James and the Battalion arrived at Le Havre as Army Troops on the 14/08/1914. On the 05/09/1914 they were part of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division. James was Killed in Action during the The Battle of the Aisne exactly 1 month after arriving in France. The Battle, 12th - 15th September 1914 : The advance northwards from the Marne is halted as the Germans dig in along the heights above the River Aisne. British attacks are repelled and both sides dig in: for the British, the Aisne was the root of trench warfare. From the personal diary of Captain C. J. Paterson of the 1st South Wales Borderers (3rd Infantry Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps) : Monday 14th September, 1914 - "As there is only one road by which the whole 1st Division can push on, it takes some time and we get orders not to move to 9am. At about 8 it is discovered that the bridges over the River Aisne have been so damaged that we cannot even move at 9, and as a matter of fact we move at 2pm. When we do move it is not for very long. We crossed the river with shells dropping around us. The Germans have destroyed most of the bridges and are shelling or trying to shell the ones they have left, hoping to catch us on them. However, we cross and line a ridge to the north of Bourg. The Cavalry pushes out and we billet in Bourg. Find a very nice house in which a good dinner and to bed on the floor with Homfray. I refused to spend another night sitting up and say so plainly. Another mail arrives with several letters for me. Very nice. Orders to move at 5am". SEE PHOTOS x 8 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY 14th SEPTEMBER 1914 and PHOTOS x 31 FOR THE HISTORICAL RECORDS OF THE CAMERON HIGHLANDERS BOOK (1st Battalion) 12th AUGUST - 16th SEPTEMBER 1914. The surnames of the 2 brothers are spelt differently on their Headstones and both are listed as Lauriston on the Coatbridge and Airdrie Memorials. Main Grave photo kindly donated by Mick McCann at the British War Graves website who supply photos FREE OF CHARGE
here. James is also remembered on the Coatbridge Technical College Roll of Honour and the Middle United Free Church Roll of Honour (see photos). James was buried in Chauny Communal Cemetery British Extension. His name was originally on the La Ferte Memorial (see photos for burial form, family verification form and La Ferte Memorial Panel List). See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, his Reburial Form (he was originally listed on the La Ferte Memorial), his Family Verification Form, James' name on the La Ferte Memorial Panel List, another photo of his grave, Chauny Communal Cemetery British Extension, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his Pension Records x 3, photos of the 1st Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division James was with when he fell) and the Cameron Highlanders Cap Badge. James' younger brother Thomas (Tom) arrived in France on the 07/04/1915 with the 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry. Newspaper clipping states - "Private Thomas Lauriston, H.L.I., of Airdrie, who has been in France, and is now on horse shoeing work in the south of Scotland, has been promoted to the rank of Corporal". Thomas returned to France and joined "C" Company, 9th (Glasgow Highlanders) Battalion as a Private. They were part of the 100th Brigade, 33rd Division when Thomas was Killed in Action, a few months after returning, by machine-gun fire at Villers Guislain on the opening day of the Battle of the St. Quentin Canal, 29th September - 2nd October 1918. This was part of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line, 12th September - 12th October 1918 : A series of very large scale offensive operations that advance to and break the Hindenburg Line system. Carried out by the First, Third and Fourth Armies these victories rank among the greatest-ever British military achievements. FINALLY, see photos for Thomas, his 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, Thomas' Pension Records x 2, Airdrie War Memorial, Thomas' name on the Airdrie War Memorial, his WW1 Memorial Scroll, Thomas' grave (1), Pigeon Ravine Cemetery, Epehy, France (1), Thomas grave (2), Pigeon Ravine Cemetery, Epehy, France (2), James and Thomas remembered at the Family Plot in New Monkland Cemetery, a physical training game of the troops of the 9th (Glasgow Highlanders) Battalion Highland Light Infantry, 100th Brigade, 33rd Division, at Ghyvelde, 6th August 1917, three Newspaper clippings (2 from the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser), PHOTOS x 22 FROM THE BATTALION WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER 1918, PHOTOS x 3 FROM THE BATTALION WAR DIARY 29th SEPTEMBER 1918 (courtesy of Graeme Clarke on the Great War Forum), PHOTOS x 10 FROM THE 33rd DIVISION BOOK, PHOTOS x 12 FROM THE COME ON HIGHLANDERS (Glasgow Territorials in the Great War) BOOK, PHOTOS x 14 FOR THE 33rd DIVISION ORDER OF BATTLE (the Division James was with when he fell and another Newspaper clipping from the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser 05/12/1914. It concerns a letter sent by James' brother John about his experiences at the front. A big thanks to Tommy Lauriston, the Grandson of Private Thomas Lauriston, for family information and photos relating to his Grandfather.
