John Gormley

Killed in Action on the 25/09/1915 on the opening day of the Battle of Loos

John and the Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 12/05/1915 and were part of the 28th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. The opening day of the Battle of Loos 25/09/1915 : On the left of the Division an attack was arranged for the 6th Kings Own Scottish Borderers on the right and the 10th Highland Light Infantry on the left. These were supported respectively by the 11th Highland Light Infantry and the 9th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). 10 minutes after the crash of the Division's guns had announced the hour of zero the German counter-bombardment fell on the front and communication trenches ; the supporting Companies and Battalions, which were moving up from the rear trenches to the front, suffered severe losses. At 08.15 a.m. a message was received from the 9th Scottish Rifles that the 10th Highland Light Infantry were asking for reinforcements. At 09.10 a.m. the Division learned from a telephone message that the attack of the 28th Brigade had been repulsed. At 12.15 p.m. the 11th Highland Light Infantry on the right and 9th Scottish Rifles on the left advanced again the enemy lines. The bombardment delivered earlier was not sufficiently heavy to demolish the German strong points. The attack was swept away by the enemy's rifle and machine-gun fire. As a result the 28th Brigade had lost about 2/3 of its effective strength, It was now unfit for further action and was withdrawn to its original line. SEE PHOTOS x 9 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER 1915. 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. British casualties in the main Loos front between the 25th September and 16th October 1915 : 9th (Scottish) Division 6,058 of which 190 Officers, 15th (Scottish) Division : 6,896 of which 228 Officers. SEE PHOTOS x 20 FOR THE 9th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK 25/09/1915. John was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. John is listed as GORMALLY on the Coatbridge Memorial. His brother James was twice wounded in France and at the time of John's death he was in hospital. Both Bernard and James survived the war (see Newspaper clippings for more information on the family). John previously worked in the Globe Iron Works before it closed. All 4 men of this patriotic family are mentioned on the St. Patrick's Church Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for John's Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Loos Memorial Panel List, his Poor Law Application for Parish Relief (1912 and 1913), his name on the Loos Memorial, John's Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, John's father's Service and Pension Records x 7, his father's Service Medal and Award Rolls, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Cap Badge and John's Pension Records x 2. Finally, SEE PHOTOS x 21 FROM THE 9th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK SEPTEMBER 1915, PHOTOS FOR 20 PAGES FROM THE MOST UNFAVOURABLE GROUND BOOK REGARDING THE BATTALION and DIVISION 25/09/1915 (fantastic book on the Battle of Loos kindly signed by the author Niall Cherry), the 9th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was with when he died), 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 Cameronians (Scottish) Rifles Panels (John listed middle right) and Newspaper clippings x 4 (Coatbridge Express x 3 and the Coatbridge Leader x 1).