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- 9th Battalion, Black Watch during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

9th Battalion, Black Watch



   9th Battalion, The Black Watch was raised at Perth on the 13th of September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army and joined 44th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. They trained at Aldershot, Liss, Chisledon, and commenced final training at Tidworth in May 1915. They proceeded to France landing at Boulogne on the 8th of July 1915. They were in action in the The Battle of Loos in 1915. In spring 1916, they were involved in the German gas attacks near Hulluch and the defence of the Kink position. They were in action duringthe Battles of the Somme, including The Battle of Pozieres, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette and the capture of Martinpuich, The Battle of Le Transloy and the attacks on the Butte de Warlencourt. In 1917 they were in action in The First and Second Battle of the Scarpe, including the capture of Guemappe during the Arras Offensive. They then moved north to Flanders and were in action during the The Battle of Pilckem and The Battle of Langemark. On the 7 February 1918 they transferred to 46th Brigade still with 15th (Scottish) Division and fought in The First Battle of Bapaume. After suffering very heavy losses in The First Battle of Arras, they were reduced to a cadre and on the 21st of May 1918 they transferred to 118th Brigade, 39th Division. On the 17th of June they transferred to 16th (Irish) Division and returned to England. They absorbed the 15th Battalion and transferred to 47th Brigade, still with 16th (Irish) Division. They returned to France, landing at Boulogne on the 28th of July 1918 and fought in The Final Advance in Artois.

25th Sep 1915 9th Black Watch Attack

11th Mar 1916 Award

11th Mar 1916 Award

15th Mar 1916 Award

19th May 1916 Reliefs

30th Aug 1916 Reliefs  location map

30th December 1916 Operation Orders

31st December 1916 March Table

23rd January 1917 Operational Orders

23rd January 1917 March Table  location map

9th Apr 1917 Assault Made

8th October 1917 Relief Table  location map

8th October 1917 Operational Order  location map

1st November 1917 Operational Orders  location map

2nd November 1917 Reliefs

25th November 1917 Operational Orders  location map

25th November 1917 Table of Relief

6th February 1918 Operational Orders  location map

7th February 1918 Reliefs  location map

14th April 1918 Operational Order No.12  location map

21st April 1918 Operational Order No.15  location map

21st April 1918 Reliefs  location map

16th May 1918 Operational Order No.23  location map

16th May 1918 March Table  location map

16th October 1918  Outpost Line of Division reported just East of Carvin.  location map

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.





Want to know more about 9th Battalion, Black Watch?


There are:25 items tagged 9th Battalion, Black Watch available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

9th Battalion, Black Watch

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Ballantyne John. Pte. (d.1st July 1917)
  • Crawford William. Cpl.
  • Docherty John. Pte. (d.15th Feb 1916)
  • Donaldson James. Capt. (d.23rd Aug 1917)
  • Dredge Alfred Willie. Pte. (d.8th Apr 1917)
  • Fraser Oswald Campbell. 2nd Lt. (d.9th April 1917)
  • Jones William Edward. Pte. (d.15th Sep 1918)
  • Leggate MM. Robert. Pte.
  • Lewthwaite William. Pte. (d.25th September 1915)
  • Lowe Charles. Pte. (d.25th Sep 1915)
  • McBride John. Pte. (d.5th Feb 1916)
  • McCann David. Sgt. (d.25th Sep 1915)
  • McEwan John. Pte. (d.29th September 1915)
  • McFarlane Alan. Pte. (d.26th Sept 1915)
  • McKay Watson. Pte. (d.25th Sep 1915)
  • Potter Alexander. Cpl. (d.9th Apr 1917 )
  • Roddick George. Pte. (d.24th Mar 1916)
  • Stibbles John. Pte
  • Taysum Norman Henry. Pte. (d.16th Oct 1917)
  • Thomas MC. Byers. Capt.
  • Wallace William. Pte. (d.16th September 1915)
  • Wallace William. Pte. (d.17th September 1915)

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 9th Battalion, Black Watch from other sources.


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      World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great battalion regiment artillery
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  Pte. John McEwan 9th Btn. Black Watch (d.29th September 1915)

My great Uncle John McEwan was wounded at the Battle of Loos and died a few days later at a military hospital in Le Treport.

Raymond Hainey






  Pte. Watson McKay 9th Btn. Black Watch (d.25th Sep 1915)

Watson McKay was my grandmother's brother. He fought with the 9th Battalion, Black Watch. He arrived in France on the 14th of July 1915 and was killed during the Battle of Loos. He is remembered on the Loos Memorial.

Brian C. Manson






  Pte. William Wallace 9th Service Battalion Black Watch (d.17th September 1915)

The Glasgow Evening Times reported "Mr and Mrs Wallace of Barrowfield, Coatbridge have received official information that their son, Private William Wallace, 9th Black Watch who was wounded in France on 16th of September, died on 17th of September 1915. Before enlisting the deceased was employed with the Caledonian Railway Company. While out with a work party, he was shot."

Kevin Smith






  Pte. Alfred Willie Dredge 9th Btn. Black Watch (d.8th Apr 1917)

My Great-Great Uncle, Albert Dredge, served with distinction in the 9th Battalion and I wish to know more about him, his fellows and their life with in the Battalion prior to being shipped to France. I am honoured that he served with a highly honoured Regiment and sorrowed that he never came home to his wife Janet and his parents Mark and Harriet. Rest in Peace Uncle

Paul Turner






  Pte. William Lewthwaite 9th Btn. Black Watch (d.25th September 1915)

William Lewthwaite, my great uncle was killed in 1st attack of the Battle of Loos 25th of September 1915.







