The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

DelBoy · Last edited by DelBoy on Tue Jan 10, 2012 1:28 pm; edited 1 time in total

On the Arbroath memorial for WW1 and listed in the Roll of Honour is Private Samuel Todd. I can find no trace of him on CWGC, SNWM or the war returns.

(from R.o.H.):
He was reportedly in the 2nd Batt. Black Watch, previously having been in the 1st. He was a regular soldier for four years til his death on 9th of May 1915 aged 24. He was the son of (*)William and Susan Todd (William born Ireland, Susan born Arbroath) a factory worker residing at South Grimsby, Arbroath.

I have found him on the 1901 and 1911 census, he was born in Arbroath and the family was residing in South Grimsby, Arbroath.

Can anyone find anything relating to him?

Cheers,
Derek.

[edit] the birth record and census both list him as William J. Todd

Stewartry · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 274 Location: nr Nottingham

Hi,

No MIC for a man of that name serving with the Black Watch, so I wonder whether it is worth investigating 2474 Samuel Stirling as a possible pre-war enlistment under an alias? He was part of the original contingent of 1st Bn, to France 13 Aug 1914, but kia with 2nd Bn 9 May 1915. There are no additional details on CWGC; SDGW has him born St. Vigeans, Forfarshire and enlisting in Arbroath. The 1901 census doesn't show anyone of that name with an (north) east coast connection.

All the best,

Stuart
_________________
www.sonsofgalloway.org.uk
5th KOSB
Stewartry RoH
ATC Auchencairn book

DelBoy · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 12:45 pm Post subject:

Thanks Stuart,

I had considered that possibility due to the closeness of regiment, date of death and birth info, there is nobody of the surname Stirling on any of the nearby memorials either, which is odd.

I suppose there must be alias's that the army never picked up on, or had the N.O.K. correct?

Any other suggestions or ideas of sources to look up would be most welcome.

Derek.

Stewartry · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 274 Location: nr Nottingham

Hi Derek,

Further to previous post (busy, so only have time for quick searches/replies), you often find that men who enlist under an alias commonly use their mother's or a grandmother's maiden name. Searching ScotlandsPeople shows that a William Todd married a Susan Stirling in 1890 at St. Vigeans. Coincidence!? They are together on the 1891 census and by the 1901 census they are with Samuel (age 19**), William (age 7) and James (age 4).

**Edit: ScotlandsPeople has a birth for Samuel Todd, 1891, St. Vigeans, so possibly a transcription error on Ancestry.

Cheers,

Stuart
_________________
www.sonsofgalloway.org.uk
5th KOSB
Stewartry RoH
ATC Auchencairn book

DelBoy · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 1:22 pm Post subject:

Great stuff Stuart! I never knew the choice of alias was often the mothers maiden name, I should have looked up the marriage cert d'oh!

Samuel Todd was born 13th October 1891 in Arbroath (but confusingly the part of the town then covered by the parish of St Vigeans) to William J. Todd and Susan Stirling. It notes they were married the 18th of July 1890 at Arbroath.

I think we can safely say that he was using an alias in his service that was never picked up on by the Army, obviously this name would have no bearing upon how he was remembered locally and is correctly remembered as Todd on the towns war memorial.

Thanks again for your help.

CWGC
Name: STIRLING, SAMUEL
Initials: S
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Date of Death: 09/05/1915
Service No: 2474
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panels 24 to 26.
Memorial: LE TOURET MEMORIAL

SNWM
Surname: STIRLING
Firstname: Samuel
Service Number: 2474
Date Death: 09/05/1915
Place of birth: St Vigeans Forfarshire
Other: 2nd Bn.
SNWM roll: THE BLACK WATCH (ROYAL HIGHLANDERS)
Rank: Pte

Cheers,
Derek.

Stewartry · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 274 Location: nr Nottingham

Yes, I have found quite a few men using maternal family surnames. When writing my Auchencairn book, I came across L/Cpl John McMurray, 1st Seaforth Highlanders, kia at Neuve Chapelle in March 1915. He was on the village memorial, had a couple of good write-ups in the local paper, but no sign of him on MICs/CWGC/SDGW. I eventually tracked him down under McFaggen, a mis-spelling of his grandmother's maiden name (McFegan). He is the only McFaggen in WW1.

Pleased to have been able to help.

Stuart
_________________
www.sonsofgalloway.org.uk
5th KOSB
Stewartry RoH
ATC Auchencairn book

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 4:52 pm Post subject:

DelBoy · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:08 pm Post subject:

What would the reason be for using an alias anyway? I don't think in the cases I've come across it had to do with age.

Derek.

Keptie

Derek , Is it worth emailing Lt Col Roger Binks , secretary at the Scottish National War Memorial edinburgh castle on this Alias so that he can add it to his index ??

email him using the SNWM email address

pat anderson

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 12:54 pm Post subject:

kinnethmont · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1649 Location: Aberdeenshire

DelBoy · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 10:40 am Post subject:

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 1:23 pm Post subject:

Great news Derek. What proof did you get? Is this using the new documents available on Ancestry?

What about his CWGC entry too?

Thanks

Adam

DelBoy · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 1:30 pm Post subject:

Yes Adam, the "soldiers effects" docs.

The only thing is CWGC are humming and hawing just now about what to do with men who served with a name different from that they used outside of the military, so none are being added just now.

Derek.