WW1 1st Btn BW stats

**Deeko** · 22nd December 2014, 15:57

Here's some sobering statistics about the 1st Battalion, taken from the 1914 Star medal roll, with a little assistance from the CWGC database.

41% of 1st BW Officers of the 66 who qualified for the 1914 Star died during the war.

1863 NCO's & men received the medal, the qualification was for being in France before 22nd of November 1914)
The fatality rate was 38.5%

Arrivals:

Main Body
13/08/1914 (1139 men) of these 38% became fatalities.

Drafts
26/08/1914 (98) 49%
30/08/1914 (66) 46%
11/09/1914 (98) 44%
12/09/1914 (66) 34%
19/09/1914 (105) 40%
20/09/1914 (76) 30%
07/11/1914 (63) 37%
09/11/1914 (87) 38%

(plus 65 men in various small groups or individually joined and their number is in the overall stats)

Derek.

**anneca** · 23rd December 2014, 15:01

Very sobering statistics indeed Derek.

I have recently read in 'A Nation Under Arms', Beckett & Simpson note that when the 1st Bn. Black Watch mustered in France, 200 men under the age of 20 were left behind, while 500 Reservists were needed to bring the Bn. up to strength of 1,130 O.Rs.
Anne

Tam McCluskey · 23rd December 2014, 17:34

Derek,

That is a good effort collating these stats.
For Anne, between the 6th and 8th August the Battalion received 630 reservists. 302 on the 6th, 308 on the 7th and 20 on the 8th.
Interestingly I am finding men serving, who were under age who had falsified their age on enlistment.
Scott Oram from Arbroath enlisted at the age of 14 years. He was wounded and taken prisoner at Gheluvelt 29th Oct aged 15 and died of Flu 23/12/1918 aged 19 he is buried in Berlin South-Western Cemetery.

**Deeko** · 24th December 2014, 02:20

Tam,

It's interesting you should mention Oram, I've researched him on an off over the last wee while. As i do all the Arbroath lads.
He was still 14 when taken POW, as he was born 14th November, 1899. A newspaper article on him states he has not long turned 14 when he enlisted and had been a soldier 10 months when war began, so joined circa November 1913.

He had a few bits about him in the press at the time saying he was the youngest British POW, not sure if that's true but his tale is tragic.
He left over £94 to his mother in accumulated wages when he died, a large sum back then.

I'd appreciate anything you have on his capture.
The 28th October is mentioned in a news article as when he was captured, and his MIC gives 07/11/1914.

Btw, he's not on the Balhousie roll of honour, i looked for him when i visited last year.

Cheers,
Derek.

**Chalky** · 24th December 2014, 12:03

I have looked at Scotland's People and found that there are two people with the surname Oram born at the end of the 1890s.

1. James Scott Oram, born May 1898, Arbroath.

2. Scott Oram, born November 1899, Kinnettles.

I searched the CWGC and the SNWM for thes names and found no trace.

The IPWM have him listed as do Find a Grave, however, the information is scant to say the least.

https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/lifestory/6758338

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...&GRid=18598805

Tam McCluskey · 24th December 2014, 17:19

Derek,

Suffering from finger trouble! Your dates are correct. Scott is aged 1year old on the 1901 census. His father Henry Oram died 3rd May 1909 (Arbroath Herald 7 May 1909); his mother Agnes married Duncan Wallace on the 8th April 1910 (Arbroath Herald 15 April 1910). One can only speculate that she had to leave the tied cottage at South Powrie Farm where Henry was a ploughman.

I don’t suppose we will find out the circumstances of his capture. The war diary for the month of October is missing. The only reference is in the Red Hackle for October 1921

28th November —The enemy made heavy attacks astride the Menin Road, B. and C. Coys. suffering heavy casualties, being overwhelmed and surrounded. Lts. Lawson, McNeil and Nolan and a few men managed to rejoin. the Battalion. The line now ran through Gheluvelt village.

Casualties, 26th-31st October-4 Officers Captain Moubray, Lt. Macnaghten, 2/Lts. Smurthwaite and Blair were killed ; 5 Captains Sir E. Stewart-Richardson (died of wounds), Chalmer and Murdoch, Lt. R. C. Anderson, and 2/Lt. Maxwell wounded; Captain Krook missing ; O.R.-71 killed, 18 wounded, 71 missing. Total—10 Officers and 160 O.R.

**Deeko** · 24th December 2014, 17:36

Originally Posted by Chalky

I have looked at Scotland's People and found that there are two people with the surname Oram born at the end of the 1890s.

Scott Oram, born November 1899, Kinnettles.

I searched the CWGC and the SNWM for thes names and found no trace.

Chalky,

He was the Kinnettles lad. As Tam mentioned they moved to Arbroath likely after her husband died.

You're right, he's not on SNWM, I believe that's because they only used Army returns, so post 11/11/1918 they're lacking.
He's on CWGC, although it's a bare bones entry:

ORAM, S
Rank: Private
Service No: 2619
Date of Death: 23/12/1918
Regiment/Service: Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) 1st Bn.
Grave Reference: II. B. 1.
Cemetery: BERLIN SOUTH-WESTERN CEMETERY

He does appear on the 1914 POW list about those men still due their Princess Mary tin.

Thanks for the Hackle entry Tam, much appreciated.

Cheers,
Derek.

**Deeko** · 6th January 2015, 02:31

Originally Posted by Tam McCluskey

Derek,

The war diary for the month of October is missing. The only reference is in the Red Hackle for October 1921

28th November —The enemy made heavy attacks astride the Menin Road, B. and C. Coys. suffering heavy casualties, being overwhelmed and surrounded. Lts. Lawson, McNeil and Nolan and a few men managed to rejoin. the Battalion. The line now ran through Gheluvelt village.

Casualties, 26th-31st October-4 Officers Captain Moubray, Lt. Macnaghten, 2/Lts. Smurthwaite and Blair were killed ; 5 Captains Sir E. Stewart-Richardson (died of wounds), Chalmer and Murdoch, Lt. R. C. Anderson, and 2/Lt. Maxwell wounded; Captain Krook missing ; O.R.-71 killed, 18 wounded, 71 missing. Total—10 Officers and 160 O.R.

Great info Tam, belated thanks for that.

Should that November read October?

Cheers,
Derek.