Christopher McDade

The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division. Christopher briefly enlisted in the 3rd Battalion Highland Light Infantry (5969) on the 10/04/1906 but bought himself out after 76 days. He was killed when his Battalion suffered 393 casualties in a 3 hour engagement during which they were fighting waist deep in the mud and water on the last day of the 2nd Battle of Passchendaele, 26th October - 10th November 1917. This was the final part of the Battles of Ypres, 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 3rd 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. Christopher is listed as 7th BATTALION on the Coatbridge Memorial. He is also remembered on the St. Patrick's Church Roll of Honour (see photos) and in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for Christopher's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his listing on the Ireland Casualties WW1, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Tyne Cot Memorial Panel List, his name on the Tyne Cot Memorial x 2, his Attestation (HLI) Papers x 4, Christopher's Pension Records x 3, his original Regiment the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge, the Royal Muster Fusiliers Cap Badge and an aerial view of Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial.