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Derek Robertson

@redlichtie.bsky.social
351 followers 171 following 200 posts

Reside in Arbroath Iinterested in the Great War, history in general, good music and cats. My main research project that of the experience of those who were awarded the 1914 & 1914/15 star for initially serving abroad with the Black Watch.

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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Thomas Greig from Dysart in Fife. A short war for a young man. Born 19/06/1897. Enlisted 07/06/1915 aged 17 into the Cameron Highlanders. Arrived in France 9 weeks later on 11/08/1915. Killed in action at Loos 7 weeks later on 25/09/1915 aged 18. #ww1 #fww #greatwar #milhist #loos
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
111 years on from the first day of the battle of Loos. 10 men from Arbroath were killed that day. This puts it second only to Aubers Ridge as the towns costliest day of the Great War. #loos #fww #ww1 #milhist #arbroath #greatwar
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Sign says use the lift for suitcases, not the escalator or stairs. Lift out of order. People going down escalator as needs must 🤕🩼 #scotrail #trains #dundee #lift
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Beggar Me! I bought another book on Great War reminisces 🤓 #fww #ww1 #greatwar #pow #prisonersofwar #prisoner #book #milhist
A book cover. It is titled Behgar me I’m a prisoner! 6 British soldiers face the camera wearing various official and unofficial headdress. They are prisoners of war.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
2 postcards, taken within minutes of each other, of British prisoners of war being put to work by the Germans in spring 1915. Soft caps all round. One card is postmarked early June 1915. It looks like they’re putting in fence posts. #ww1 #fww #pow #postcard #prisoners #war #milhist #greatwar
Two similar images of men facing the viewer using shovels to dig holes in the ground with long wooden posts laying in the ground. Overseeing are German soldiers as guards holding rifles on their shoulder
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
A memorial plaque commemorating when the U.K. and USA still worked together towards a common goal. #ww2 #sww #ukusa #liverpool
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
The 5th Bn Black Watch landed 02/11/14 the first Scottish Territorials to arrive in France. Of 817 Officers and Men, 171 were dead by wars end 21% The Bn was used on arrival for trench digging and were a pioneer unit for a time, later amalgamated with the 4th Bn in 1916. #ww1 #fww #milhist
Territorial soldiers of the Black Watch in camp with kilts and tents in 1912-14
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Compared with the 2nd Bn, the 1st Bn Black Watch had twice as many men awarded the 1914 star. They were in the field earlier and received reinforcement drafts. Officers: 65 Other Ranks: 1,874 Total 1,939 KIA & Died: 779 Officers: 31 Other Ranks: 748 40% dead by wars end. #ww1 #fww #milhist
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Been tidying up my research of the 1914 star roll men of the Black Watch. Of the 944 officers and men of the original cohort of the 2nd Battalion, 385 were dead by war’s end, 40% There’s no reason to think this isn’t comparable to other 1914 infantry battalions. #ww1 #fww #blackwatch #milhist
A colourised postcard of kilted soldiers running in a spread out line from left to right. Most have their glengarry caps on and are holding their rifles at the waist with one hand. It’s grassy land with a path running left to right in the foreground.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
The warm sunshine makes the long queueing worth it for those keen to pick up free comics on comic book day 2026. #comicbookday #comics #dunfermline #cbd26 #comicbook
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Support your independent record shops 🎧 #records #buylocal #musicshop #vinyl
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
The 1931 Scottish Census will be released in 5 years and 4 days. This should be the midpoint between Census releases, but 1921 was released a year late. Those of us with Scottish ancestors should could ourselves lucky, as the England & Wales one burned 🔥 #census #genealogy #history #scotlamd
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
A colour postcard of Indian soldiers of the Great War. Produced by the Photochrom company of London & Tunbridge Wells. They are wearing turbans with their rifles are over their shoulder. Their great coats are rolled up and strapped into their pack. #ww1 #fww #greatwar #milhist
Indian soldiers of the Great War walking in a rows 3 wide away from the viewer. They are wearing turbans and have their rifles slung over their shoulders. This is a postcard image in colour.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
