Ann
His records could be amongst the burnt records, or they might even have been destroyed in the WW2 bombings. I'm not sure if they have completed the 'W's' at Ancestry/National archives.
Here is some excerpts of your soldier’s Great War history:
The book called ‘The History of The Black Watch in the Great War, volume three, New Army’, gives the history of the 10th Black Watch. Walter served with the 10th Battalion from its arrival in France until it was disbanded in September, 1918. As his MIC shows his rank was ‘Sergeant’, on entry into France, thus the photo of him as a Corporal must have been taken sometime before his entry into France.
He started off in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, The Black Watch, stationed in Perth. And, one can only presume, that on the formation of the 10th Battalion, or soon after, Walter was posted to them. The 10th Battalion was formed at the beginning of September 1914. By 20th September some 400 men were sent to Shrewton in Wiltshire, where the 10th would form part of the 77th Infantry Brigade alongwith the 12th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, 11th Scottish Rifles & 8th Royal Scots Fusiliers. The Brigade pitched camp in a low-lying meadow near Codford St. Mary. In November, the 10th Battalion moved to Bristol. The book (quoted above) written by General Wauchope states: “The citizens of Bristol vied with each other in hospitality to both officers and men...” In March 1915, the Brigade was ordered to camp at Sutton Veny, near Warminster, Wiltshire, and were soon engaged in field exercises. Similar camps extended ... and for the first time the whole of the 26th Division was concentrated, making it possible to carry out Divisional exercises.
The 10th Battalion sailed from Folkestone to Boulogne on 20th September, 1915, arriving near midnight ... and so began their time in France. They were held in reserve at the Battle of Loos (25th September, 1915); thereafter they played their part in trench warfare until their move to Salonika, commencing 10th November 1915 ... returning to France via Italy in July, 1918.
On disbandment, the companies and various individuals of the 10th were sent to other battalions of the regiment. On 29th September 1918, CSM White (among others) received orders to join the 14th Battalion, The Black Watch, who had taken part in a number of actions since their return to France from Egypt in April 1915.
The first three companies of the 10th Battalion left camp at Abancourt on 1st October 1918 to join their respective battalions among them was ‘C’ Company Sergeant-Major White. On 15th October, the disbandment of the 10th Battalion was reported to the 197th Brigade.
14th Battalion: On 2nd October 1918 it moved to Locon, then to Herlies on the 4th October for 10 days; then into the front line at Ligny, relieving the 12th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry (SLI). October 15th – a slight advance was made east of Ligny and the following day had pushed forward to the outskirts of Haubordin (suburb of Lille). On 17 October, “the crossing of the Haute Deule canal was secured and the 74th Division again advanced, the 14th Battalion moving to Petit Ronchin, then the next day to Ascq (on the Lille-Tournai road), eventually reaching Marquin on the 21st”.
At this time the Division was advancing on a one-battalion front, and on the 22nd, the 14th battalion took over the outpost line in front of Orcq from the 12th SLI. By this time the enemy resistance was stiffening, their trenches being well-wired and strongly manned. The advance continued ... Tournai was evacuated by the Germans on 9th November when the 231st Brigade passed through it and formed a bridgehead east of the town, with the 55th Division on its right, and the 57th on its left, the 230th occupying the town, whilst the 229th moved forward to Lamian.
The next day, the 14th Battalion, “with the remainder of the 229th Brigade, marched through Tournai, where it had a tremendous reception, the skirl of the pipes and the sight of the kilted soldiers moving the population to great enthusiasm” .... The advance eastward was continued on the 11th (Nov), and the 14th Battalion had reached the main road just west of Frasnes, when at 10.40 am, the Brigade Major brought the news that an Armistice had been signed and would come into force at 11 am ... (and still their movements continue) .... On December 16th demobilisation commenced throughout the winter of 1918 and into the following Spring. In March 1919, 100 men were sent to the 8th Battalion, and half a dozen officers to the 6th, then in the Army of the Rhine .... (the history continues ....)
However, Walter’s MIC bears testimony that he was demobilised (disembodied) on 20th January, 1919.
Thank you Ann for bringing to our attention one of the lesser known battalions of The Black Watch, Royal Highland Regiment, (The Gallant Forty Twa).
Regards
Anne
