Handwritten enlistment book has no detail.

[Geemac1]

I found the enlistment book with my great grandfathers regimental number and name but no other detail e.g. place of enlistment, date, height, etc. Every other soldier on the page had the completed detail except him.

Can anyone explain?

Private John Maclachlan S/20069 7th Battalion Queens Own Cameron Highlanders. He was killed in Arras on either the 4th or 5th April 1917.

[km1971]

Welcome to Rootschat.

Would it be possible to post an image of the book you have found. It is difficult to judge what you have without seeing it.

Ken

[Geemac1]

I took a photograph and will upload it tonight. The information is from the hand written registers held by the Highlander Regiment museum at Fort George, Inverness-shire.

The researcher there had only seen this occur once or twice before and thought he may have been renumbered from earlier.

[Geemac1]

Enclosed are two photographs. Enlist 1 is the individual record for my great grandfather but no detail and the other, enlist 2, is the headings at top of ledger indicating that height, age, place of enlistment, etc should have been recorded.

It is also noticeable that the ink on his entry is different from the rest of the page as if it was filled in later but no detail.

Trying to understand why no detail?

Thanks

Gordon 

[km1971]

Hi Gordon

It is the regiment's own register of regimental numbers. To make sure they did not use the same number twice. It may have been compiled from information on scraps of paper, and this is a fair(neat) copy. They may have lost the paper referring to your relative. I doubt you will discover why.

If his service record survives on Ancestry then a description giving the missing information will be on the second page.

I do not see why it indicates he was renumbered. If he had served before, and discharged up to 31 December 1913, then a service record may be on Findmypast.

I cannot find his death on CWGC.

Ken

[StanleysChesterton]

I cannot find his death on CWGC.

This looks like him, typo on the name:
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/574379/MACLAUCHLAN,%20J

[Geemac1]

Yes, that is him buried at Arras as I visited there a couple of years ago. I managed to find out how and where he died in the 7th Battalion regimental history due to them only having had two deaths in a 7 day period.

I also have his medal card but it's just frustrating not being able to find his enlistment details.

Thanks for your assistance.

[dowdstree]

Hi,

Have you been able to find him on Ancestry? If not I might be able to help search if you can give me a few more details on him e.g. When he was born, where he lived, parents names.

Also, I cannot find him on the Scottish National War Memorial Register, Edinburgh Castle, if he was Scots born and resident in Scotland prior to his enlistment then he should also be remembered here. Omissions can happen (I am trying to have someone from my family put on it at the moment)
If you are interested in having this done too I can give you the contact details.

One point to remember is that not all records survive, unfortunately, due to them being destroyed in a WW2 bombing of London.

Hope this info may be of help to you and please get in touch if I can help more.

Dorrie

[Geemac1]

Many thanks for replying Dorrie.

He is indeed listed at Edinburgh castle however I think from memory it is McL rather than Mac. Occasional the second C has been recorded as a G. His service number is S/20069

Born in Glasgow 1878 lived in Holytown parents John Maclaichlan and Christina Pirrie