The Black Watch

[Circam]

Can anyone help. My wifes grandfather, now long gone, told his family he served in the Black Watch during the first world war. He was born and brought up in southern england, never having been to Scotland, is it possible that as a young 18 year english boy he could have been in the B W regiment ? or is this a figment of his imagination? Apparently he specialised as a sniper.

[scrimnet]

Have you seen this thread??

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,344344.0.html

[failsafe]

Along the lines of scrimnet I would agree that it was not unusual for civilians to enlist, or at least request, for a certain Regiment posting, in much the same way today that people enlist from different parts of the country to belong to certain (famed) Regiments. The Black Watch may well have been a preference,
just my opinion.

failsafe

[atom12]

Hi Circam

It was not unusual for young men from England to join Scottish regiments.  The reasons are many not withstanding the distance between their mother and the depot of the regiment they were joining. 

Remembering also amongst the other reasons given, that the Victorian era had a long reign in GB, well past her death and thus there was a certain romanticism regarding joining a Highland regiment.

If you want some more information, can you give more details on your young soldiers name, date of birth, birthplace, etc. 

[Circam]

Thanks:

Jack Charles Painton.
B Circa 1896, Great Shefford- Berkshire England

[atom12]

Circam

Have searched for your Jack on the medal index cards both on Ancestry and on the National Archives and the only Jack Charles Painton that is mentioned served with the 6th Lincolnshire Regiment.  He served in the Balkans.  He was wounded at some point as he received a Silver Wound Badge.

If you think this is him let me know and I will post his MIC for you. 

[atom12]

Just incase, a link to a modestly priced book on the 6th Lincs:

http://www.rootschat.com/links/05jl/

 

[Circam]

Thankyou very much, we are talking with his daughter, on your search was there only 1 person with this name?

[atom12]

Yes, only one person with the name Jack Charles Painton; in fact only one Jack and though I didn't count there were not too many soldiers with this surname.

There are several  men with the surname Panton in the Black Watch, but I have not spotted any with the name Jack or with a middle initial 'C'.

Note: there is the initials BW on his medal card but this denotes British War Medal, perhaps someone in the past has mistaken these initials as meaning Black Watch, when at the time they were officially known as Royal Highlanders.  Then again, perhaps Jack served alongside the Black Watch regiment, either in the same Brigade or in the same Division, and he may have passed on stories to his family.