PHOTO PAGE 97

Photo KENB 1 Please Contact Kenny Blyth at :- Kenny_Blyth@datacard.com Kenny has sent in this and 3 other photographs which feature his Great Grandfather THOMAS BLAIKIE who was a soldier of THE ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS during WW1. (Thomas may have been a soldier before the Great War, and possibly with a different Regiment). This what Kenny wrote about this photograph, The photo is of my great grandfather who is on the far right of the picture.
My cousin in Australia scanned the original and e-mailed it to me yesterday and it solves one part of the mystery. My father can remember his Grandfather talking about being in India but doesn't know when his Grandfather was in India. I have discovered that he was in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during the Great War, I have his cap badge and a copy of his medal index card that shows he served in France, but we can't find out when he was in India. I can only assume that he was a regular soldier at some time before the war, but according to a guy at the Argylls museum in Stirling, stated that The Argylls did not wear the clothing seen in the photograph, so Great- Grandfather may have been in another regiment. My cousin tells me that there is an inscription on the back of the photograph that says Rahumkhan and Abdulrazak Photographer, Chakrata. I think the photo was taken at the Kempty Waterfall which is near Mussoorie, north of Dehra Dun and Delhi, but that is all I know. I was hoping you might include this photograph and that someone may be able to date it and possibly identify the uniforms or even some of the other people standing beside my great Grandfather. Thank you

To view a larger version of the above photograph, plus a wider angle version which shows the water fall in more detail please click here > KENB 1

Photo KENB 2 Please Contact Kenny Blyth at :- Kenny_Blyth@datacard.com

This is World War One portrait is of Kenny Great Grandparents, his Great Grandfather, THOMAS BLAIKIE is pictured here wearing his uniform of THE ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS.

PLEASE NOTE: when contacting Kenny, there is a hidden underscore in his e-mail address between "Kenny" and "Blyth" . example Kenny_Blyth

Photo TDK 1 Please contact Terry Kelham at :-terencedavid.kelham@ntlworld.com

This portrait is of Terry's Grandfather, "LANCE BOMBARDIER 42860 MOREL ROBERT KELHAM M.M. Morel was a ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY Gunner/Driver and whilst in action, with the 40th Division in France and Flanders in 1917, he was awarded the Military Medal. The citation that can be seen on the lower half of the photograph says,

"The General Officer Commanding the 40th Division has been pleased to mention in Divisional Routine Orders the gallant conduct of , No. 42860 Driver, M. R. Kelham, Royal field Artillery. To whom the Military Medal has been awarded by the Corps Commander, under the authority of the King, for devotion to duty and courage displayed during active operations against the enemy on 23rd, 24th & 25th November 1917. Place: In the Field date: 7/2/1918".

David Stevens has supplied the following information about the 40th Division, "November 20th, 1917 saw the start of the Battle of Cambrai, the battle in which tanks were first employed. The 40th Division was part of Sir Julian Byng's Third Army. It was one of three Divisions of V Corps which were initially held in reserve. They went into action the next day (November 21st) supporting IV Corp. The Germans counter attacked and a bloody battle ensued. On November 23rd. Major-General Sir John Ponsonby's 40th Division supported by 100 tanks attacked Bourlon Ridge with 432 guns giving fire support. The ridge and Bourlon woods were heavily defended by the Germans and although the 40th reached the crest of Bourlon Wood they failed to penetrate to the village beyond. In 72 hours of fighting the 40th lost 4,000 casualties. The 23rd 24th and 25th of November - the dates mentioned in the citation for his Military Medal - were three of the bloodies that involved the 40th. Any man who won a medal over those three days really earned it."

Terry would greatly appreciate any further information about his Grandfather, his R.F.A. unit or the 40th Division generally.

To return to the index page click here> MILITARY IMAGES