Military History: 4th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders, WW I

[Gryphon noir]

In researching my genealogy, I have recently discovered a little bit of the horror that World War I was for some families.

Not a word has been passed down to me about the fact that among my grand father's family, four young men went to war and only two came back. I find myself strangely affected by this--both the secretiveness, and the shock of discovering a bit about their fates.

If there are some military historians among us, I am trying to find out as much as I can about Lt. Ernest Wilfred Rupert Finch (killed in action 7 Aug. 1916, buried at Puchevillers British Cemetery), and his brother Capt. Aubrey Malcolm Cecil Finch (died 7 July 1919, buried at Archangel Allied Cemetery). Both were in the 4th Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders. I have yet to discover the exact circumstances of their deaths. Maybe it's a function of age, realizing that those kids were younger than my son is now--I just feel I need to do something to make sure that what little can be known of their lives can be preserved for future generations.

I am also curious about which tartan the Seaforths used. Some photos I have looked at on line appear to show a solid coloured kilt; others look like they could be a version of Gordon, or perhaps McKenzie. Does anyone know which tartan? They appear to be wearing both pain and tartan in battle, or perhaps an apron over the tartan.

Any help, suggestions, or knowledge that anyone can send my way would be much appreciated.

[Chas]

I think it is a very honourable thing you are trying to do and wish you well in your endeavours.

I have but one observation. The Armistice was signed on the 11 of November 1918. If Capt. Aubrey Malcolm Cecil Finch died on the 7th of July 1919, there is a good chance that it was not because of enemy action or succumbing to his wounds. Disease and accidents accounted for a vast number of servicemen during that conflict.

The Commonwealth War Grave Commission have a very good web site and it should be possible to get pictures of the individual graves/mass grave/memorials.

Good luck and good hunting.

[Jock Scot]

The Seaforth Highlanders wore a dark version of the MacKenzie tartan. Your best bet is to consult the Seaforth Highlanders Regimental museum and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission which you could easily Google to find contact details. Captain Finch may well have died whilst serving with the British Archangel Expeditionary Force who fought briefly in Russia in 1919. They went to assist the White Russians who were fighting a rearguard action against the Bolsheviks. Whether he was killed in action I don't know, but 1918/19 was also the time that the Spanish Flu pandemic was in full swing and perhaps, he like so many young people at that time around the world succumed to that dreadful event.Some War memorials, particularly in Scotland have the fallen commemorated between the dates of 1914 to 1919, so perhaps Scottish units served in Russia in 1919 , or he may have been attached to a unit that served out there?

[Laird_M]

Many who fought in the Great Wars were very secretive about what happened, probably because of the effect it had on them.

My grandfather never spoke about his time in WWII, but we knew he was in the artillery. We knew he went to Germany as he brought back some coal broaches, but that was it.
It wasn't until years after he died that I happened to be reading Spike Milligan's 7 part trilogy of his war memoires, one of my comedy heroes, that in book 3 that he was talking about his mate Bdr Dick Brooks, a real joker, turned the page, and there was Spike leaning on Grandad's shoulder! We wrote to the Imperial War Museum and they confirmed that it was him. And he never let on!
I learnt more about him through Spike's books than I did from the family...

[Nathan]

If you're from Vancouver, that likely means that he fought with the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada.

This link may help a little.
http://seaforthhighlanders.ca/organi...l-association/

You should also pay a visit here:

Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Regimental Museum and Archives:

1650 Burrard Street
V6J 3G4 Vancouver
Emailaddress:
seaforth.curator@gmail.com
Website:
seaforthhighlanders.ca

[Pleater]

There was also a diphtheria epidemic. My mother's mother was in York, Yorkshire in the North of England. She had three children and they all caught it, the eldest, a girl, survived but her two sons died, one was a toddler and the other a babe in arms.

In the Post Office on the main road there was a plaque on the wall commemorating those who fell (we still say that, as though it hurt less than dying) in the Great War - giving the dates as 1914-19. I asked about it, but no one knew anything about it, and some did not even know that the Armistice was signed in 1918.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Chas]

This might be of help -

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/ca...ALCOLM%20CECIL

Gives some information and a certificate.

[Jack Daw]

Attack on the High Wood (as a part of the Battle of the Somme) occurred during the time of Lt. Finch's death. All I could find on Lt. Finch was that he "died of his wounds" and "killed in action".

[Chas]

And for the first brother -

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/ca...LFRED%20RUPERT

[haukehaien]

This book looks like it would be useful: History of the Fourth Battalion the Seaforth Highlanders. With Some Account of the Military Annals of Ross, the Fencibles, the Volunteers, and the Home Defence and Reserve Battalions 1914-1919

Here is some information on researching British Army soldiers of the Great War: http://www.1914-1918.net/soldiers/research.html