London Scottish Regiment

This is perhaps an all to familiar story, my grandfather never talked about his military service and now he has gone and I am left with one photo.

The photo is marked on the back 14 Jul 1945

It shows him in battle dress blouse with a scottish headress of which the badge is not very visible.

Shoulder title reads London Scottish

below this a round patch with no visible detail

below this a horizontal strip comprising two dark strips separated by a lighter one

below this a light coloured rectangular patch with a darker thistle

below this his Corporals chevrons

(Sorry I do not have a scanner and haven't got round to getting it done)

Any details of the London Scottish and what these badges are and represent would be great.

Any veterans of the LS his name was David L. May from Aberdeen he was a boxer so he may have boxed for the regt.

All help much appreciated

Kev

 

Hi Kev - and welcome. Any chance you could post that photo?

 

Ah - I didn't notice that.

 

here is just a quick one taken with a phone i will try to get it scanned properly next week.

 

He was supposed to be in france in 45

medals recieved as follows
General Service 1918-64
1939-1945 star
france and germany star
defence medal
war medal 1939-1945
Queen Elizabeth 2 coronation medal

would this tie him down to a Bn? 1st Bn as they were on the continent?

unfortunately all I have are ribbons not the medals so no service numbers etc.

 

The cap badge looks like KOSB, not London Scots. Pretty sure the London Jocks don't have a diced tartan glengary either.

 

Something was said about manning AA and channel guns early in the war did either Bn do that?

But those are LS titles are they not White on red I believe they were?

I must admit that the cap badge looks like it has a crown at the top which I don't think LS had looks more like a KOSB.

 

Would he possibly have moved between Bn's starting in one doing AA work then ending in france?

 

here is just a quick one taken with a phone i will try to get it scanned properly next week.

Just checked my LS History, and he is definitely not wearing a London Scottish glengarry.

 

So a bit of a mystery LS titles but not headgear

 

The Thistle flash is also a mystery; I can't find it in 'Heraldry At War'. Did he serve with the LS post-war, in the TA?

If you can get a better scan of the area where all the battle flashes are, that would help.

 

He obviously served post war probably in the TA as otherwise he wouldnt have a coronation medal but as he lived in Aberdeen I doubt that it was with LS.

As to the photo as I said I will endeavour to get it scanned next week.

but the photo is dated july 45 so they are not post war insignia.

 

Here are the scanned images including a closeup of the badges.

 

Hi and Welcome to the forum......Thinking outside of the box here. Could he have took up a posting to the LS as a Instructor and told to stitch the flashes on his uniform and kept his original units flashes on his kit?

That happened at lot when I was in much to the annoyance to some officers and RSM's. Personnel get attached to make up units OrBats for tours etc.

Just a thought
Cheers
Andy

 

That is an idea as I have been told elsewhere that the cap badge dosen't look like a London scottish cap badge as it seems to have a crown and lion on top and the only scottish badge I have seen with that was KOSB

also no one seems to be able to identify the thistle badge.

The top one I was wondering if it could be the GHQ badge but I can't quite make it out.

 

The Thistle flash looks a bit like the old 9th Scottish division? The 9th amalgamated into the 51st HD after Dunkirk.