A trip to Inverness means popping into Leakey’s Book Shop. A bibliophiles dream 📖🤓 If I had my way, I’d have spent half the afternoon browsing. Two bays dedicated to Military History. #ww1 #fww #milhist #greatwar #books #bookshop #inverness #warbooks
The interior of a large church turned into a book shop
An angled image of book shelves, with a label on the end saying “Military History”A shelf of books titled “historical records of the Cameron Highlanders”
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
Black Watch Territorials at Stobs camp near Hawick, before or during the Great War. It’s likely a prewar summer camp. Although the 3rd line Bns of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th were there for the first 4 months of 1915. #blackwatch #milhist #territorials #ww1 #fww #hawick #stobs #greatwar #postcard
About 25 Kilted soldiers of the First World War period, lay on the grass in front of a large tent. Rifles are stacked in teepee style.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Coming from a fishing town, a great many man served during the Great War in the RNR and RNVR on minesweeping and patrol work. This is apparently among the best accounts on this work. It’s now at the top of the reading pile. #ww1 #greatwar #milhist #milbooks #fww #seamines #warbooks
A book cover featuring a painting of fishing boats at sea with mines chained to the seabed below. It is titled Swept Channels by Taffrail.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
A postcard of British soldiers repairing a road in front of a damaged building in France during the First World War. Most are wearing the leather jerkins and steel helmets. Possibly a Labour corks unit. The image dates to the 1916-18 period. #ww1 #fww #milhist #greatwar #labour
First World War British soldiers stand in front of a row of buildings, the nearest of which is damaged. In front of the building is a newly constructed wooden walkway has been built over a gap in the road. A man pushes a wheelbarrow and others look on. Most are dressed in leather jerkins and steel helmets.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
As of today, the British Newspaper Archive has over 100 million pages available to search. An indispensable resource for military history or genealogical research 🤓 #bna #milhist #fww #sww #britishnewspaperarchive #history #newspapers
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
The perfect weather for an afternoon talk by Dr Scrivener-Anderson about Black Watch officers 1902-1918. Their make up by nationality and background, as well as the wartime temporary commission selection process. #ww1 #fww #blackwatch #balhousie #milhist
In the foreground a yellow and green hedge with a large evergreen tree to the right, a red sign protrudes above the hedge for the black watch museum. In the background can be seen balhousie castle that holds the museum. The building is of the scottish baronial style.
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Reposted by Derek Robertson
Jonathan Westaway @jonwestaway.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
'Revealed: Israel bulldozed part of Gaza war cemetery containing allied graves' Satellite images and witness testimony show destruction as IDF claims it was forced to take defensive measures www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f... @caitlindeangelis.bsky.social #WW1 #WW2 #WarGraves #Gaza #HeritageAtRisk
theguardian.com
Revealed: Israel bulldozed part of Gaza war cemetery containing allied graves
Satellite images and witness testimony show destruction as IDF claims it was forced to take defensive measures
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Reposted by Derek Robertson
Ethical Marketing News @ethicalmarket.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
Marks & Spencer has put seed planting innovation at the heart of Christmas this year.   Brussels sprout supplier Seahills from Arbroath has pioneered mixing wildflower seeds between sprout rows to provide important habitats for bees, butterflies, ladybirds and hoverflies that help to naturally…
ethicalmarketingnews.com
M&S Brought Sustainable Sprouts To The Christmas Dinner Table With Seed-To-Shelf Innovation
Marks & Spencer has put seed planting innovation at the heart of Christmas this year.   Brussels sprout supplier Seahills from Arbroath has pioneered mixing wildflower seeds between sprout rows to provide important habitats for bees, butterflies, ladybirds and hoverflies that help to naturally manage pests.  Farming with nature helps to improve biodiversity and crop quality and yield. Seahills is part of the M&S Farming for the Future programme and dedicates 20% of its land to nature as well as measuring its environmental footprint with Soil Association Exchange and taking…
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Football and the 1914 Christmas Truce on the Western Front. My collection of newspaper published letters where soldiers described taking part in, or witness, a kick about between the German and British army #fww #ww1 #milhist #truce #football #war #christmas www.greatwarforum.org/blogs/entry/...
