Can’t find a WW1 war record for this chap…

[Beckenham1]

I’m well stumped with this!
Angus Ross Born 11 Jan 1899 in Forfar.
Father Donald and his mother Mary Ann nee Low.
When Britain declared war on 4 Aug 1914 he was 15.
His address would have been 7 Glamis Road, Forfar.
When the war ended on 11 Nov 1918 he was 19.
Yes he survived the war.
Here is a photo of him. What regiment is this ? What clues does this photo give us?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53196898@N07/

What with his common name and Forfar as a hometown it’s not going to be easy, to trace any Army record…
Any help would be gratefully received and some…

Best regards to you all
Jim

[AndrewP]

Hi Jim,

Be aware that about 2/3 of the WWI service records were destroyed by enemy action during WWII, so it is possible that his records no longer exist.

All the best,

AndrewP

[Currie]

Hello Jim,

He’s a Private in a Scottish regiment, he doesn’t have a Sporran, his Glengarry doesn’t have dicing, and the tartan looks to be of a darker variety. The cap badge is very rounded looking but seems to get a bit sparse at the top. There’s possibly something on his epaulettes or is that a scratch. His pockets have pleats so possibly fairly early in the war.

If he served overseas in a theatre of war he would have received campaign medals after the war and would be on the medal card lists available on Ancestry, and also here. Hopefully any record would have Angus rather than just initial A. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.u ... image1.y=9

Of those 20 there are 11 in Scottish regiments and none of them appear to have died during the war. There are two Sergeants, one with a middle name. Perhaps someone very young would be less likely to make that rank.
Ross, Angus McKay. Corps: Cameron Highlanders. Regiment No: 226142. Rank: Serjeant.
Ross, Angus. Corps: Lovat Scouts. Regiment No: 4040. Rank: Serjeant....

According to the newspapers these two were wounded, and one appears to have a middle name. Was there any info that yours was wounded?
Ross, Angus A. Corps: Seaforth Highlanders. Regiment No: S/10865. Rank: Private. [Wounded Jan 1918 – NOK at Culrain]
Ross, Angus. Corps: Lovat's Scouts. Regiment No: 3691. Rank: Private.... [2nd LS - Wounded Dec 1915]

Here’s the balance and one of those appears to have a middle name.
Ross, Angus. Corps: Scottish Rifles. Regiment No: 27124. Rank: Private....
Ross, Angus. Corps: Royal Scots. Regiment No: 63228. Rank: Private.
Ross, Angus. Corps: Gordon Highlanders. Regiment No: 42570. Rank: Private....
Ross, Angus M. Corps: Royal Highlanders. Regiment No: S/12758. Rank: Private.
Ross, Angus. Corps: Seaforth Highlanders. Regiment No: S/4236. Rank: Private....
Ross, Angus. Corps: Cameron Highlanders. Regiment No: 40395. Rank: Private....
Ross, Angus. Corps: Scots Guards. Regiment No: 16919. Rank: Private.

Maybe checking Ancestry for records of some of those may help. There may be enough info on any surviving service records to at least eliminate some of the above.

I was thinking he looked like a Gordon Highlander but his cap badge is on a bit of an angle and I’m no expert, and I’m a bit worried about whether the tartan is right. Have a look at this page. http://gordonhighlanders1914-18.co.uk/uniform.html

If you don’t get a useful reply here you could try the Great War Forum where the WW1 experts live. http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php

All the best,
Alan

[Beckenham1]

Hi All,

I’m thinking it’s an early 1916 Gordon Highlander outfit?

He's wearing 1914 emergency pattern leather webbing? The jacket is an Other Ranks Service Dress Jacket cutaway for a sporran. Are his shoulder straps sewn down? Certainly the British 1907 pattern ww1 SD tunic comes with sewn down cloth shoulder straps; could that be an even earllier feature?

There are pics on the net of Gordon men without the diced glencarry.

It would be good to get an accurate handle on this uniform

First Military Service Act, conscription introduced to Britain was Jan 1916 At first only single men and childless widowers aged 18 to 41 were called up. He is newly 17 then!

He had no middle name and if he had to choose one it would be Low or Finlay/Findlay. I doubt they would have allowed you to enter an ad hoc middle name to differentiate you?

After the war he lived in Edinburgh/Leith and joined the Edinburgh Police; I assume he'd have to be 21 to do that?

All the best and thanks so far...

[DavidRoss1874]

See attached Jim