Family Information
Son of Mary Gemmell of 19 Margaret St, Coatbridge. Husband of Mrs Jeannie Martin Gemmell (18/12/1892 - ) of 3 William St, Coatbridge (also 159d Whifflet St and 161a Whifflet St, Coatbridge). John made a Will leaving the whole of his property and effects to his wife. 2nd Lieutenant J. F. C. Cameron of the 11th Argyll's returned a 5 franc note found in John's breast pocket and a small coin watch found on his wrist to his wife. John had 1 brother and 5 sisters. From his Service Record from April 1919 - brother William aged 11, sisters Nellie aged 16, Margaret aged 14, Mary aged 11, Jessie aged 8 and Lizzie aged 6. John's Pension was awarded to his wife Jeannie of 161a Whifflet St, Coatbridge on the 29/03/1916.
Additional Information
John and the Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 09/07/1915 and were part of the 45th Brigade, 15th (Scottish Division). John was Killed whilst on sentry duty by an enemy shell that landed in his trench on the evening of the 12/09/1915. The Battalion were preparing for the Battle of Loos on the 25/09/1915. The War Diary states : "Trenches X2 Sector, Sept 12 - The Battalion left LA BEUVRIERE at 9 A.M. and marched to the trenches to relieve the 8th King's Own Scottish Borderers in X2 Sector. The relief was complete by 7 P.M. During the relief we had 4 Casualties, 2 Killed and 2 Wounded". SEE PHOTOS x 26 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY 4th JULY 1915 - 1st OCTOBER 1915 (the Battle of Loos included). The Battle of Loos from the 25th September - 15th October 1915 was 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. 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. See Newspaper clipping Coatbridge Express 29/09/1915 (2) for a letter sent by the 11th (Service) Battalion's 2nd Lieutenant J. F. C. Cameron to John's wife. John is also remembered on the Coats Parish Church Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for John's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clipping x 3, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, Fosse 7 Military Cemetery, John's Pension Record, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Cap Badge and his Service Records x 12. Finally, see photos x 6 for Newspaper clippings (Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 2, Coatbridge Express x 2 and Coatbridge Leader x 2), the 15th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK x 16 FROM JULY 1915 - SEPTEMBER 1915 (before the Battle of Loos had commenced) and the 15th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 13 (the Division he was with when he died).
