The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Merseman · Joined: 07 Aug 2013 Posts: 332 Location: Duns, Berwickshire

Not memorial related as he was not a casualty (if he had been I wouldn't be here to post this!) - unless on a roll somewhere - but given the big research expertise on this forum, it seems the obvious place to ask.

Following the death of a couple of elderly relatives, some paperwork passed into my hands regarding my great-grandfather. He'd died before I was born so I never knew him but he was someone occasionally spoken of, mainly as he'd been a professional footballer during the 1920s.

Originally I had been led to believe that he was born in 1900, so therefore I thought it unlikely he'd have seen service in WWI and certainly not actively, as I believe you had to be 18 years 6 months (plus have received 6 months training) to be sent abroad. However, among the papers is a Demobilisation slip, and having looked him up in ScotlandsPeople he was actually born 2nd April 1899 so he could have been called-up anytime from April 1917. I have no knowledge of any medals or other military documents in the family - but he had 5 children, most of whom themselves had several children, and then in turn several children, who by no means all of whom my part of the family are in touch with.

I have therefore tried to find his military records in Ancestry but to no avail.

All I have are the details noted on his Demobilisation slip:

J Porter
Regl No - 70144
L/Sgt
Highland Light Infantry

There is an underlined number, 3/82, written in the top margin in the same clerk's handwriting.

He wrote in a later letter that he served from May 1917 until demobilisation in October 1919.

His first name was James and he'd no middle names. He was from Glasgow which fits with being HLI. I don't know how long he was a Lance Sergeant... would his regimental number have changed on promotion and that could be why I'm struggling to identify any records relating to him?

So if anyone on here could have a look themself... or even found something relating to him, or suggest where I may have gone wrong - I would be very grateful.

I know there's a HLI museum in Glasgow so I may try them if nothing turns up elsewhere - I'm just interested to know if any documents on him survive from his army service, really.

Thanks in advance for anything.

Kenny

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 2:12 pm Post subject:

Kenny

That's very interesting, I hope more can be found. I'm sure Territorial numbers had a six digit number after 1916 so that might well help narrow down his unit as he wouldn't have been in an HLI TF unit.

Thanks

Adam

spoons · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 3:23 pm Post subject:

there is only one James Porter in the HLI whose service record survives and with a medal index card and he is way older than your g-grandfather. As your g-grandfather had no MIC, he almost certainly did not serve abroad or qualify for any medals. So - no MIC, no service record, no register of soldiers effects and no silver war badge record.

I think all that is left is local Rolls of Honour, local newspapers and possibly any other records which have survived but are not online - there would have been the equivalent of register of soldiers effects for soldiers who survived but I don't know if these were kept

good luck

\Paul

Merseman · Joined: 07 Aug 2013 Posts: 332 Location: Duns, Berwickshire

Many thanks for that. K