Archibald (Archie) King

The 11th (Service) Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 09/07/1915 and were part of the 45th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division when Archie fell. Archie enlisted when he was 17 and was originally part of the 10th (Service) Battalion when he arrived in France on the 04/10/1915. Archie Died of Wounds received at the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, 31st July - 2nd August 1917. This was the opening day of the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). The Battle - 31st July - 10th November 1917 : The British finally got what they had wanted since 1914: the opportunity to attack at Ypres and breakout of the confines of the salient of trenches around it. Often known as the Third Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele, the offensive began with encouraging gains but terrible summer weather soon bogged it down. By August the offensive was clearly failing in its objectives and had descended into attritional fighting. New techniques by both sides led to agonisingly slow forward movement for the British, at enormous cost in casualties to both sides. Bad weather in October led to the battlefield becoming an impossible quagmire. SEE PHOTOS x 12 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY 1st JULY - 3rd AUGUST 1917. According to the 15th (Scottish) Division book the Battalion Casualties from 29/07/1917 - 04/08/1917 were : 4 Officers Killed, 15 Other Ranks Killed, 5 Officers Wounded, 110 Other Ranks Wounded, 21 Other Ranks Missing. TOTAL = 155. The 15th (Scottish) Division Casualties from 29/07/1917 - 04/08/1917 were : 46 Officers Killed, 349 Other Ranks Killed, 107 Officers Wounded, 2363 Other Ranks Wounded, 21 Officers Missing, 694 Other Ranks Missing. TOTAL = 3580 (see 15th (Scottish) Division book photo number 35 for information on ALL Battalions). Archie is listed as PRIVATE on the Coatbridge Memorial. He is also remembered on the Coatbridge Baptist Church Roll of Honour and at the Family Plot in Old Monkland Cemetery with his mother and father (see photos) and in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for Archie's 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, Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, another photo of Archie's Grave, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Cap Badge, map showing the gradual eastwards advance from Ypres and the Battle of Pilkem Ridge. An advanced British 18 pounder Royal Field Artillery gun battery taking up new positions close to a communication trench near Boesinghe, 31st July 1917. Archie's grave inscription reads "NOT LOST BUT GONE BEFORE". Finally, SEE PHOTOS x 35 FOR THE 15th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK 16th JUNE - 3rd AUGUST 1917, the 15th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 13 (the Division Archie was with when he was wounded) and Newspaper clippings x 7 (Coatbridge Express x 2, Coatbridge Leader x 3 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 2).