An Orkney volunteer

Item

Title

An Orkney volunteer

Who?

James Leslie

Item(s)

A postcard with a photograph of the contributor's grandfather, James Leslie.

Scanned copies of his discharge certificate; certificate of employment during the war, available.

Story

James Leslie, service service no. 13261, 9th Seaforth Highlanders, born in 1896 and died June 1975.

Leslie was a farm servant in Orkney, which was a protected occupation. The contributor feels that Leslie wanted an adventure, and he joined up on 1st May 1916.

Leslie served at the Somme and took refuge in a shell hole with a friend, who was killed next to him. Leslie was gassed at some stage of the war, and his voice was hoarse for the rest of his life. He was demobbed in 1919.

When?

1916-1919

Where?

Orkney and France

Contributor

Alison Leslie

Collection Day

Edinburgh 03.10.18

This item was submitted on March 24, 2019