FAQs for Researchers

1. My relative wasn’t from Scotland – why did he serve in a Scottish regiment?

Throughout the time of The Cameronians, the regiment did not just recruit in Scotland but throughout the United Kingdom. Many men were attracted to join the regiment by the chance to travel away from their home town to train in Scotland. In addition, during the Wars, when conscription was introduced, soldiers were sent to regiments as they were needed.

2. Where do I find service records?

We do not hold service records at the Museum. However, the service records of all soldiers whose service ended before 1921 are held by the National Archives in Kew:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk. The website www.ancestry.co.uk also allows you to access British WWI Pension Records for 1914-1920.

For soldiers whose service ended before WWI, the National Archives does not generally hold service records but has muster rolls, pay lists, campaign records, pension records and medal rolls. To obtain service records for soldiers whose service ended after 1921, you need to apply to the Army Personnel Centre (APC) in Glasgow.

Please see the downloadable Research Guide on the Research & Enquiries page for fuller information about service records.

3. What can you tell me about my relative’s service?

We need a battalion number and service dates before we can offer any information. The most useful resources we have are the volumes of regimental and battalion history and the battalion War Diaries. These provide a good general overview of the activities of a battalion but we do not have individual service details. We also have a card index containing brief service details of many of the officers who served.

4. Do you have any photographs of my relative?

It is unlikely we will be able to supply photographs of a solider. We have a large number of photographs in the collection, however many of these contain individuals who are unnamed and the majority of named photographs depict officers. We do not have portrait-style photographs of soldiers who enlisted.

If your relative died in the First or Second World Wars, it is possible that his details and a photograph appeared in a local newspaper. This information and any photographs would have been provided by a soldier’s family, not the regiment, therefore we do not have any records relating to this. An excellent resource for Glasgow-based soldiers in WWI is the Evening Times Roll of Honour

5. Can you put me in touch with my old friends/friends of an ex-Cameronian?

We do not have any next-of-kin records at the Museum. The best place to try is the ‘Old Comrades’ section of the forum on this website where you can post a message, or try similar forums such as www.forcesreunited.org.uk , www.comradesandcolleagues.com, www.servicepals.com or www.oldoppos.co.uk (membership is required for this one).

6. What medals was my relative entitled to?

We are unable to advise on medal entitlement, however this information would be included on a service record. For service ending before 1921, the National Archives have medal rolls and some medal citations, For service ending after 1921, the Army Medal office can advise.