in Egypt and also on the western front, if my memory serves me right, the 1/5th joined with the 51st lowland division, my grandfather was a Greenock man born and bred and he died in Greenock, but I cannot trace his war record as it was one of the burnt ones.
regards
Kathy
Has to be either 51st Highland Division or 52nd Lowland Division.
Imber
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Hi Edowds
Good to hear from you. I wonder if you have any information on any of the men ( other than your great grandad ) in the photo. I am still trying to establish if the man marked with the cross was my grandad James Mc Leish. Unfortunately there are no family members left who can tell me if he is a long last relative ! There appear to be no medals or war records of James. I don't think his army experience was a very positive one and any reminders have long ago been destroyed.
Regards Orkrad
Sorry Orkrad but I don't know anyone else in the photo
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Hello!
I hope this can be of some use. The gentleman in the middle is Sergant James Dowds - my great x3 Grandfather. I don't have his service number however he should be easy to find he was recruiting Sgt :) - would contact the McLean museum in greenock to see if they have any more info
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Hi there , What a surprise to get a new reply from a post I started in 2010. I have put this bit of family history on the back burner as I have had no success in finding if my Grandad did in fact serve overseas. We have no records or medals to consult. I have contacted the Argyll and Sutherland museum at Stirling Castle, the Greenock Telegraph archives and tried contacting the British Legion as one relative remembered James McLeish's funeral at the Greenock cemetery when the coffin was covered by a flag. British legion records have apparentlydisappeared so no joy there. Had a look at the Mc Lean Museum site but it doesnt appear to have any photos of local servicemen from WW1. Do you know if Is there a direct email address for the museum. As I live in New Zealand I need to access online sources to help my research. Thanks for getting in touch. Regards Orkrad.