  Pte. George Roddick 9th Btn. Black Watch (d.24th Mar 1916)

George Roddick was my Great Uncle, Mum used to tell me about him although his life was cut short before she was born. It was one of many great stories of sheer bravery that George Roddick and indeed many more brave young men had told about them by family and friends and allowed our generation to remember them as the Heroes of the Great War. I feel honoured that the name George made its way down the family to myself.

George Slack






  Cpl. Alexander Potter 9th (Service) Battalion Black Watch (d.9th Apr 1917 )

Cpl Alexander Potter died at Arras on 9th April 1917.

Georgine Faulkner






  Sgt. David McCann 9th Btn. Black Watch (d.25th Sep 1915)

David McCann served with the 9th Royal Highlanders

Patrick Garland






  Pte. Alan McFarlane 9th Btn Black Watch (d.26th Sept 1915)

Alan McFarlane, my Great Uncle was killed in the Battle of Loos on 26th of September 1915, three weeks after his 21st birthday. He is buried in Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery, France

Robert McFarlane






  Cpl. William Crawford 9th Btn. Blackwatch

William Crawford served with the 9th Battalion, Blackwatch and 14th Royal Welsh Fusliers

<p>William is bottom left.

Kevin Wills






  2nd Lt. Oswald Campbell "Fraser" Fraser 9th Btn. Black Watch (d.9th April 1917)

I believe Oswald Fraser is my grandfather through a brief liaison with my grandmother in Norfolk.

Hilary Condon






  Pte. Robert Leggate MM. 9th Btn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

Robert Leggate, my father's brother, was born in 1892 and served through the war with his 2 brothers. My father served with the RFA and youngest brother with the Cameronions, both survived. Uncle Robert was awarded the Military Medal at Passaendale. This was noted in Hamilton Adviser in 1918 when his father was notified at 46 Glasgow Rd. Strathaven.

Robert married a young woman from South Uist, Catherine Mc.Intyre. His wife died in 1924 of TB or consumption, as was known then. His children all died at a very young age. All are buried in Shots Auld Kirk Graveyard. He remarried and had a daughter, Madge who at the age of 21 died of TB. Robert died in1954 at work from a heart attack. His wife, Annie and son Jack moved to Canada. I met him on a few occasions and loved being in his presence. In talking to my father, no mention of war did I ever hear but at such a young age 12 yrs. I didn't take too much in but my father and him were just jokers between them. I am the youngest of 10 have some great memories having visited some of the war graves in Belgium on 3rd August 2014.

Walter Bennie Leggete






  Pte. Norman Henry Taysum 9th Btn. Black Watch (d.16th Oct 1917)

Norman Taysum served with the The Black Watch 9th Battalion. He was executed for desertion on 16th October1917 aged 25 and id buried in St. Nicolas British Cemetery, St. Nicolas, France. He was the son of Henry Alfred and Mary Ann Taysum, of 25, Rosyth Old Village, nr. Edinburgh.

s flynn






  Pte. John Docherty 9th Btn. Black Watch (d.15th Feb 1916)

John Docherty served with the Black Watch 9th Battalion. He was executed for desertion on 15th February1916 aged 27 and is buried in Mazingarbe Communal Cemetery and Extension, Mazingarbe, France.

s flynn






  Capt. James Donaldson 9th Bn Black Watch (d.23rd Aug 1917)

This photo shows officers of C Company, 9th Battalion Black watch photo with Tommy Byers sitting on the right and Captain James Donaldson sitting in the centre. Captain James Donaldson was killed on the 23rd of August 1917 at the Battle of Arras just north of Rouex France. I have an aerial photo bomb shot of the area taken on the 30th September 1917 at 5:00 PM. This photo has been confirmed by McMaster University..

Dave Donatelli






  Capt. Byers Thomas MC. 9th Btn. Black Watch

This is Captain Thomas Byers in Arras France taken in August 1917. When Tommy Byers was 94 years old he gave me his photo collection from WW1. There are close to 400 images in the photo album and I have quite a number of photos of the 9th Battalion Black Watch Royal Highlanders. The photos are named and dated from 1909 to 1920. I have a few photos of Captain James Donaldson from the same regiment and battalion.

Dave Donatelli






  Pte. William Edward Jones 9th Btn. Black Watch (d.15th Sep 1918)

My grandfather, William Jones, died of wounds two weeks after my mother was born. She had no knowledge of him at all as her mother never discussed him. Following a search via Ancestry and the little knowledge we have, we found him. I have learnt that he was in 9th Battalion The Black Watch, who were in action when part of the 47 Brigade deployed in the Annequin Defence System of the Hohenzollern Sector. They raided their German trenches on 2nd September, 31 were killed and a number injured, he was one of these. He is buried in Sailly-Labourse Communal Cemetary Extension grave reference N22

I shall endeavour to find out from Major Ronnie Proctor MBE of the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) Association to the precise action prior to 2nd September 1918 that he was involved in. The 9th were formed in Perth 13th September 1914 as part of K2 under command of 44th Brigade. I have photos of family members but I do not know who they are, no one remains who would know.

Kate Brophy






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