Gnr 368154 John Robert Craigie Royal Garrison Artillery (Orkney)

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

9 hours ago, Gunner 87 said:

I wonder if John's original Orkney Royal Garrison Artillery regimental number was 877? I mention this due to an article in the 'The Orkney Herald' July 1, 1914 listing Regimental Orders, see attached. 

regards

Gunner 87

 

Although this could be the right man, I should say that Ancestry lists 6 J. Craigies in the MIC series, 3 of them with service numbers in the 368*** sequence:

View Record	John Craigie	Royal Garrison Artillery	1841, 1841
View Record	James Craigie	Royal Garrison Artillery	365594
View Record	James Craigie	Royal Garrison Artillery	368066
View Record	James Craigie	Royal Garrison Artillery	368378
View Record	James R Craigie	Royal Garrison Artillery	184749
View Record	John R Craigie	Royal Garrison Artillery	368154

[Gunner 87]

14 minutes ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

Although this could be the right man, I should say that Ancestry lists 6 J. Craigies in the MIC series, 3 of them with service numbers in the 368*** sequence:

View Record	John Craigie	Royal Garrison Artillery	1841, 1841
View Record	James Craigie	Royal Garrison Artillery	365594
View Record	James Craigie	Royal Garrison Artillery	368066
View Record	James Craigie	Royal Garrison Artillery	368378
View Record	James R Craigie	Royal Garrison Artillery	184749
View Record	John R Craigie	Royal Garrison Artillery	368154

That's a very good point. Unlikely the first one but could well be the other five.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

I haven't looked but there could be records for them that might exclude them.

[Gunner 87]

1 hour ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

I haven't looked but there could be records for them that might exclude them.

Had a look and found the following

John Craigie, 1841 WO1 then Commissioned came from Chelmsford, Essex. Unlikely. 

James Craigie, 365594, 100 Siege battery, 64 Brigade. On 28/06/18 he had served 4 1/4 years. Unlikely.

James Craigie, 368066, Orkney, RGA (TF). Possible.

James Craigie, 368378, Killed 02/09/18. Came from Thurso / East Lothian. Unlikely.

James R Craigie, 184749, Base Details, RGA. Unknown.

John R Craigie, 368154, Orkney RGA (TF). Possible. 

So could be two, possibly three candidates for the article. 

[KCraigie]

19 hours ago, Gunner 87 said:

[KCraigie]

Interesting articles!  Thanks for sharing them!  
 

I have been trying to identify these pins and their significance.  I believe the larger imperial service pin relates to volunteering to go to war, but I haven’t been able to locate the smaller one.  Is someone able to point me in the right direction?

[kenf48]

It looks very much like a local sporting award, or memento.  The loop suggests it was probably attached, or intended to be attached, to a pocket watch chain.

The fact it is engraved suggests it was done in peacetime and may even have been his 'prize' in the competition mentioned above.

It could have been for anything, often the competition/event was shown on the reverse. The TF were very keen on competitive events  for example, shooting, boxing etc to maintain morale and interact with other units.

 

[Matlock1418]

4 hours ago, KCraigie said:

 I believe the larger imperial service pin relates to volunteering to go to war,

A small clarification: the TF Imperial Service tablet/badge denoted willingness to serve overseas [the TF originally being a home defence force]

This LLT article explains matters more fully https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/the-territorial-force

M

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

In your top photo, top left is a Royal Canadian Legion badge.
The right hand one is the British Empire Service League, Canadian Legion.
The middle one is a Camadian General Service Badge (WW2).
https://www.cdnmilitarycollectors.com/t1220-general-service-badge-varieties

[KCraigie]

9 hours ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

In your top photo, top left is a Royal Canadian Legion badge.
The right hand one is the British Empire Service League, Canadian Legion.
The middle one is a Camadian General Service Badge (WW2).
https://www.cdnmilitarycollectors.com/t1220-general-service-badge-varieties

Thank you for clearing that up for me.  With the glare on the photo, I assumed the middle one stated “imperial”.  I appreciate your assistance!

10 hours ago, Matlock1418 said:

A small clarification: the TF Imperial Service tablet/badge denoted willingness to serve overseas [the TF originally being a home defence force]

This LLT article explains matters more fully https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/the-territorial-force

M

Thanks for clarifying…there’s so much to know, read and understand.  It’s sinking in for me now!

[KCraigie]

How interesting….we will have to get a look at the back to see!   I had guessed it might have  attached to a bag (luggage) carried personal belongings.  

10 hours ago, kenf48 said:

It looks very much like a local sporting award, or memento.  The loop suggests it was probably attached, or intended to be attached, to a pocket watch chain.

The fact it is engraved suggests it was done in peacetime and may even have been his 'prize' in the competition mentioned above.

It could have been for anything, often the competition/event was shown on the reverse. The TF were very keen on competitive events  for example, shooting, boxing etc to maintain morale and interact with other units.

 

How interesting….we will have to get a look at the back to see!   I had guessed it might have  attached to a bag (luggage) carried personal belongings.  

[KCraigie]

Just to update on this subject.  We received the Canadian military records which reference John R. Craigie’s former military service in WW1.   They

list Mesopotamia as where he served abroad during the First War.   This is likely noted from his  entrance interview to the Canadian services.   There’s no unit numbers mentioned though I’m happy to understand a bit more of his history in WW1.

[kenf48]

Thanks for the update

As previously noted Cpl Dishan is on CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1498956/george-william-dishan/

India was the base for the Mesopotamia Campaign so that is a fit of sorts.

The Brigades of the RGA listed on the ORBAT as Army Troops were 38th, 74th and 101st. The Brigade war diaries are available at TNA free to download if you register. I don't know if he was posted to one of these but it will give a flavour as to what the Siege Batteries were doing in theatre.