|
|
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you agree to accept cookies.
If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.
Site Home
Help & FAQs
Features
Submissions
Information
Advertisements
World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
L/Cpl. Richard Russell Telfer MM
British Army 2nd Btn. Seaforth Highlanders
from:Torbothie Row, Parish of Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland
My great great uncle, Richard Russell, was born on 15th April 1885 at Haywood, Carnwath, Lanarkshire, Scotland. His father was Charles Telfer, who was born on 15th August 1826 at Kirkurd, Newlands, Peeblesshire, Scotland; he died on 2nd March 1895 at Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland. His mother was Janet Sommerville, who was born in 1842 in the Parish of Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland; she died on 17th November 1904, at Calderhead, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
In the 1891 Census for Calderhead, Lanarkshire, Scotland, he was age 5, living with his parents and siblings at Torbothie Row, Parish of Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland. His father Charles Telfer died on 2nd March 1895, at Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland.
In the 1901 Census for Calderhead, Lanarkshire, Scotland, he was age 15, a pit labourer, living with his mother and siblings at Torbothie Row, Parish of Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
On 11th January 1904, he enlisted at the age of 18, at Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland, to the 2nd Btn Seaforth Highlanders. His Service Record did survive and is available to read on the Ancestry website.
On 5th November 1907, he married Margaret Hudson Scott at Edinburgh, Scotland. On the marriage record he shows his address as Edinburgh Castle. His battalion was stationed there at the time.
He was mobilized on 5th August 1914, and arrived in F & F on 23rd August, 1914. He was appointed L/Cpl on 20th October 1916.
On 11th November 1916, he was awarded the Military Medal. The War Diary of the 2nd Bn Seaforth Highlanders for November 1916, shows a list of those rewarded for gallantry. L/Cpl 8669, Telfer, R., is shown as awarded the Military Medal for two (2) 'Dates of Action' on '25.4.15 and 2.5.15'.
His MIC shows he was awarded the M.M., Victory, British, 14 Star, and Clasp of Roses IV 1760. His MM MIC shows the date of the Gazette as '11.11.16'. The London Gazette 29819, page 10931, shows the award to L/Cpl 8669 R. Telfer. The Edinburgh Gazette 13010, page 2041, also listed the entry of the award.
The Military History Sheet of his Service Record shows that he was awarded The Military Medal. It also shows he was asphyxiated by 'Gas Fumes' on '6/5/15'. He was invalided back to the UK on 15.5.15. He rejoined his Battalion on 31.7.15.
On 30th October 1916 he was injured by "Foreign body - Eye". He was moved to 21 Casualty Clearing Station, then 5 General Hospital at Rouen. He was eventually evacuated back to the UK on 25.11.16. He was discharged on 31st March 1917, having served 13 years and 80 days with the Colours.
He emigrated to Australia on 15th May 1922, with his wife and three children, and died in Lily, Victoria, Australia in 1966 aged 81.
Related Content:
Can you help us to add to our records?
The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them
Did your relative live through the Great War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial?
If so please let us know.
Do you know the location of a Great War "Roll of Honour?"We are very keen to track down these often forgotten documents and obtain photographs and transcriptions of the names recorded so that they will be available for all to remember.
Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice.
Celebrate your own Family History
Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Great War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc.
Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.
The free section of The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers.
This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources and we currently have a huge backlog of submissions.
If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running.
Hosted by:
The Wartime Memories Project Website
is archived for preservation by the British Library
Copyright MCMXCIX - MMXXIV
- All Rights Reserved -We do not permit the use of any content from this website for the training of LLMs or for use in Generative AI, it also may not be scraped for the purpose of creating other websites.
