Curious case of William Mowatt

[Chris_Baker]

Hoping someone can help me out here.

Private William Mowatt, a Manchester lad.

According to CWGC and SDGW, William was killed in action on 14 March 1916, while serving with D Company of the 20th Manchesters. He was one of two men killed that day, in the front line near Fricourt; they are mentioned in the battalion war diary. .

His medal index card gives his date of disambarkation as 9 November 1915, which was indeed the day that the battalion landed at Boulogne. So far, so good.

So why does his medal index card also say that he served with the Rifle Brigade, as Private B/3333? And why is this listed on the medal roll, ahead of the Manchester entry?

The MIC is marked to show that his medals would be engraved to the Manchester Regiment.

It does not compute, Captain.

I have noted that there appears to be a batch of recruits to the 9th Rifle Brigade, all from Manchester, with numbers in the B/3--- area. If he served with the RB in UK but had transferred to the Manchesters before moving to France, why is it on his medal docs?

William's Mancs R number was 18397.

[John_Hartley]

Chris

Can't help much other than to confirm that your man was an original Pal. The City Battalions Book of Honour shows him as serving with 14 Platoon, D Coy.

John