Armadale & District Roll of Honour 1914 - 1919
WW1 Dale Boys
My Great Grandfather James was born on the 13th June 1898, at Dykehead in Shotts,
Son of William Milroy (Coal Miner) and Maggie Muir Milroy (Miss Warnock)
James was the eldest Son and he had 5 younger brothers, (William, George, Hugh, Bruce, David,) and 1 younger sister, (Margaret). James left school at age 15 and went to work down a Coal Mine in Shotts.
In October 1914 shortly after the outbreak of War James at age 16 attempted to enlist in the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) his local Regiment at the Army Recruiting Office in Wishaw, but he was stopped when another man from Shotts in the Recruiting Office informed the Sergeant interviewing that he was only 16.
Military Service Part i
The Great War
At
James was 5 feet 4 3/4inches tall, and had a scar at the small of his back. He gave his father William as his next of kin.
James (S/19641 Private) enlisted for a short service commitment, which meant he was in the Army for three years or the duration of the War.
James Milroy 5th Seaforths 1917
James’s parents only found out what he had done, when the father of one of his friends told his mother. (For years after the war James and his two friends were known in Shotts as the “Runaways”)
The following day (1st April) James reported to the Argyll’s Depot in
On the 13th July a month after his nineteenth birthday (the minimum age for overseas service was 19) he arrived in
James only served with the 14th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders until the 17th August (total 35 days) then he was transferred to the 1st/5th (Sutherland and Caithness) Battalion Seaforth Highlanders.
The 1st/5th Seaforths were a territorial Battalion, and were part of the 152nd Infantry Brigade, 51st Highland Division
James was given a new regimental number S/41230 and served with the Seaforths for the remainder of the War.
Battles
During the Great War James took part in the following battles:
1917 Poelcappelle
Hindenberg Line
Ribecourt ,Flesquirnes
1918 German Offensive
Adre Offensive
The
5th Seaforths War Diary
The German Offensive North of Bethune 8th April 1918
On the 9th April 1918 the Germans attacked the Portuguese Divisions front line that was Neuve Chapelle, the Portuguese Division were overwhelmed and broke, and could no longer be considered as a fighting force. The 5th Seaforths were at this time waiting to go into the reserve just outside Huit Maisons, at around 6 am the alarm was sounded, and the battalion was ordered to stand to.
By midday the 1st/5th was in action, A and D Companies reinforcing the Corps Cyclists and King Edwards Horse at Les Huit Maisons in front of the River Lawe with B and C covering the bridges over the river. The battalion continued to keep the Germans at bay until 6pm, when heavy enfilade fire forced a retrial of 300 yards, and then some hours later, the flanks being turned (the Germans were nearly surrounding Huit Maisons), a further retreat took place to the village of Fosse which, with the bridge heads, was held all night and all day of the 10th (the 5th Seaforths experienced most sanguinary fighting) until 8pm, when, after severe fighting the battalion retired across the River Lawe, blowing the bridges behind them.
It was during the above action on the 10th April that James was posted as missing, and later reported as being held a Prisoner of War. *
* It is noted in the History of the Fifth Seaforth Highlanders 51st Highland Division that:
Some of the men, who were captured during the battle, were not treated with chivalry by the Germans. These NCOs and men were not sent to
They worked 12 to 14 hours per day on a handful of biscuits, a bowl of so called soup, and a cup or two of Ersatz coffee. The result was they became reduced to skeletons, and soon were bootless and in rags.
James was a Prisoner of War until after the Armistice of November 1918, and he was repatriated on the 2nd December 1918.
A group of repatriated PoW’s at
He was posted to the Seaforth Highlanders Depot at
In total James had spent 2 years and 203 days in the Army during the Great War.
James Milroy c1919
James with some fellow Seaforths c1919
After being demobilized James returned home to
James Milroy’s British War & Victory Medal
James married Isabella Harkness Hill a lass from Cambusnethan, on the 4th February 1921 at the Free Gardeners Hall in Cambusnethan. James and Isabella lived in Shotts for about one year, they later moved to High Spring Head Allanton.
Military Service Part ii
Lanarkshire Yeomanry
On the 7th January1924 at Carluke James enlisted for four years service with the Lanarkshire Yeomanry.
He was now 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighed 124lbs, was of Sallow complexion, he had grey eyes and brown hair. He had a scar on his left cheek, and a scar on his left hand small finger.
