Gordon Highlanders Pte Alexander Allan( Please Help )

[Allan007]

I am unsure if my Great Uncle Alexander Allan, if he was in the 1St, 2nd or 5th Gordon Highlanders, I'm leaning more towards the 5th, However what caught my eye today was the insignia BYDAND. It never crossed my mind to check.

The Answer : Motto. BYDAND(abiding, steadfast, an adjectival use of the Middle Scots present participle of bide or a contraction of the Scots phrase 'Bide and Fecht,' meaning "Stay and Fight".)

 I am wondering if anyone can offer further help, or have family that may have been in the same Regiment to please comment on the Battalions and if any have any information on Alexander Allan apart from the link to this question from future posts. I Have attached my Great Uncle's Inscription.  Regards Mark.
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[ShaunJ]

1st Battalion per the CWGC records

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2847465/ALLAN,%20ALEXANDER

[Allan007]

Thank you so much Shaun, your help is priceless and this place is just fantastic. Mark

[Drew5233]

I have a copy of the battalions war diary and it says the battalion was warned by Brigade at 0410hrs that the Germans were possibly going to mount an attack at first light from Bois-de-Bavant supported by tanks. By 1000hrs the enemy had withdrawn with both sides suffering casualties including Major D C Thom from the battalion. An educated guess would say he was in C Company as they took heavy casualties with one Troop (Platoon) from the Company being overrun.

You may want look in the Regiments Missing Men file at the National Archives. The circumstances of his death may be written in it. The ref is WO 361/520 for the file.

[Allan007]

Hi Drew, that would be an interesting and compelling look back into the personal side of history that is priceless. Thank you drew for your much appreciated help. Could you tell me is the National Archives the same name as the Gordon Highlanders Museum? ty Mark

[Drew5233]

Hi

The National Archives is in London and they hold pretty much every British Army unit's war diaries from WW1 and WW2 plus thousands and thousands of other related files from both wars.

I'm not sure what the museum has-You could email them and ask. I know the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum have a few photographed copies of the original diaries as I donated them to them a few years ago. In my experience most regimental museums donate have copies of the original files.

[Allan007]

We have so much going on these days and I always wonder where does time go. Alexander Allan keeps drawing me back to our Ancestry so many times. I took over a small group of 10 People from our ancestry MacDonald of Clanranald and today we are at over 70 members in such a small period of time. Why did I mention this? The first gentleman that owns and runs the site is in France at the moment, aproximately 20 k from where my Uncle is burried. I was able to provide some of the information to him from all of the wonderful members here at Roots Chat. Guess where he is going to pay his respects to for me and all his family that have died and served?

I have only touched where some of our family have served and so look forward to learning and understanding more and say thank you.