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Archiver > GREATWAR > 2001-08 > 0996985135


From: Iain Kerr <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] K.O.S.B. 7/8 th.Battalion
Date: Sun, 05 Aug 2001 05:18:55 +0100
In-Reply-To: <000001c11c62$06c2ffa0$d08589d4@c>


At 20:26 03/08/01 +0100, caroliona wrote:
>Dear All
>
>I found mention of the award, of the Military Medal, to my uncle at the
>P.R.O. He was Gazetted 12/6/1918. I know that this date is not the date he
>"won" the award but is there any hope of finding which battle or action he
>was engaged in at the time? According to his record, one of the "burnt
>records", he enlisted in Berwick on Tweed but his Medical Examination was
>carried out in his home town of North Shields Northumberland. The two towns
>are almost 100 miles apart, any explanations for this anomaly.
>My visit to the PRO has raised another set of questions.
>
>Regards Carol

Carol,

It is not clear from what you have gleaned as to whether he was an early
volunteer or whether he was conscripted.

Berwick on Tweed is the long-standing depot of the King's Own Scottish
Borderers (KOSB). It would seem that on volunteering (or being
conscripted) near his home, where his medical was carried out, he chose or
was selected to serve in the KOSB. It may be that he then moved to Berwick
to formally be enlisted. Berwick and Newcastle are connected by a main
railway line and the A1 Great North Road - travel was not a problem!

The unit he was serving in was a amalgamation in May 1918 of two service
battalions.

The 7th (Service) Battalion, The King's Own Scottish Borderers was formed
at Berwick-on-Tweed in Sep 1914 as part of the second of Kitchener's new
armies. It moved to Bordon, Hampshire and was assigned to 46th Brigade in
the 15th (Scottish) Division. In Feb 1915 it moved to Winchester in billets
and in Apr to the Salisbury Plain at Park House and Chiseldon for final
training. On 10 Jul 1915 the battalion embarked for France and Flanders,
landing at Boulogne. On 28 May 1916 the 7th Battalion amalgamated with the
8th Battalion at Bethune, Pas de Calais to form the 7th/8th Battalion, The
King's Own Scottish Borderers. The 7th/8th Battalion ended the war in the
same formations on 11 Nov 1918 at Tongres-Notre-Dame, south of Ath Belgium.


The 8th (Service) Battalion, The King's Own Scottish Borderers was formed
at Berwick-on-Tweed in Sep 1914 as part of the second of Kitchener's new
armies. It moved to Bordon, Hampshire and was assigned to 46th Brigade in
the 15th (Scottish) Division. In Feb 1915 it moved to Winchester in billets
and in Apr to the Salisbury Plain at Park House and Chiseldon for final
training. On 10 Jul 1915 the battalion embarked for France and Flanders,
landing at Boulogne. On 28 May 1916, at Bethune, Pas de Calais, the 8th
Battalion amalgamated with the 7th Battalion to form the 7th/8th Battalion,
The King's Own Scottish Borderers.

So it would seem that his act of gallantry to gain the Military Medal
occurred after 28 May and before 12 June 1918.

The answer may be in the battalion war diaries if they have survived. In
which case they will be at the PRO, Kew.

You may wish to try the KOSB Regimental Museum.

The King's Own Scottish Borderers Museum is at Regimental Headquarters, The

Barracks, The Parade, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland TD15 1DG; Phone:
44 (0)1289 307426; Fax: 44 (0) 1289 331928. It covers the history of the
Regiment since 1689: uniforms, medals, weapons and regimental silver.
Archives accessible on written application. The barracks, the first
purpose barracks built for the British Army dating from 1717, includes
other displays. Open Mon - Sat 0930 to 16:00 (closed Sundays and other days
in winter.)

Yours aye,

Iain Kerr in Windsor, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Web Page at: http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/index.htm
RootsWeb Sponsor and Listowner for the WORLDWAR2 Mailing List.

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