greatwarforum.org
Football Played During the 1914 Christmas Truce
The oft written about subject of the Christmas truce of 1914, usually touches on the topic of football. Often whether it occurred, or not. While there are many sources for the events of the truce, few...
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
Like today, some people during the Great War named their children after important people, places or events. Thomas Smith, a prewar regular of the Black Watch, had a son born mid April 1915 with the middle name Joffre. Thomas died at Aubers Ridge three weeks later. #ww1 #fww #greatwar #milhist
A red paper pension form with the names of a soldier, his wife and their child. A newspaper clipping of the face portrait of a soldier wearing a glengarry and military tunic.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
The Friockheim men of the 5th Bn Black Watch, in 1912. Most of these men went to France, with the first Scottish Territorial unit to arrive, on 2/11/1914. Sgt Victor Glass, 3rd from right, died after being shot while on trench digging duty at night, in December 1914. #ww1 #fww #greatwar #milhist
A black and white postcard of 19 men standing shoulder to shoulder in two rows, one behind the other in a village street with cottages behind them. They are territorial soldiers of the black watch wearing kilts, sporrans, tunics and glengarrys, all with rifles testing on the ground and against their hand. One man is carrying a set of bagpipes.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 08/11/2025
The brass band of the 1st Bn Black Watch at the White City, Manchester in 1908. Many are wearing their Boer War medal(s). This was originally posted to the USA and recently acquired from Turkey! It’s a high quality image, so men may be identifiable. #ww1 #fww #greatwar #blackwatch #milhist
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 26/10/2025
A postcard of British prisoners of war on the battlefield during the First World War. It’s a very relaxed image. No one seems to be expecting a counter attack or to be shelled. So possibly taken during the German offensive in March 1918. #ww1 #fww #milhist #greatwar
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Reposted by Derek Robertson
Disney Prime Video + ᵖᵃʳᵒᵈʸ @disneyprimevideo.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
The Monday Morning Podcast (Series, 2007 - ) 🔈 █████ Comedy Festival (2025)
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 21/09/2025
I think a good time was had by all at the WFA Scotland Conference, hosted by @wfatayside.bsky.social yesterday in Dundee. Five excellent speakers. Nick Hewitt’s talk on the Grand Fleet, post Jutland, was a highlight. #ww1 #fww #greatwar #milhist #WFA #westernfrontassociation
Nick Hewitt stands at centre facing to the right at a lectern, talking into a microphone on a stand. Behind him is a project tie screen showing a black and white image of ship at anchor at sea .
