A sporran from the Black Watch 73rd (Overseas) Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), Canadian Expeditionary Force

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A sporran from the Black Watch 73rd (Overseas) Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), Canadian Expeditionary Force

Black Watch tartan When I wanted to buy my first sporran, I was tempted to go with a contemporary model. Since almost everything else I collect is vintage or antique, from my house to my wristwatch I wanted to see whether I could find an interesting, unusual sporran. I'm happy to report that I was able to track down a sporran from the Black Watch 73rd (Overseas) Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), Canadian Expeditionary Force.

"It was as the result of a suggestion made to the authorities by Duncan Forbes of Culloden that in 1729 it was determined on that a certain number of Highland clansmen should be embodied in the character of a species of local gendarmerie.... The 'Black Watch,' or as is its Gaelic name, 'Am Freiceadan Dubh,' was the appellation given to the independent companies of which, with reinforcements, the regiment was subsequently formed. From the time that the companies were first embodied until they were regimented the Highlanders continued to wear the dress of their country."
   - The Black Watch: The Record Of An Historic Regiment (Archibald Forbes, L.L.D)

The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) was the first kilted regiment in the British Army, and the first to introduce the bagpipe. It's the oldest Highland regiment and can trace a line back to 1624 when the government of the day started raising independent companies. The RHR are the parent regiment to the the RHC.

Black Watch logo The creation of a large American federal army - and the Civil War - concerned Canada. Their citizens demanded the creation of local militia units to guarantee the fundamental rights of British North America. Each of six Montreal Scottish chieftains responded by raising an infantry company for what would be 5th Battalion, Royal Light Infantry (popularly called the "Royals"); created on 31 January 1862, it's Canada's oldest (senior) highland regiment.

The Black Watch of Canada's birth and growth is echoes that of the Parent Regiment, which was formed in 1739 to guarantee peace in the highlands of Scotland and eventually to fight for Monarch and Country in conflicts throughout the world. Both Regiments share a common heritage and distinctive highland dress.

At first, only one of the eight companies wore highland dress, but by 1883 the entire battalion wore the Black Watch kilt.

Black Watch logo The Black Watch have served on the Canadian border of the Niagara Peninsula and the Eastern Townships during the Fenian Raids of 1886 and 1870, and in aid of the civil power during the Orange Riots of 1877, the Quebec dock riots of 1878, the smallpox riots of 1885, the Valleyfield strike of 1900, and the Montreal dock riots of 1903.

The Black Watch have fought in the Boer War, WW1, WW2, and the Korean War. Privileged to serve Canada in its obligations not only to the Empire and Commonwealth, the Black Watch has also worked under the aegis of both NATO and the United Nations.

At left you see the Black Watch Memorial Window of the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, the Regimental Church of the Black Watch of Canada since 1912. From the church's web site:

Black Watch Memorial In the centre part of the window is a Celtic figure depicting a youthful Christ. On one side of Him is David holding the head of Goliath, symbolizing the young, new Canadian Army in its victory of right over might; on the other side appears St. Andrew with the emblematic Cross of Scotland, to whose original regiment of the Black Watch this Regiment is affiliated. In the outer panels, on the left, appears a Crusader in armour with, below, the emblems of the Cross and Crown of Thorns; on the right is a modern Crusader, a private of the Royal Highlanders of Canada in battle array, and beneath him the regimental badge of the Black Watch.

Two features in the design of the window were unique for the period: the inclusion of such a modern figure as that of a soldier in wartime uniform, and the six-pointed Star of David which appears to the left of the head of David. As the Regimental historian stated at the time "the inclusion of the latter was done deliberately, since it was realized that, without some special symbol, a Christian Memorial could hardly be considered as perpetuating the memory of such a member of the Jewish faith as the gallant young Lieutenant M.T. Cohen, M.C., whose Regimental nickname was "McCohen".

When World War One - or as the Canadians say, the Great War of 1914-18 - broke out, the Royal Highlanders of Canada volunteered as a unit. The two peace-time battalions of the Royal Highlanders, as they were raised for the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force, became the 13th Battalion (RHC), CEF.

LCOL G.S. Cantlie When the first contingent left, a second was recruited. The regiment raised another Battalion, and this time LCOL G.S. Cantlie, who commanded it, arranged that its CEF number be the historic 42nd of the Parent regiment in Scotland. It, too, went overseas, and then a third Battalion was raised under the Black Watch number, the 73rd.

The Regiment was the only Canadian one to have three battalions at the front of this campaign, and all of them fought their way up the slopes of Vimy on the same day in 1917.

signature

sporran close-up One of the soldiers of the 73rd BN was a single man, an office clerk: Edward Mathew Jones, CEF serial number 132501.

It's his sporran I acquired. (You see it at left.)

He was born in Montreal on 15 May 1897; 18 years and 4 months old upon enlistment day, 14 September 1915. He was 5 ft. 7.5 in., had blue eyes, brown eyes, and a dark complexion. A Methodist.

Claimed to understand the nature and terms of his engagement, was willing to serve in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force, and made oath to His Majesty King George the Fifth (and his heir and successors and all the General and Officers set over him).

He was in.

On the flap of the sporran you can see the letters RHC, for Royal Highlanders of Canada, with the batallion number of 73 overstamped.

sporran close-up

Lifting up the flap you can see Edward Mathew Jones' CEF serial number, 132501.

sporran close-up

Courtesy of the National Archives of Canada, from the Soldiers of the First World War database, you may view his attestation paper by clicking on the thumbnails:

Canadian flag National Archives of Canada
back front
back front

On parade in Montreal
The RHC on parade, in Montreal, circa WW1.

Have you found errors nontrivial or marginal, factual, analytical and illogical, arithmetical, temporal, or even typographical? Please let me know; drop me email. Thanks!
 

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