Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Trumpeter William Adair passed through Peterborough East Station on around 25 May 1916.  We have been unable to locate William’s service records, but his visitors’ book entry reveals he served in the Royal Field Artillery with the 2/1^st Renfrewshire Battery, 3^rd Highland Howitzer Brigade.  The 2/1^st Renfrewshire Battery were based at Aylsham, Norfolk for part of the war, which corresponds with Norwich in his book entry.

It is possible that William came from the Greenock region, as the Renfrewshire Battery was formed of men from Greenock and surrounding area.

“The 3rd Highland Howitzer Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, served as Divisional Artillery with 51st (Highland) Division. The Highland Division was created in 1908 part of the Territorial Force and mobilised for full time war service on the 5th of August 1914 and concentrated at Bedford. Several units were sent to France as reinforcements for the British Expeditionary Force between November 1914 and March 1915. The rest of the Division proceeded to France in early May 1915. The Division concentrated in the area of Lillers, Busnes and Robecq and were rushed to the defence of Ypres, being in action until the 19th of May when they moved to Estaires on the River Lys. They were in action in the The Battle of Festubert and The Second Action of Givenchy before moving south to The Somme taking over the line near Hamel. In 1916 they were in action in the Battles of the Somme, including the attacks on High Wood. The Brigade was broken up on the 21st of August 1916.”   http://bit.ly/2k4e8GX          

Could you be related to William Adair?  Do get in touch if you can tell us more.