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Hon Lt & Quartermaster William Fowler of the 1st Black Watch during the Great War. He features on several postcards in varying uniforms between the Boer War and Great War. He’s one of the few to serve continuously from start to end of the Great War in the battalion. #ww1 #fww #milhist #greatwar
A full length photo of a quartermaster sgt of a highland military unit during the First World War, wearing trews and a glengarry. He sports a large handlebar moustache and wears a leather Sam brown belt over his tunic.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 15/09/2025
Yet another oddly high price for a military postcard. This time £88.08. The Scots Greys on horseback during the Liverpool railway strike of 1911. What was the appeal? Rail strikes or Liverpool history? Four bidders chased each other up. #milhist #scotsgreys #Liverpool #railway #strike
Military soldiers of a cavalry regiment the Scots Greys, casualty ride in pairs along a Liverpool Street with a few civilians passing by.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 06/09/2025
Spotted at Ayr railway station. A modern memorial those of the Glasgow & South Western Railway who died in all wars and conflicts. #ww1 #fww #sww #milhist #memorial #ayr
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
A colourised German postcard of British POW’s during the Great War. They all appear to be carrying empty metal containers, so possibly off for water, while under guard. Unposted but dates from 1914/15, as the men all have soft headwear and the kilted soldiers are in spats. #fww #ww1 #milhist
First World War British soldiers in rows of 4 walking from left to right, they are in a mixture of uniforms and some are kilted. There’s a German guard in pickelhaub just visible walking with a rifle alongside them
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
A kilted regiment arriving in France in 1914. It may be the Black Watch. (The image quality isn’t good enough for me to make a definite identification of the cap badge). If anyone can identify the French town or city, that would help narrow down the regiment. Unposted. #ww1 #fww #milhist
A column of kilted soldiers headed by a pipe band with an officer on horseback in the lead.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
A Great War Chinese labour corps postcard came up on eBay. Labour Corps ones aren’t too common and quite interesting, so I started the bidding, which began at £9.99. It just sold for £239.55 after about a dozen bids! What am I missing? Are CLC images rarer than hens teeth? #ww1 #fww #milhist
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 12/07/2025
A postcard of officers of the 4th (City of Dundee) Territorial Battalion, The Black Watch. Taken in 1913 during the annual camp at Barry, near Carnoustie. Sitting at centre is Lt.Col Harry Walker, who two years later in February 1915, led the Btn to France. #ww1 #fww #milhist #blackwatch
Officers in a mixture of trousers and kilts. 10  standing at the back, 7 seated in the middle and 4 sitting on the ground at front.  There’s a large tent behind them and all but a padre are wearing a glengarry hat.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 06/07/2025
A posted German postcard of the First World War. It’s a hand coloured image of British prisoners in the Sennelager PoW camp in Germany in 1914/15. They are likely men of the R.A.M.C. going by the Red Cross armbands. #ww1 #fww #greatwar #postcard #milhist #RAMC #prisoners
Approximately twenty British soldiers as prisoners of war facing the photographer with a German guard to their left. All have Red Cross armbands and soft caps. Back of postcard with addressee and message written in German.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
A lovely summers evening walk out to Arbirlot and it’s waterfall. The graveyard beside it has two war graves from the Second World War, both young women of the A.T.S. Catherine Martin, died aged 21 and Margaret Gordon, died aged 19. #sww #milhist #arbirlot #angus #scotland #waterfall #war #ww2
A pool of water on a ti er with a waterfall of about 3-4 meters behind. An archway of a high bridge can be seen above and behind the waterfall. War grave headstone in Portland white stone for Margaret Gordon. A war grave headstone made of white Portland stone for Catherine Martin.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
Local history is the best history, especially local military history. Places so familiar to yourself with new information and context. I knew a reasonable amount about my local former wartime airfields, now I know more! #airfields #milhist #ww1 #ww2 #royalflyingcorps #royalairforce #angus
A paperback book cover. There’s  clouds with sunlight behind and a silhouette of a bi-plane.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
The photo portraits of four very youthful midshipmen, all killed at sea in 1914, serving in the Royal Navy. Fronde and Matthews have their ages listed on CWGC as 16, the others have no age listed. (From the War Illustrated magazine) #boysoldiers #royalnavy #ww1 #fww #milhist #1914
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 18/05/2025
