John Jack

The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 05/11/1914 and were part of the 23rd Brigade, 8th Division. John arrived in France on the 16/03/1915. John was shot in the head and Killed in Action at Fromelles on the opening day of the unsuccessful British attack at Aubers Ridge. The Battle of Aubers, 9th - 10th May 1915 : the Northern pincer - 2.30am : all units report that they are in position, having assembled at night. 4.06am : sunrise and all very quiet on this front. 5.00am : British bombardment opens with field guns firing shrapnel at the German wire and howitzers firing High Explosive shells onto front line. Many reports are received that British 4.7-inch shells are falling short, and even on and behind the British front line (later it is agreed that this is due to faulty ammunition, as well as excessive wear to gun barrels). 5.30am: British bombardment intensifies, field guns switch to HE and also fire at breastworks. Two guns of 104th Battery, XXII Brigade RFA had been brought up into the 24th Brigade front and they now opened fire at point blank range against the enemy breastworks; they blow several gaps, although one of the guns is inaccurate due to the unstable ground on which it is located. The lead Battalions of the two assaulting Brigades of 8th Division (24th Brigade has 2nd Northants and 2nd East Lancashire in front; 25th Brigade has 2nd Rifle Brigade, 1st Royal Irish Rifles and 1/13 London Regiment (Kensingtons)) move out into the narrow No Man's Land (in this area it is only 100-200 yards across). German bayonets can be seen behind their parapet. 5.40am : On the further advance the East Lancs are hit by heavy machine-gun and rifle fire by the time they had progressed thirty yards from their own trench; the Northants, coming up ten minutes later, were similarly hit, but a party got through one of the gaps blown by the field guns, and into the German front trench. The attack of the 25th Brigade is much more successful : the wire on the left had been well-cut and the infantry poured through, crossing the almost-undamaged breastworks and into the German fire trenches. They moved onto the first objective (a bend in the Fromelles road), and the Rifle Brigade bombers extended the trench system they occupied to 250 yards broad. 06.10am : By now, the fire across No Man's Land was so intense that forward movement was all but impossible. The support Battalion of the 25th Brigade, the 2/Lincolns, was ordered forward, to cross by the craters; they did so, despite losing many men on the way. Men of the Brigade were at this time seen to be retiring to their front line, having apparently received a shouted order. German prisoners, making their way to the British lines, were mistaken for a counter-attack and there was a great deal of confusion. Brigadier-General Lowry Cole, Commanding Officer 25th Brigade, was mortally wounded when standing on the British parapet in an attempt to restore order. 8.45am and again at 11.45am : Haig orders Rawlinson (Commanding Officer, IV Corps) to vigorously press home the attack. 5.00pm : General Haig, hearing of the continued failure of the Southern attack and the hold-up after initial success of the Northern attack, orders a bayonet attack at dusk, 8.00pm. A disastrous attack that cost 11,000 British casualties for no material gain: it was a minor supporting operation to a much larger French attack in an action known as the Second Battle of Artois. The Northern pincer attack would be made by 8th Division, moving south-east towards Rouges Bancs, then spreading to capture the line between Fromelles and La Cliqueterie. British casualties in the Northern pincer on the 9th May 1915 - 8th Division : 4,682 of which 192 Officers, 49th (West Riding) Division : 94 of which 2 Officers, 7th Division : 25 of which 1 Officer. Worst infantry casualties in the Northern attack, by Battalion - 2/ Rifle Brigade 654, of which 21 Officers, 1/ Royal Irish Rifles 467, of which 23 Officers, 1/13 London (Kensington) 436, of which 13 Officers, 2/ Northamptonshire 426, of which 12 Officers. SEE PHOTOS x 13 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY APRIL - MAY 1915 and SEE WAR DIARIES 9 and 10 FOR THE BATTALIONS POSITIONS THE DAY JOHN FELL. SEE COATBRIDGE LEADER NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS 03/07/1915 x 2 FOR A LETTER TO JOHN'S DAD FROM A FRIEND AND COMRADE IN THE TRENCHES and the COATBRIDGE LEADER NEWPAPER CLIPPING 12/06/1915 SHOWING LETTERS FROM JOHN'S PLATOON SERGEANT and MAJOR COMMANDING OF THE 2nd BATTALION. John was buried with 5 other comrades behind the lines 3 days after being killed. John is also remembered on the Coatbridge Technical College, East United Free Church (along with his brother Alexander) and Maxwell Parish Churches Rolls of Honour (see photos) and in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for John's Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Ploegsteert Memorial Panel List, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his name on the Ploegsteert Memorial x 2, John's Pension Records x 2 and the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Cap Badge. Finally, SEE PHOTOS FOR 31 PAGES OF THE 8th DIVISION BOOK FROM MARCH - MAY 1915, the 8th Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division John was with when he died) and Newspaper clippings x 9 (Coatbridge Express x 3, Coatbridge Leader x 6 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1).