Matt Dixon Posted 10 January , 2004 Share Posted 10 January , 2004 I am trying to research the following: 2nd Lt William Arthur BARR, Seige Battery 32nd RGA, killed in action near Croiselles on the 27th August 1918. He enlisted August 1914 in 1/4 Seaforth Highlanders. I am reliably informed that "During the war, as opportunity served, whilst behind the lines he wrote articles for the London papers" Does anyone have any idea which papers it might have been? I am waiting for a reply from the National Newspaper archives in London, to see if they can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 10 January , 2004 Share Posted 10 January , 2004 "The London papers" could mean virtually any publication with offices or printing presses in the capital. Are there any clues in Barr's family/social/professional background that might narrow the field? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 10 January , 2004 Share Posted 10 January , 2004 You may have a picture but the below appeared in a Roll of Honour, 5/10/18 , War Illustrated : there was no further information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWills Posted 10 January , 2004 Share Posted 10 January , 2004 I wonder if finding the report of his death and any obit. in The Times might identify for whom he wrote? Given the interest in casualty reports in the Times (Annette as well) perhaps PALS could take it upon themselves to transcribe lists for one or two copies of the Times when researching and with Time we could (slowly) builds up and archive. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dixon Posted 10 January , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 January , 2004 Thanks for all the replies and the photo! Sadly he is prooving to be one of those men that no matter how much research is done, I still can't find anything about him. I know that he was 36 when he died, his parents came from Surrey and he was a pupil at All Saints School, Bloxham, Oxon between 1900 and 1901. Other than that, I don't know anything about him. I have tried emailing every archivist of most the main papers but once again have had no success. He is also NT at PRO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock Bruce Posted 10 January , 2004 Share Posted 10 January , 2004 Matt, what was the source of his enlistment date in 4 Seaforth ? Jock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 10 January , 2004 Share Posted 10 January , 2004 William Arthur Barr, RGA Born 3 Jun 82 at Bedford Park, Chiswick, Middlesex, the first son of Robert Barr an author. Matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford on 21 Oct 1903 Educated at St. Paul's Enlisted as Private in the 4th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders and served with it from 1914 to 1917 Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, in the Royal Garrison Artillery Special Reserve on 19 May 1917; served with the 328th Siege Battery, RGA KIA near Croisilles, 27 Aug 1918 Sources: Exeter College Register, 1891-1921; Oxford University Roll of Service; Army Lists. Regards. Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dixon Posted 10 January , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 January , 2004 Jock, It came from the archives of the school (All Saints), with only the most basic details. Sadly, although not surprisingly, I have found the school archives are littered with errors, and best taken with a pinch of salt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock Bruce Posted 10 January , 2004 Share Posted 10 January , 2004 Matt, a lot of white-collar Londoners enlisted in the Highland Division in the early days of the war. The division arrived in Bedford on 17 Aug. For 5th Seaforth all the enlistments I've been able to date are between 5 - 15 Sep. The recruiting effort seems to have been run out of the London Scottish HQ at Buckingham Gate. Jock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dixon Posted 10 January , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 January , 2004 Jock, That could very well be the case as his parents came from Surrey. My SDGW CD has died a death and I can't remember where it was he enlisted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock Bruce Posted 10 January , 2004 Share Posted 10 January , 2004 Matt, SDGW doesn't give this sort of detail - which is a pity. I've come across a couple of instances of guys who enlisted in Sep/Oct 14 being recorded in non-official sources as Aug 14, even 4 Aug 14. I put it down to 'he was one of the first to enlist' or 'he joined at the outbreak of war' being interpreted as meaning Aug 14. Jock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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