William Archibald Robertson

Killed in Action on the 09/05/1915 on the opening day of the Battle of Aubers

William and the Battalion arrived at Marseilles on the 12/10/1914 and they were part of the Bareilly Brigade, Meerut Division. Thomas was Killed in Action on the opening day of the Battle of Aubers Ridge which proved a disaster for Britain with shell shortages blamed. The Battle on the 09/05/1915 : The Southern attack was to be made in easterly direction by the 1st and Meerut Divisions, on a 2400-yard front between Chocolat Menier Corner and Port Arthur (1st Division would have an attack frontage of 1600 yards; Meerut 800 yards), with the objective Rue du Marais - Lorgies - Ligny le Grand, incorporating La Cliqueterie (a heavily defended German strongpoint). Southern pincer - 3.45pm : Bareilly Brigade, moving up to relieve the Dehra Dun, loses more than 200 men due to enemy shelling. 3.57pm : Meerut Division orders Bareilly Brigade to advance, even though it is clear that conditions are unchanged : few men even reached a small ditch 20 yards in front of their own front line, and the Brigade suffered more than 1000 casualties within minutes. More than 11,000 British casualties were sustained on the 9th of May 1915, the vast majority within yards of their own front-line trench. Mile for mile, Division for Division, this was one of the highest rates of loss during the entire war. William's Battalion had 234 casualties on this day including 8 Officers. See photos for William's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Le Touret Memorial Panel List, his name on the Le Touret Memorial and the Black Watch Cap Badge.