carndook Posted 16 February , 2015 Share Posted 16 February , 2015 My grandfather was in the Seaforth Highlanders. Many years ago he told me about the beauty of Cologne Cathedral. As far as I'm aware, the only time he was abroad was when he served in the Great War. Does anyone know how I can find out if served in Germany? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tullybrone Posted 16 February , 2015 Share Posted 16 February , 2015 Hi, I'm sure if you post his name plus regimental number and any other information you have such as place and date of birth etc some helpful members will assist. You may even find his name in the lists in this topic. Good Luck Steve Y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carndook Posted 16 February , 2015 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2015 Thanks for that Tullybrone. I don't have my grandfathers service number. His name was Robert McKnight and he was born in Glasgow in 1899. On the reverse of hs birth certificate is an Army Recruitment Office stamp dated 25 January 1917. Would a Medal Card give the information I require? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 16 February , 2015 Share Posted 16 February , 2015 Where was he born and where did he reside? Is there a location given on the ARO stamp? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carndook Posted 16 February , 2015 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2015 Born in Glasgow and resided in Glasgow all his life. The location on the ARO stamp is 17 Sauchiehall Lane, Glasgow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 16 February , 2015 Share Posted 16 February , 2015 carndook From reading some Divisional pages in the Long Long Trail (top left of this page) it indicates that 1/4 Battalion Seaforth Highlanders were chosen from elements of 51 (Highland) Division to join the Army of Occupation on the Rhine. No reference to other SH units joining in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carndook Posted 16 February , 2015 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2015 Thanks sotonmate. I'll have a look at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 17 February , 2015 Share Posted 17 February , 2015 War Diary which has the ORBAT for the Rhine Army 1919: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4558622 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carndook Posted 17 February , 2015 Author Share Posted 17 February , 2015 War Diary which has the ORBAT for the Rhine Army 1919: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4558622 Thanks for this sotonmate. I'll have to take my time in studying it. I don't find the National Archives a user friendly site. It sends me round in circles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 18 February , 2015 Share Posted 18 February , 2015 The other night I was reading the war diary of a siege battery (I can't remember which one) and there was a list of officers and men who volunteered to remain in the service and join one of the siege batteries who were designated to serve in the occupation army in Germany. This would seem to imply that, at least for the RGA, that the siege batteries that went to Germany were made up of volunteers from numerous siege batteries rather than with those who served with them through the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 18 February , 2015 Share Posted 18 February , 2015 Thanks for this sotonmate. I'll have to take my time in studying it. I don't find the National Archives a user friendly site. It sends me round in circles. I posted the link but you can't see anything because the Diary is not yet digital ! It's just a target for your use if you want to find the make-up of the Rhine Army for 1919,and this would mean either you visiting,someone looking for you,or paying big heaps for the NA to copy it and send it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubbar49 Posted 29 March , 2015 Share Posted 29 March , 2015 In 1923, when French and Belgian armies units occupied the Ruhr (the Germans did not pay their debts), the British were still occupying Cologne (see the map wher Köln = Cologne) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_the_Ruhr hubbar49@outlook.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 29 March , 2015 Share Posted 29 March , 2015 The British Army of Occupation did not leave the Rhine area until 1929. The British Official History covering that period implies that the Germans were quite sorry to see them go. They had had better relations with the British than with the French, and they would have brought a measure of stability and prosperity in the difficult economic conditions of 1920s Germany. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 30 March , 2015 Share Posted 30 March , 2015 carndook 1st/4th and 9th battalions of the Seaforths were with the Rhine Army in 1919. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 March , 2015 Share Posted 30 March , 2015 The British Army of Occupation did not leave the Rhine area until 1929. The British Official History covering that period implies that the Germans were quite sorry to see them go. They had had better relations with the British than with the French, and they would have brought a measure of stability and prosperity in the difficult economic conditions of 1920s Germany. Ron Ron, the British Official history might be a bit one-eyed on this subject. I have studied the occupation of the Rhineland with special concentration on Köln and Wahn. The German population was very much relieved and glad to see all the occupiers leave the Rhineland. But---- you are right, all the local town archives I could study some years ago, confirm that the British occupation forces in general were respectful, helpful, disciplined to the contrast of the hatred French and even more Belgium forces here in the Rhineland. In general Brits and Germans had good relationships. The arcived local papers from Wahn, today a suburb of Köln, which fell then into the Belgium jurisdiction was full of problematic issues to include documented cases of 'inappropriate approach' to married local women. Also the histories are full of illegal commandeering. Some few km away where the Brits reigned in and around Köln, the situation was much much better. Towards the end of the occupation the Brits were even incorporated into the different local "Vereins"-life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubbar49 Posted 30 March , 2015 Share Posted 30 March , 2015 Keep in mind that the young belgian soldiers had stayed 4 years in german occupied territories... and in no way enjoyed the stay of their "non-invited hosts"! They never forgot the days of the invasion in 1914! (remember "the Rape of Belgium"). And believe me, life was not easy under German rule (so said my grands-parents: farmers had to give up their crops, the cattle was "commandeered" and never paid for, and even young men were sent to Germany to work for the war industries! My late mother in law was born in 1923 when her father, a conscript, was with the 10th Rgt de Ligne in the Ruhr... where he had been deported for 2 years , with his brother, in 1916! He was then no volunteer, and had to work like a slave, and starved! When the german governement tried not to pay the war debts, French and Belgian governements sent their troops to seize the incomes from the Ruhr industry to pay for the debts.. Northern France and Flanders in Belgium were just rubbles to be reconstructed. All industry tools had been stolen and sent to Germany. "Right of Conquest" they said... And, dixit Milton Keynes,if the German economy collapsed, Britain woud also take the plunge; so, britain did not support the move of their allies... Which was one of the reasons Hitler took the chance to reoccupy the Rhineland in 1935, knowing that the French, without British support, will not react... Then, he re-instated the conscription, and rearmed Germany for another european tour! Good show, boys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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