Family Information
Son of Robert Currie (24/05/1867 - 29/06/1923) and Janet P Currie (1865 - 1897). James' father remarried Agnes Milne Currie of 19 Baird St, Coatbridge. James' younger brother Robert was a Gunner in the Royal Field Artillery. From the 1901 Census - Address - 50c Sunnyside Rd, Coatbridge - Robert Currie aged 33, Agnes M Currie aged 28, William Currie aged 12, James Currie aged 11, Robert Currie aged 9, son of Robert and Agnes Currie - David Currie aged 3 months, visitor James Milne aged 31 and servant Mary McFarlane aged 16. James' father was in the Orchestra of the Theatre Royal and his mother or stepmother was in charge of the Ladies Registry in Baird St, Coatbridge. James' Pension was awarded to his stepmother Agnes on the 21/12/1916.
Additional Information
The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 2nd Guards Brigade, Guards Division when James fell. James arrived in France on the 07/03/1915. The Battle of Loos : 25th September - 15th October 1915 : The first genuinely large scale British offensive action but once again only in a supporting role to a larger French attack in the Third Battle of Artois. British appeals that the ground over which they were being called upon to advance was wholly unsuitable were rejected. The battle is historically noteworthy for the first British use of poison gas. James was Killed in Action on the 27/09/1915 in the Hulluch area : At 4.40pm, under cover of a thick smoke screen, 2nd Guards Brigade advanced to Chalk Pit Wood and the Chalk Pit. A further advance to the buildings at Puits 14 bis was halted by machine-gun fire from Bois Hugo. SEE PHOTOS X 6 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER 1915. James was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. Scottish Regiments lost a huge amount of brave men at Loos. Here is a list of Infantry Battalions who lost more than 500 men at the Battle of Loos from 25/09/1915 to 16/10/1915 - 7th Cameron Highlanders 687, of which 19 Officers, 9th Black Watch 680, of which 20 Officers, 6th King's Own Scottish Borderers 650, of which 20 Officers, 10th Highland Light Infantry 648, of which 20 Officers, 7th King's Own Scottish Borderers 631, of which 20 Officers, 8th Devons 619, of which 19 Officers, 8th Royal West Kents 580, of which 24 Officers, 8th Buffs 558, of which 24 Officers, 12th Highland Light Infantry 553, of which 23 Officers, 8th Black Watch 511, of which 19 Officers, 5th North Staffordshire 505, of which 20 Officers, 8th Seaforth Highlanders 502, of which 23 Officers. James is also remembered on the Gartsherrie Church Roll of Honour (see photos x 2). See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clippings x 2, his Service Medals and Award Rolls x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Loos Memorial Panel List, the Scots Guards Cap Badge and James' Pension Records x 2. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 5 (Coatbridge Express x 1, Coatbridge Leader x 2 and Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 2), photos of a wreath x 2 placed by myself at Loos Memorial in July 2023 remembering ALL the men who left from the Iron Burgh who are named there, one of myself at the Scots Guards Panel at the Memorial (James listed bottom left), James' name on the Loos Memorial, PHOTOS x 25 FOR THE GUARDS DIVISION BOOK 27/09/1915 - 30/09/1915, PHOTOS FOR 22 PAGES FROM THE MOST UNFAVOURABLE GROUND BOOK REGARDING THE BATTALION and DIVISION 27/09/1915 (fantastic book on the Battle of Loos kindly signed by the author Niall Cherry) and the Guards Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division James was with when he fell).
