Thomas Guthrie Paul

Killed in Action on the 09/04/1917 at the 1st Battle of the Scarpe (opening day of the Battle of Arras)

The Battalion arrived in France in January 1916 and were part of the 103rd Brigade, 34th Division when Thomas was killed leading his men in a successful charge of enemy trenches at the 1st Battle of the Scarpe, 9th - 14th April 1917. This was the opening day of the Arras offensive (Battle of Arras), 9th April - 16th June 1917 : Once again the British are called upon to launch an attack in support to a larger French offensive : the Battles of the Chemin des Dames and the hills of Champagne. The opening Battle of Vimy and the 1st Battle of the Scarpe are very encouraging, but once again the offensive - often known as the Battle of Arras - bogs down into an attritional slog. Final attempts to outflank the German lines at Bullecourt prove terribly costly. Thomas was wounded at the Somme in July during a bayonet charge and was invalided home for 10 weeks. Thomas went to the University of Glasgow and graduated MA in 1914 with Honours in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. Following his graduation in the Arts he came back to the University with plans to study for a degree in Medicine, taking classes in Chemistry. He had just entered the Medical curriculum when war broke out. Thomas is also remembered in the University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel Roll of Honour x 3 and in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for Thomas' Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, another photo of Thomas' Grave alongside a comrade Private C Morgan (46942), another photo of Thomas (Graduation 1914), Thomas' Scotland National Probate Index (Will) x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, Roclincourt Valley Cemetery x 2, and the Northumberland Fusiliers Cap Badge. Thomas' grave inscription reads "SON OF ROBERT AND CHRISTINA PAUL, BIRNIEHA, COATBRIDGE "BELOVED".