Derek Robertson

A red paper pension form with the names of a soldier, his wife and their child.

A newspaper clipping of the face portrait of a soldier wearing a glengarry and military tunic.

Like today, some people during the Great War named their children after important people, places or events.

Thomas Smith, a prewar regular of the Black Watch, had a son born mid April 1915 with the middle name Joffre.

Thomas died at Aubers Ridge three weeks later.

#ww1 #fww #greatwar #milhist

A black and white postcard of 19 men standing shoulder to shoulder in two rows, one behind the other in a village street with cottages behind them. They are territorial soldiers of the black watch wearing kilts, sporrans, tunics and glengarrys, all with rifles testing on the ground and against their hand. One man is carrying a set of bagpipes.

The Friockheim men of the 5th Bn Black Watch, in 1912.

Most of these men went to France, with the first Scottish Territorial unit to arrive, on 2/11/1914.

Sgt Victor Glass, 3rd from right, died after being shot while on trench digging duty at night, in December 1914.

#ww1 #fww #greatwar #milhist

Oh dear. I feel this is written in red ink…

I’d assumed brass band because I’ve a brass band image for the 2nd bn and couldn’t see any pipes!

1909 🙄

The brass band of the 1st Bn Black Watch at the White City, Manchester in 1908.

Many are wearing their Boer War medal(s).

This was originally posted to the USA and recently acquired from Turkey!

It’s a high quality image, so men may be identifiable.

#ww1 #fww #greatwar #blackwatch #milhist

He’s a lucky guy. It’d be great to be so wealthy that working is optional.

Yes, I wasn’t sure about the helmets to say if it was a mixed group.

A postcard of British prisoners of war on the battlefield during the First World War.

It’s a very relaxed image. No one seems to be expecting a counter attack or to be shelled.

So possibly taken during the German offensive in March 1918.

#ww1 #fww #milhist #greatwar

The Monday Morning Podcast (Series, 2007 - ) 🔈
█████ Comedy Festival (2025)

Nick Hewitt stands at centre facing to the right at a lectern, talking into a microphone on a stand. Behind him is a project tie screen showing a black and white image of ship at anchor at sea .

I think a good time was had by all at the WFA Scotland Conference, hosted by @wfatayside.bsky.social yesterday in Dundee.

Five excellent speakers.

Nick Hewitt’s talk on the Grand Fleet, post Jutland, was a highlight.

#ww1 #fww #greatwar #milhist #WFA #westernfrontassociation

A full length photo of a quartermaster sgt of a highland military unit during the First World War, wearing trews and a glengarry. He sports a large handlebar moustache and wears a leather Sam brown belt over his tunic.

Hon Lt & Quartermaster William Fowler of the 1st Black Watch during the Great War.

He features on several postcards in varying uniforms between the Boer War and Great War.

He’s one of the few to serve continuously from start to end of the Great War in the battalion.

#ww1 #fww #milhist #greatwar

I’ve read on posts that the publisher chooses the cover and author has little say. But 🤷🏻‍♂️

Hmm I wonder if it’s that there’s not loads of them.
I see the same images come up again and again with only the odd “new” one.

Change electric prices being linked to gas ones.

Military soldiers of a cavalry regiment the Scots Greys, casualty ride in pairs along a Liverpool Street with a few civilians passing by.

Yet another oddly high price for a military postcard.

This time £88.08. The Scots Greys on horseback during the Liverpool railway strike of 1911.

What was the appeal? Rail strikes or Liverpool history?

Four bidders chased each other up.

#milhist #scotsgreys #Liverpool #railway #strike

Congratulations, I hope you enjoyed it.

Spotted at Ayr railway station.

A modern memorial those of the Glasgow & South Western Railway who died in all wars and conflicts.

#ww1 #fww #sww #milhist #memorial #ayr

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They may offer a solution?

First World War British soldiers in rows of 4 walking from left to right, they are in a mixture of uniforms and some are kilted. There’s a German guard in pickelhaub just visible walking with a rifle alongside them

A colourised German postcard of British POW’s during the Great War.

They all appear to be carrying empty metal containers, so possibly off for water, while under guard.

Unposted but dates from 1914/15, as the men all have soft headwear and the kilted soldiers are in spats.

#fww #ww1 #milhist

Thanks, that’s interesting.

Pretty sure it’s the 2nd HLI with the location closest confirmed as Boulogne.

There must be no shortage of misattributed images about.

Very likely 2nd HLI, as Chris has identified the location as Boulogne and cap badge fits.

As Chris has identified it as Boulogne, 2nd HLI it is.
Thanks Tom.

Thanks Chris, good spot.

It’s then likely to be the 2nd HLI who arrived at Boulogne on 14th August.

Cap badge looks more square shaped than the long cross of the BW.

I think it would have done the many surviving prisoners of war, who were brutalised, and the families of those killed by his country, a lot of good.

The personal lives of strangers to us being pushed as news or entertainment is a nonsense and should be discouraged.

A column of kilted soldiers headed by a pipe band with an officer on horseback in the lead.

A kilted regiment arriving in France in 1914.

It may be the Black Watch. (The image quality isn’t good enough for me to make a definite identification of the cap badge).

If anyone can identify the French town or city, that would help narrow down the regiment.

Unposted.

#ww1 #fww #milhist

Bonkers eh. Most money over ever seem a Great War postcard sell for.

A Great War Chinese labour corps postcard came up on eBay.

Labour Corps ones aren’t too common and quite interesting, so I started the bidding, which began at £9.99.

It just sold for £239.55 after about a dozen bids!

What am I missing? Are CLC images rarer than hens teeth?

#ww1 #fww #milhist

Officers in a mixture of trousers and kilts. 10 standing at the back, 7 seated in the middle and 4 sitting on the ground at front. There’s a large tent behind them and all but a padre are wearing a glengarry hat.

A postcard of officers of the 4th (City of Dundee) Territorial Battalion, The Black Watch.

Taken in 1913 during the annual camp at Barry, near Carnoustie.

Sitting at centre is Lt.Col Harry Walker, who two years later in February 1915, led the Btn to France.

#ww1 #fww #milhist #blackwatch

Approximately twenty British soldiers as prisoners of war facing the photographer with a German guard to their left. All have Red Cross armbands and soft caps.

Back of postcard with addressee and message written in German.

A posted German postcard of the First World War.

It’s a hand coloured image of British prisoners in the Sennelager PoW camp in Germany in 1914/15.

They are likely men of the R.A.M.C. going by the Red Cross armbands.

#ww1 #fww #greatwar #postcard #milhist #RAMC #prisoners