William Kerr Chalmers

Killed in Action on the 15/08/1917 in Zonnebeke the day before the Battle of Langemarck (part of the Battles of Ypres / Passchendaele)

The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 05/11/1914 and were part of the 23rd Brigade, 8th Division. William died just over 6 months after enlisting. William fell near Bellewaarde Ridge the day before the Division was involved in the Battle of Langemarck, 16th - 18th August. This was a phase of the Battles of Ypres (Third Ypres) 31st July ' 10th November 1917 : The British finally got what they had wanted since 1914 : the opportunity to attack at Ypres and breakout of the confines of the salient of trenches around it. Often known as the 3rd Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele, the offensive began with encouraging gains but terrible summer weather soon bogged it down. By August the offensive was clearly failing in its objectives and had descended into attritional fighting. New techniques by both sides led to agonisingly slow forward movement for the British, at enormous cost in casualties to both sides. Bad weather in October led to the battlefield becoming an impossible quagmire. SEE PHOTOS x 14 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY JULY - AUGUST 1917. The War Diary states the casualties of the Battalion from the 13th - 17th August were : 1 Officer Killed, 1 Wounded, 28 Other Ranks Killed, 12 Wounded, 6 Missing. I personally laid a Poppy Cross at William's grave at Tyne Cot Cemetery in 2010 (see photos x 2) and at the Family Plot in Old Monkland Cemetery on the 27/03/2022 (Mother's Day). William is also remembered on the Clifton Church Roll of Honour and at the Family Plot in Old Monkland Cemetery (William's father, mother and sister Jemima listed at the Family Plot, see photos). See photos for William's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clipping, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, William's Pension Record x 3, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Cap Badge, Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial, an aerial view of Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial and another photo of William's Grave. His Grave inscription reads "DID HIS DUTY". Finally, see photos for the 8th Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division who he was with when he died) and PHOTOS x 23 FOR THE 8th DIVISION BOOK JULY - AUGUST 1917.