James Jackson

Died of Wounds on the 18/03/1916 at the No. 33 Casualty Clearing Station at Bethune. Wounds received at the Hulloch section

The Battalion arrived at Boulogne in July 1915. James arrived in France on the 06/10/1915. The Battalion were part of the 44th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. James Died of Wounds received at the Hulloch section. SEE PHOTOS x 9 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY 1st -19th MARCH 1916. Just before James' arrived in France the 8th (Service) Battalion fought in the Battle of Loos (25th September - 15th October 1915) and its losses were severe. It was part of the first wave at Loos and its casualties were 23 Officers and 479 Other Ranks. The typical attacking strength of a Battalion at this time was 650 - 750 troops. British casualties in the main Loos front between 25th September and 16th October 1915 : Formations that lost more than 5,000 men - 15th (Scottish) Division: 6,896 of which 228 Officers, 9th (Scottish) Division: 6,058 of which 190 Officers, 1st Division: 6,030 of which 246 Officers, 7th Division: 5,224 of which 220 Officers. More than 61,000 British casualties were sustained in this battle. 50,000 of them were in the main fighting area between Loos and Givenchy and the remainder in the subsidiary attacks. Of these, 7,766 men died. Casualties were particularly high among Scottish units. Many New Army units, rushed into a battle area for the first time only a matter of days after landing in France, were devastated. After James' death the Division was involved in German gas attacks near Hulluch (27th - 29th April 1916) and in the defence of the Kink position (11th May 1916). These are among the engagements officially known as the Actions of Spring 1916. SEE PHOTOS x 23 FOR THE 15th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK OCTOBER 1915 - MAY 1916. See Newspaper clipping from the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser 25/03/1916 for a letter sent from Chaplain Donaldson of the Seaforth Highlanders. See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, James' Pension Records x 2, Bethune Town Cemetery and the Seaforth Highlanders Cap Badge. James' grave inscription reads "THOUGH ABSENT, EVER DEAR". Finally, see photos for the 15th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 13 (the Division James was with when he was wounded), a Poppy Cross laid by myself at James' grave in July 2023 (also see main grave photo), Bethune Town Cemetery taken by myself in July 2023 and Newspaper clippings x 4 (Coatbridge Express x 2 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 2).