James Cassidy

Killed in Action on the 10/03/1915 at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle

James and the Battalion arrived in Le Havre on the 05/11/1914 and were part of the 23rd Brigade, 8th Division. James was Killed in Action at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle : 10th - 13th March 1915 : The British First Army mounts first offensive on large scale: costly in terms of casualties but results in capture of Neuve Chapelle. Localised operations continue afterwards. Neuve Chapelle was the first large scale organised attack undertaken by the British Army during the war. It followed the miserable winter operations of 1914 - 15. More Divisions had now arrived in France and the British Expeditionary Force was now split into two Armies. Neuve Chapelle was undertaken by Sir Douglas Haig's First Army, while subsequent actions were fought by Sir Herbert Smith-Dorrien's Second Army. The 25th and 23rd Brigades of the 8th Division made good progress against the village. There were delays in sending further orders and reinforcements forward, but by nightfall the village had been captured, and the advanced units were in places as far forward as the Layes brook. During the night the Germans reinforced their second line in front of the Bois de Biez, and all further attempts over the next few days brought little material success. SEE PHOTOS x 12 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY 1st - 20th MARCH 1915. ALSO SEE PHOTOS x 20 FOR ADDITIONS TO THE WAR DIARY. James was one of 149 members of his Battalion (not including Officers) who fell on the opening day of the Battle of Neuve Chappelle on the 10/03/1915. The casualties for the Battalion from War Diary (11) from the 10th to 14th March 1915 - 13 Officers Killed, 9 Officers Wounded, 112 Other Ranks Killed, 314 Wounded and 21 Missing. See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clipping, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Le Touret Memorial Panel List, his name on the Le Touret Memorial, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Cap Badge and James' Pension Records x 4. Finally, see photos for a Poppy placed at James' name on the Le Touret Memorial by myself in July 2023 x 2, the 8th Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division who he was with when he died) and PHOTOS x 17 FOR THE 8th DIVISION BOOK MARCH 1915.