James Milne Hood

The Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 14/08/1914 as Lines of Communication troops. They were part of the 98th Brigade, 2nd Division when James died of fever after only 3 months in France. The Battalion fought at the First Battle of the Scarpe / Battle of Vimy, 9th - 14th April 1917 and the Battle of Arleux, 28th - 29th April 1917 before James died. These Battles were part of the Arras offensive (Battle of Arras), 9th April -16th June 1917 : Once again the British are called upon to launch an attack in support to a larger French offensive: the battles of the Chemin des Dames and the hills of Champagne. The opening Battle of Vimy and the First Battle of the Scarpe are very encouraging, but once again the offensive - often known as the Battle of Arras - bogs down into an attritional slog. Final attempts to outflank the German lines at Bullecourt prove terribly costly. See Newspaper clippings for a lovely letter sent to James' mother from the Matron of the Hospital James died in. James is remembered at the Family Plot in Old Monkland Cemetery (listed as dying on the 02/05/1917 see photos). See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, St. Sever Cemetery Extension and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Cap Badge. Finally, SEE PHOTOS x 37 FOR THE 2nd DIVISION BOOK 30th MARCH - 30th APRIL 1917, PHOTOS x 13 FOR THE 2nd BATTALION ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS WAR DIARY APRIL 1917, the 2nd Division Order of Battle (the Division James was with when he ill) and Newspaper clippings x 5 (Coatbridge Express x 2, Coatbridge Leader x 2 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1).