The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:05 pm Post subject: William Brodie from Wishaw

An interesting thread on the Great War Forum regarding Pte.7405 William Brodie of Wishaw, 8th HLI. Died at Gallipoli 2 June 1915.
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=215332
It's kind of odd since the 8th Battalion didn't really exist and didn't serve at Gallipoli (the 5th, 6th and 7th Bn's did)
Anyone know this man??????
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Ken

Cauther Lassie · Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 59 Location: West Lothian

Hello Ken,

I've been researching of lot of men from the 8th HLI, and it's amazing how many of them are recorded on War Memorials. The 8th was as I'm sure you know a Territorial Battalion, which a lot of men from Carluke and district belonged before the outbreak of war. They were mobilised immediately and mainly did coastal service, however a great many of the men volunteered for active service and were then attached to service battalions, (lots of them to the 7th, 8th Royal Scots in the beginning). However, they and their families must have felt a great allegiance to the 8th HLI as I constantly see it on memorials and memorial records. When you see records on CWGC or SNWM you see their fighting battalions, but on their local War Memorial they're recorded as 8th HLI. I suppose with that kind of loyalty the 8th deserves a mention.
cheers ........ Meg
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Slàinte maith, h-uile latha, na chi 'snach fhaic!
(Good health, every day, whether I see you or not)

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2014 6:54 pm Post subject:

Thanks Meg. After I had posted my original message I remembered that I had seen a reference to the 8th HLI before but where????
I think it was on one of the postings about the Gretna Rail crash Memorial (by Adam???) where there were members of the 8th HLI named. I think there was a detachment of the 8th HLI (attached to the 7th Royal Scots?)
on the train.
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Ken

Cauther Lassie · Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 59 Location: West Lothian

Hello Ken,
Yes you're right, there was a detachment from the the 8th HLI who were attached to the 7th Royal Scots - this might help - cheers .. Meg
Hamilton Advertiser 29th March 1915
APPALLING COLLISION RAILWAY. An appalling catastrophe occurred on Saturday morning on the Caledonian Railway about ten miles north of Carlisle. Three trains were involved in the disaster, one of them carrying about 500 officers and men of the 7th Royal Scots Territorial Battalion. The scene of the accident was Quintinshill Siding, near Gretna, A double collision was followed by outbreak of fire, exacting a toll of life and suffering unprecedented in the annals of British railways. The troop train was carrying the A and D Companies the First Battalion of the 7th Royal Scots from Larbert to Liverpool. At Quintinshill it dashed into a local train which was on its way from Carlisle to Glasgow, and had been shunted to the southgoing line to allow of the passage of the midnight sleeping saloon express from London, due in Glasgow at 8.15. The collision threw the wrecked train across both lines, and the London express, which was rounding the curve at the time at a speed of sixty miles an hour, ran into the obstructions. The great majority of the victims were in the troop train, only comparatively small number out of between 450 and 500 who started on the journey answering the roll-call after the rescue operations were completed. Three of the officers of the regiment are among the killed—Major Hamilton. Captain J. N. Mitchell, and Lieut C R. Salvesen. The last-mentioned was a nephew of Lord Salvesen. A sleeping car on the London express was completely destroyed, and a number of its occupants were killed
KILLED AND INJURED. The number of deaths was put Tuesday morning at 162, and the number of injured at 200. The Board of Trade inquiry into the cause of the accident was opened on Tuesday.
LANARKSHIRE TERRITORIALS INVOLVED. There were eight men of the Lanarkshire Battalion of the H.L.I. attached to the machine gun section of the 7th Royal Scots. They were follows:—
R. Day, Kirkfieldbank, Lanark;
M. Lawrie, Hyndford Place, Lanark;
J. Milton. Carluke;
James Dodds, Carluke;
John Grierson, Lanark:
Lance-Corp Niven, Kirkfieldbank, Lanark;
William Tennant, Lanark;
D. Wilson, Lanark.
They all appear in the list of injured, with the exception of Lance-Corporal Niven, who escaped unhurt. Private Dodds is elder brother of the well-known Scottish Inter-national association footballer.
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Slàinte maith, h-uile latha, na chi 'snach fhaic!
(Good health, every day, whether I see you or not)

David McNay · Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2014 11:05 pm Post subject:

William Brodie is listed in the Wishaw Roll of Honour, his unit is given as Royal Scots and Highland Light Infantry. He lived at 141 Stewarton Street, as did another man, Harry Brodie. Harry was listed also as Royal Scots and HLI, and was wounded.