Highlanders' Territorials

[Dileasgubas]

I have come across an interesting find and was seeking some information.

I recently purchased a sgian dhub on eBay from, as it turns out, a neighbour of the family. The neighbour indicated that the sgian belonged to his grandfather, Alexander Campbell, who was a piper in the First World War. It is a simple antler-handled knife that is obviously old, and if the oral history is correct, it has been "over the top" on more than one occasion.

I managed to to find Alexander Campbell's attestation letter when he joined the Canadian Army on 24 November, 1914. The family confirmed that he was born in Killin, Scotland and this man is the only Alex Campbell on the Army list from Killin so I am fairly sure that I have the right man. Although a mechanic by trade, since he played the pipes I suspect that he was pressed into service as a piper for the duration of the War.

What is interesting is that Campbell mentions on his enrollment form that he has had 12 years of prior service with the "Highlanders' Territorials." This would mean that his sgian likely came from his time in that unit.
I cannot seem to find information on the Territorials. Could anyone enlighten me? Many thanks.

[sailortats]

would you pleased post a pic of this sgian. I am sure a lot of us would like a look at it.

[Dileasgubas]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261474204187

I only have have the eBay listing. Haven't picked up the actual knife yet. Click on "see the original listing" in the link for pics.

[Ron Abbott]

That's certainly not a pattern of military sgian dubh I've ever come across. Looks very civilian.

One place you might want to try if you want to find out more about the man is the Great War forum. The members there are very helpful and very knowledgeable when it comes to British military records/uniforms/accoutrements etc.

Here is the link:-

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/

In the interim, someone has posted a family tree related to him on ancestry.com.
That doesn't necessarily mean that what is recorded is all accurate however:-

His full name is recorded as Alexander McDonald Campbell
DOB/POB as 4th April 1874, Killin
Father : George Campbell (b. c1838)
Mother : Jessie (b. c1842)

It is recorded that he had/has a son called Arthur Campbell (b. 1910)

Departed the UK at Liverpool arriving St. Johns, New Brunswick on 25th Nov 1903
Married on 25th Dec 1907 in Quebec

Wife : Isabella Mary Warden

Died : 23rd Oct 1937 in New Brunswick

[OC Richard]

I'm with Ron, I've never seen that style worn in the army, and I've seen thousands of photos of military men from both World Wars.

That's a quite specific civilian style, the style worn with civilian Day (or Outdoor) dress, in other words with tweed jacket, small pocketlike leather sporran, etc.

One sees this every day on Ebay: civilian items being represented as military ones. Though in this case, at least from the way you worded it, no claim is being made that this sgian was worn in the army, just that the sgian belonged to somebody who had been in the army.

As far as "Highlanders Territorials" goes, that could be any of quite a few different battalions. The Territorial Force was organized in Britain in 1908 so obviously someone could not have 12 years service in such by 1914. (He could have served in a Volunteer Battalion later designated as a Territorial Battalion.) There were over 50,000 Volunteers/Territorials in Scotland alone in 1908. I haven't found any references to any Canadian battalions being called "Territorial" but maybe I'm not looking in the right places.

If this fellow came to Canada from Scotland in 1903, the Territorial Force was still five years in the future when he left.

[Ron Abbott]

I suppose prior to moving to Canada he could have served in the yeomanry/militia, which by the time he joined up in 1914 with the Canadian Army; would have become known as the Territorials which is why that was recorded rather than Yeomanry or whatever.

I have looked at bagpipe tune indexes, however I can't find any tunes that were obviously composed by him or named after him, although it is hardly an uncommon name.

If you really want to know about any UK military service, you might be better posting on one of the forums used by persons who are experts or have a major interest in that subject?

[Dileasgubas]

That's certainly not a pattern of military sgian dubh I've ever come across. Looks very civilian.

One place you might want to try if you want to find out more about the man is the Great War forum. The members there are very helpful and very knowledgeable when it comes to British military records/uniforms/accoutrements etc.

Here is the link:-

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/

In the interim, someone has posted a family tree related to him on ancestry.com.
That doesn't necessarily mean that what is recorded is all accurate however:-

His full name is recorded as Alexander McDonald Campbell
DOB/POB as 4th April 1874, Killin
Father : George Campbell (b. c1838)
Mother : Jessie (b. c1842)

It is recorded that he had/has a son called Arthur Campbell (b. 1910)

Departed the UK at Liverpool arriving St. Johns, New Brunswick on 25th Nov 1903
Married on 25th Dec 1907 in Quebec

Wife : Isabella Mary Warden

Died : 23rd Oct 1937 in New Brunswick

Thanks for this. When I visit with the family, I'll be able to confirm the name of the son.

I am am fairly sure that the military service referred to was not in Canada. It is also possible that Alex Campbell indicated 12 years of prior service to ensure that he would be enrolled. Heck, even "Highlanders Territorials" could have been made up. Again, something bearing further inquiry.

As for the sgian, I have little doubt that it belonged to Alex Campbell but I do not know if he actually wore it with a uniform. His unit, which was to become the Nova Scotia Highlanders, deployed to France as a line infantry unit, the 15th CEF, I believe. Once there, it became a highland battalion. I'll need to do some digging to find out if they were kilted or not during the War. I would strongly suspect that any unit raised in that part of Canada would make full use of any soldier who could play the pipes but I doubt that they managed to convert to a fully kilted highland unit until after the war.

At the turn of the 20th century, that part of New Brunswick / Nova Scotia would not have been home to many richly dressed folks, so a hand-made knife belonging to a simple soldier would fit the location and the time. In the end, whether or not we manage to establish provenance, I am quite happy with this simple sgian and with the bit of history / folklore with which it came to me from the family. if nothing else, it will certainly be a great conversation piece.

Many thanks to to the posters - as usual, a fountain of useful information.

[Dung Trumpet]

Thanks for this. When I visit with the family, I'll be able to confirm the name of the son.

I am am fairly sure that the military service referred to was not in Canada. It is also possible that Alex Campbell indicated 12 years of prior service to ensure that he would be enrolled. Heck, even "Highlanders Territorials" could have been made up. Again, something bearing further inquiry.

As for the sgian, I have little doubt that it belonged to Alex Campbell but I do not know if he actually wore it with a uniform. His unit, which was to become the Nova Scotia Highlanders, deployed to France as a line infantry unit, the 15th CEF, I believe. Once there, it became a highland battalion. I'll need to do some digging to find out if they were kilted or not during the War. I would strongly suspect that any unit raised in that part of Canada would make full use of any soldier who could play the pipes but I doubt that they managed to convert to a fully kilted highland unit until after the war.

At the turn of the 20th century, that part of New Brunswick / Nova Scotia would not have been home to many richly dressed folks, so a hand-made knife belonging to a simple soldier would fit the location and the time. In the end, whether or not we manage to establish provenance, I am quite happy with this simple sgian and with the bit of history / folklore with which it came to me from the family. if nothing else, it will certainly be a great conversation piece.

Many thanks to to the posters - as usual, a fountain of useful information.

The 15th Battalion, CEF, were the 48th Highlanders of Canada out of Toronto.

Also, if that sgian dubh was Army issue, I'd expect to see the broad arrow stamped on it.

[Bruce Scott]

Perhaps either the 85th Battalion, Nova Scotia Highlanders or the 25th Battalion, Nova Scotia Rifles. This article may be of interest:
Nova Scotians in the Great War
http://www.thebrotherkeepers.com/html/novascotians.html