Scotland haes a lang history o weirfare an sennin men, an weemen, tae fecht, baith at hame an ootland. In aulder times Scotland haed nae stauning-airmy but aw men atween 15 an 60 cuid be cawed up for tae serr in the king’s host tae fend Scotland or mak weir agin the king’s unfreens. For instance, gin ye hae ony forebears that held land, either as lairds or burgesses, or aiblins nobles, we doot ye will hae faimly memmers that focht at the muckle fechts at Flodden, in 1513, Pinkie, in 1547, an syne the weirs o the Covenant in the 17t century, or the weirs o the Jacobites atween 1689 an 1746.

Ony papers anent thir weirs, an the fowk that serred in them, shuid, for ordnar, be fund amang the registers held either at the national register-hoose, in Embra, or aiblins amang the gaitheries held bi regional cooncils. But keep in mind that the war nae national system for keepin a record o awbody that micht’a serred in the host or airmy an it will lippen on whither the commanders recordit musters or wapponshaws. The war a lord heich ammeral for Scotland, appyntit bi the king or queen fae amang the nobles, an a puckle registers sib tae this office haes won ower but thay are affen mair fasht aboot the ammeral’s richts an dues nor the sailyers. Whiles the privy cooncil registers will mak mention o sailyers, captains an ithers tae dae wi the navy, or ye micht find references amang burgh cooncil papers.

In 1707, whan the Treaty o Union atween Ingland an Scotland jyned the twa kintras intil a new state cryed the Unitit Kinrik, aw maiters anent raisin men for weirs ootland cam unner the remit o Lunnon. Sae a body maun speir at the state register-hoose in Ingland anent the service o Scots sodgers, sailyers an airmen in the Breetish Impire, or in the First an Second Warld Weirs, as aw the papers is held thareawa. The papers comprehends pey buiks for the maist pairt afore the 1870’s an syne inrowment forms cryed attestations that gie the sodger’s personal parteeclars an whaur thay serred. Hooanever, mony o the auld Scots regiments haes heidquarters or museums in Scotland an a body micht speir at thaim as whiles thay haud papers anent sodgers sib tae thair listin in the airmy or regimental magazines that mibby maks mention o sindry sodgers. An fae the end o the 18ct century the’r militia papers forby. Militia papers micht be fund either amang regimental papers or the gaithery held bi a regional or cooncil register-hoose.

Scots that serred in the merchant navy is aw comprehendit in the catalogues o seamen’s tickets that stertit fae 1835. Thir catalogues will tell ye whan a body jyned the merchant navy, age, caufgrund, an gie a description o whit thay lookit like, an syne, in the 20t century, photies o them. Thir catalogues can be used tae raik throu ither papers for tae find the vessels thay serred on.