The Yeomanry Troopers were Infantry Soldiers mounted on horses with swords or Rifles depending on the duty. They were part of the Territorial Army, each soldier having a job and training on weeknights, with weekends and annual camps at various military establishments and training areas, with the Yeomanry James could continue soldiering and get some extra money (I was always told that James was soldier daft).
He was now 309596 Trooper J Milroy, and a member of Wishaw Troop, the Lanarkshire Yeomanry.
Whilst serving with the Lanarkshire Yeomanry James attended four annual camps and was promoted to Lance Corporal on 1st May 1927.
On the 20th February 1928, James was discharged from the Lanarkshire Yeomanry, and it was the end of his 4 year engagement. In total James had served for 4 years with the Lanarkshire Yeomanry.
James could have re engaged with the Lanarkshire Yeomanry, but instead he enlisted with another Territorial Army Corps.
Military Service Part iii
6th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
On the 10th May 1928, at Wishaw James enlisted in the 6th Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), He was now 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighed 119lbs, was of Sallow complexion, he had grey eyes and brown hair.
James & Isabella with their two Daughters Elizabeth Dale (My Granny Gordon), and Margaret Warnock were now living at
James was promoted:
Lance Corporal (Again) on the 23rd June 1928.
Corporal on the 17th February 1931.
Sergeant on the 5th April 1933.
Colour Sergeant (Company Quarter Master Sergeant) on the 7th July 1936
James attended the following Courses with the Cameronians:
A Course of Instruction in Drill, Weapon Training and Section Leading at Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow from the 6th – 17th April 1931, and received a satisfactory report from OC 2nd Battalion the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).
James also attended 12 Annual Camps, and it seems he never missed any Annual Camps whether serving in the Yeomanry or the Cameronians.
James remained in the 6th Cameronians until the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939.
As D Company’s, Company Quarter Master Sergeant he was mobilised for War Service on the 5th October 1939 along with his fellow 6th Cameronians (including my Grandfather George Gordon).
James served until the 6th November 1939, when he was discharged under
(James had always remained a Miner and Mining was a reserved Occupation throughout the War)
In total James had served for 11 years and 181 days with the 6th (Lanarkshire) Battalion, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).
At the outbreak of the Second World War James & Isabella were living at
Military Service Part iv
The second World War
In May 1940 with the threat of Nazi invasion the British Government broadcast a Radio message asking for Volunteers for the LDV (Local Defence Volunteers) they were to be men between the ages of 17 and 65 and to be fit to carry arms. Great Grandfather James and Edward Cain set about forming the Allanton Local Defence Volunteers.
(Eddie Cain was D Companies Company Sergeant Major in the and he and James had been good friends for many years, they both lived in
The Local Defence Volunteers were as their name suggests Groups of men who volunteered to protect their families, homes and their country from the Nazi invaders. The LDV would guard vital military and civilian areas and buildings as well as patrolling the local area at night. The only uniform the LDV had at the start was a white armband with the letters LDV on it, though James and Eddie continued to wear their Cameronians Battledress and Glengarry.
On 23rd August 1940 Winston Churchill changed the name of the LDV to the Home Guard and the new formation brought with it British Army Battledress and web Equipment as well as the much needed Lee Enfield Rifles (James and Eddie continued to wear their Cameronians Battledress and Glengarry).
James was a member of the Home Guard from 30th May 1940 up until 26th December 1941. For the Remainder of the Second World War James served as an Air Raid Warden with the Allanton ARP (Air Raid Precautions).
Air Raid Precautions (ARP)
During the Second World War, the ARP was responsible for the handing out of gas masks, pre-fabricated air-raid shelters (such as
Air Raid Wardens
Their main purpose was to patrol the streets during blackout and to ensure that no light was visible.
If a light was spotted, the warden would alert the person/people responsible by shouting something like "Put that light out!" or "Cover that window!”.
They also patrolled the streets during air raids and doused incendiary bombs with sandbags where possible.
Other duties included helping to police areas suffering bomb damage and helping the householders. ARP wardens were trained in fire-fighting and first aid, and could keep an emergency situation under control until official help arrived.
I applied for and was later sent James's 1939 - 1945 War Medal in May 2006 for his service with the 6th Cameronians during the Second World War, it had never been issued to him.
