The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison

Pte. David McDill, 5th Canadians is listed on the Rhonehouse WW1 Memorial.
CWGC have him as Pte. (A/24183) 5th Canandian Infantry - DofD 11/12/1915. Son of John H McDill of Rhonehouse.
However his service record index has him as QMS and the family gravestone shows him as Sergeant.
http://scottishwargraves.phpbbweb.com/scottishwargraves-ftopic916.html

Short of sending for his service record - any ideas?
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Ken

Adam Brown · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 3:28 pm Post subject:

Ken

Does his attestation record show any previous military service? He may have been a Sergeant in the TF here before enlisting in the CEF over there.

Thanks

Adam

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 3:38 pm Post subject:

Adam
He answered NO to that question.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.02-e.php?image_url=http://data2.archives.ca/cef/gpc011/517182a.gif&id_nbr=142784
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Ken

DerekR · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 5:29 pm Post subject:

The 5th Bn. War Diary simply states "O.R 1 killed" fr the 11th December.

http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e044/e001078979.jpg

Send an e-mail to Arnie Kay and see if he can read through his service file for you.
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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

spoons · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:15 pm Post subject:

He is also on the Kelton Church and Rhonehouse School memorials but no rank on either.

Not listed on SNWM.

Stewartry Roll of Honour has him as a Sergeant.

\Paul

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

The C.E.F. Roll of Honour shows Pte. 5th Battn. C.I. but previously he was in the 45th Battn.
The Canadian Book of Remembrance, VAC and CWGC all show him as Pte. so I believe this will be correct. It seems unlikely he had the rank of Sgt. having served six months from enlising in England to his death.

He might have been a Sergeant at some point and later demoted or this rank given, wrongly, on the memorial. NOK sometimes tended to do this on providing details to a War Memorial Committee.
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Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 1:31 pm Post subject:

Thanks everyone - I've e-mailed as suggested.

Jim your info. was interesting, I hadn't noticed that David's papers were signed at Shorncliffe Camp in Kent. (in July 1915)
I did however find that the 45th Battalion did not arrive in the UK until March 1916 and was promptly broken up to provide reinforcements.

The Stewartry RoH states that he enlisted in December 1914 so I'm now beginning to wonder if he became a Sergeant in Canada and had to take a reduced rank to get overseas service?
Can't see though why there is no reference to previous military service!

Just have to await a reply from Canada.
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Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:35 pm Post subject:

Got the following today from LAC

In the file, it indicates that he started as a Private, then on 16-7-1915, there is an entry reading “to be CQMS”. On 12-11-1915, there is an entry stating “reverts to rank at own request”. Since his rank at the time of his death was a Private, I will request a correction to our Soldiers of the First World War database.

It's interesting that the date of "to be CQMS" is the same as that on his attestation papers, signed at Shorncliffe, Kent.
I did ask for the date "when he started as a Private" but I'd have to order the whole file to get it Rolling Eyes

Oh well at least I know why there is a variation in rank.
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Ken