James Hughes

The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Division. James arrived in France on the 26/07/1915. James was Killed at one of the subsidiary attacks at the 2nd Attack on Bellewaarde (Hooge) during the Battle of Loos on the 25/09/1915. The 2nd Attack on Bellewaarde was carried out as a diversion to the start of the British offensive the Battle of Loos and the major French offensives in Artois and Champagne, all on the 25/09/1915. The September attack while subsidiary to the Loos offensive, was designed with limited goals ; to recover the remainder of the lost ground, as well as to provide a diversion from the main attack and tie up German reserves. Like their comrades at Loos, most of the attacking forces of the 3rd Division appear to have run up against thick and almost totally uncut wire and intact defences. A NEWSPAPER CLIPPING FROM THE COATBRIDGE EXPRESS 06/10/1915 STATES : "Two Coatbridge brothers - Private James Hughes and Private John Hughes, Royal Scots Fusiliers (nephews of Corporal John Murphy) have sent home letters stating that they were wounded in the recent big action at France". JAMES' MEDAL INDEX CARD, ARMY REGISTER OF SOLDIERS EFFECTS, SERVICE MEDAL AND AWARD ROLLS and PENSION RECORD HAVE HIM AS BEEN KILLED IN ACTION. James was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. SEE PHOTOS FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY WHICH GIVES A GOOD ACCOUNT OF THE 25/09/1915. The War Diary also states casualties on the 25/09/1915 were 3 OFFICERS KILLED, 6 WOUNDED and 1 MISSING. Also states : 30 OTHER RANKS KILLED, 120 WOUNDED and 161 MISSING. James is also remembered in the St. Patrick's Church (book) Roll of Honour and in the St. Augustines Parish (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, his Reburial Forms x 2, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, Perth Cemetery (China Wall), James' Pension Records x 3 and the Royal Scots Fusiliers Cap Badge. Finally, SEE PHOTOS x 14 FOR THE 1st ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER 1915, PHOTOS x 7 FROM THE ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS BOOK JANUARY - SEPTEMBER 1915, the 3rd Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division James was with when he died) and a Newspaper clipping from the Coatbridge Express 06/10/1915 (includes information on James and his brother John).