A crystal clear postcard of British POW’s in Doberitz in 1914/15. Unposted, no steel helmets and wearing of the glengarry dates it. A propaganda image of the men being fed, with a mixture of regiments, some wounded. #ww1 #fww #greatwar #prisoner #pow #milhist #postcard #scottish #highlander #kilt
A group of about 25 Great War soldiers of various British regiments, including a few kilted highlanders. They are prisoners of war being held by the Germans. They are being posed for a photograph and most are holding a bowl of food. Many are smiling and talking to each other. A few are wounded with arms in slings. A German guard can just be made out in the back of the group by his pork pie hat.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
The 9th of May marked the 110th anniversary of the disastrous battle of Abers Ridge. The darkest day of the war for my home town. 17 young men killed that day alone. The most of any one day of the war. Postcard shows British prisoners of Aubers. #ww1 #fww #1915 #greatwar #aubersridge
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
Todays postcard features a rather youthful looking soldier of the Black Watch. Taken in the period of the Great War. The reverse of the card is blank. From my collection. #ww1 #fww #milhist #greatwar #soldier #blackwatch #glengary
A head and shoulders oval portrait photograph, in sepia, of a youthful soldier of the black watch, looking straight into the camera. Dating from the First World War era, he is wearing a glengarry and tunic with shoulder lapels.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 15/03/2025
A hand coloured postcard of allied prisoners of war in the Great War. French and British soldiers posing “lining up to get food”. Posted from Mons in June 1915. From my collection. #postcard #greatwar #ww1 #fww #milhist #pow #prisoners
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
A Second World War aircraft hanger I pass on my commute into work. Now used as a barn by the farmer. RNAS Peewit near Easthaven on the coast of Angus, was used to train navy pilots to land and take off from aircraft carriers from 1943-46 #ww2 #sww #hanger #milhist #royalnavy #angus #scotland
A view of grassy fields, with a wire fence in the foreground and on a ridge, on the horizon, there’s a large aircraft hanger with a curved roof and flat ends, where the sliding doors are. It’s white on the sides and grey on the roof. Now disused and used as a farm barn.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
Australian soldiers being marched away as prisoners of war by Germans during the First World War. The postcard states this is in the Somme area. The tin hats suggest a date of 1916 or later. Postcard from my collection. #ww1 #fww #greatwar #pow #prisoners #postcard #milhist #australians
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
A fascinating side effect of the First World War on birth rates in Dundee. #ww1 #fww #milhist #greatwar #scottish #population
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
A strong chin on this cavalryman from the Scots Grey’s. First world war era photograph taken by a Brighton photographer. Looks a bit like the guy that played Tommy Lascelles in “The Crown” tv series. #fww #ww1 #greatwar #scotsgreys #dragoons #milhist #photograph
A portrait photo of the head and torso of a soldier of the First World War era. A cavalryman of the Scots Greys. He is wearing a packed cap with an eagle badge. He sports a large moustache twirled to points either side of his face. He is wearing eagle badges on each collar and 6 button on his tunic
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
Going to a 60th birthday lunch next week for a relative of my wife. Turns out his father served in the Royal Engineers 1915-18 and was awarded the Military Medal in 1918. There can’t be too many children of Great War veterans younger than him. #greatwar #ww1 #fww #milhist #royalengineers
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
A young man of the Royal Flying Corps, who’s had his photo taken by Geddes & Son photographers, who were a firm in Arbroath during the First Works War. #arbroath #scotland #fww #ww1 #greatwae #raf #rfc #royalflyingcorps #air #milhist
A full length body photograph in sepia, of a young looking man in the uniform of the Royal Flying Corps. He’s holding a cane between his two hands at waist height. On his head is a field service cap. The photographers bosses stamp us at bottom right.
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Derek Robertson @redlichtie.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
The statue of radar pioneer, Robert Watson-Watt, who played a significant role in Britains radar use and defence system, during the Second World War. Statue is in St Ninians Square, Brechin. #brechin #radar #ww2 #sww #war #angus #scotland #air
A statue of a bespectacled man on a plinth with one arm outstretched above holding a model of a spitfire fighter plane, which he is looking up to. In his left had at waist height, he holds a model of a radar mast. A statue of a bespectacled man on a plinth with one arm outstretched above holding a model of a spitfire fighter plane, which he is looking up to. In his left had at waist height, he holds a model of a radar mast.
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