John Laurie Gavin

Killed in Action on the 01/01/1917 during an enemy air raid in Egypt

The 2/1st (Lowland) Field Company (412th) was part of the 52nd (Lowland) Division. The Division were part of the campaign in Egypt and Palestine from January 1916 until April 1918. They moved to Egypt after being evacuated from Gallipoli and concentrated at Abbassia near Cairo. It subsequently moved to El Kantara and on the 2nd March took over No. 3 Section of the Suez Canal defences. John was Killed in Action during an enemy air raid on New Year's Day 1917. SEE PHOTOS x 20 FOR THE 52nd (LOWLAND) DIVISION BOOK AUGUST 1916 - FEBRUARY 1917. On the 1st August 1914, the Royal Engineers consisted of 1,056 officers and 10,394 men of the Regular Army and Special Reserve, plus another 513 and 13,127 respectively serving with the Royal Engineers of the Territorial Force. By the same date in 1917, it had grown to a total manpower of 295,668. In other words, it was twelve times bigger than the peacetime establishment. Grave photo kindly donated by Mick McCann at the British War Graves website who supply photos FREE OF CHARGE here. John is also remembered on the Coatbridge Technical College, Coats Parish Church and Coatbridge High Schools Rolls of Honour (see photos). See photos for John's Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, John's Pension Records x 3, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his Headstone Report x 2, Kantara War Memorial Cemetery and the Royal Engineers Cap Badge. John's grave inscription reads "FATHER IN THY GRACIOUS KEEPING LEAVE WE NOW OUR LOVED ONE SLEEPING". Finally, see photos x 12 for the 52nd (Lowland) Division Order of Battle (the Division he was serving with when he died) and Newspaper clippings x 5 (Coatbridge Express x 2, Coatbridge Leader x 2 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1).