New boy here (now an old man ) looking for help My father Andrew Brown served with the 2 Black Watch 1938-1945 ,and he died in 1993. He was born in the Scottish Borders which throws the recruiting field wider than the normal area (looking at an old thread ) He emigrated to Australia very late 60s and came back to Scotland 2-3 years before he died in 1993 , On the day of his cremation his then wife read paragraphs from 2 books, book 1 was his escape from Crete in a landing craft? he was in charge with other troops and civilians ? on board but unfortunately crashed it onto rocks on the African coast . book 2 his escape from a Japanese prisoner of war ship when he managed to jump overboard and return to his company, The 2 books looked the same duck egg blue in colour with silver regimental badge ? on the front ( no dust covers ) British or Australian publications i dont know 2bn history or books on escapes ?. 22 years on i would now like to find these books ,can anybody help me ,i do now wish i had paid more attention and wouldnt need to be sending this request Also I recently picked up a copy of The Black Watch and the Kings Enemies and understand he is mentioned on page 88 L/Cpl Brown but i believe he was an acting Cpl at that time
Welcome aboard, PM sent with research tips and make sure you apply for his Army Record - even if there is a long wait currently. Regarding the books have you asked The Black Watch Museum at Perth? This thread is for a similar inquiry, so may help: Advice needed in search for Blackwatch veterans There are very few threads on the 2nd Black Watch here. If you use this it identifies them and some others that may help: "2nd black watch" ww2talk.com You change the search to see if there is more. I note at one the unit became Chindits, so there is expertise here on that. If he was a Japanese POW that is an option to pursue; others will know how that works.
This might help point you in the right direction re Crete http://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/fapi/datastream/unsworks:4717/SOURCE01?view=true re-commissioned by enterprising “left behinds” [evaders and escapers], provisioned but seldom with fuel, and consequently had to sail most of the way back to Allied Lines in North Africa. One took off from Heraklion- the “Fitzhardinghe” Barge, and the other three from Spafkia, the “Day,” “Garrett,” and “Richards” Barges. No British Intelligence activity aided them. Yet in all they brought well over 300 allied soldiers back safely. . . . The barges were named after their commanders irrespective of unit or rank.’ Also (zoom in on the preview) https://www.jstor.org/stable/44232721?seq=1 THE EVACUATION OF THE HERAKLION GARRISON FROM CRETE, 28-29 MAY 1941 TD
Welcome dugie. Probably not the book you’re after but an interesting colour “match” on this edition at Abe Books? No Regimental crest though, sorry. https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=12447596651&cm_mmc=ggl-_-UK_Shopp_RareStandard-_-product_id=bi: 12447596651-_-keyword=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlNPV27fz7gIVC-vtCh0YaQZ1EAQYAiABEgI8LvD_BwE If this was one of the books, cheaper copy here: https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk/the...VC-vtCh0YaQZ1EAQYASABEgKCgfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Thankyou all for your help and pointers. I will try to answer you all with what I have so far Davidbfpo , I have not sent for his army records yet but will very shortly, I did contact the Black Watch museum just after lockdown started last year and also a few days ago ,they can not help me at the moment. I tried to search this site and links to see if I could find anything. I searched Books, 2 BW, Crete, Tobruk, Chindits, Burma, escapes from Crete and Burma, also got myself side tracked far to often, but found nothing off him, but plenty on things I didnt know. Wow what a site. I believe he was very lucky and a prisoner of the Japanese for only a few days?. Tricky Dicky I dont have his service number but he must have been in Palestine . ( Please see below). Your 1st link I had a good look at it this afternoon and found a L/Cpl Brown there but sorry to say this is not him. Your 2nd link I checked this out a few weeks ago ,very interesting and confusing, but didnt help me to find him. Wobbler Again interesting ,yes same colour as i remember but my mind may be playing little tricks on me ,I only saw the books once and it was over 20 years ago . I do have a copy of The Black Watch and the Kings Enemies, thankyou. My father joined up when he was 17 ( he claimed he was 19 ) so that would be in 1936 and he signed up for 10 years, therefore served the full war. Regarding his service number, about 18 months ago i was on the old Black Watch web site and managed to bring up a list and a few photos of exhibits they had in the museum. ONE of real interest was AB64 PT1 and soldiers release book 2759184 A/Cpl A Brown no 5950 .The number seems about right, but Brown is a common name so if I have got this wrong i apologise now. I was planning to go to Perth months ago and out to Crete at the end of May for the 80th anniversary but with Covid my plans may need to be put on hold. Hope not. Thanks to all once again
The reason behind my question about Palestine was : UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949 Name: A Brown Service Date: 1936-1939 Service Place: Palestine Campaign or Service: Palestine Regiment or Unit Name: 2nd Battalion The Black Watch Regimental Number: 2754738 Name: A Brown Service Date: 1936-1939 Service Place: Palestine Campaign or Service: Palestine Regiment or Unit Name: 2nd Battalion The Black Watch Regimental Number: 2754740 With 2 x A Brown in the 2nd Bn and their numbers only 2 digits apart .............................. TD Forgot to add this image
I have just handed my laptop to my wife in the hope that the message she types will read better than the last ones I submitted! Just an up-date since last post. I decided to contact Black Watch (Perth) after receiving post from "Tricky Dicky". Unfortunately, since my father gave a false DOB (may even have given a false address and name - he had three brothers so may have used one of their names) this is proving difficult but I am hoping they can help. I await a reply.....holding my breath for a favourable response - you never know!? I know some have advised I should get a copy of my father's military service records, but as I don't have his correct personal details, thought I would try this route first. Tricky Dicky - can you please advise what "posted HE" means? There are other abbreviations - is there any glossary available which explains these? Also - the "boy" underlined as discharged - would he have been discharged because found as under age? Still no further forward with two books I am looking for - can anyone help? Thanks in anticipation, Dougie.
Maybe the book used at his funeral was borrowed from the regiment, a museum or a library just for the day. This may explain the possibly unique binding & cover if it was a presentation copy of some kind & possibly only a few copies printed.
I'm afraid I cant - maybe others can speculate Home Establishment ? Heraklion ? His service records would help explain, as you could tally certain dates and transfers etc TD
