John Wilson Cosgrove

MORE FAMILY INFORMATION ---- From the 1881 Census - Address - Slatey Row, West Calder, Midlothian - James Cosgrove aged 30, Jane Cosgrove aged 26, James Cosgrove aged 7, Peter Cosgrove aged 6, John Cosgrove aged 3, Mary Cosgrove aged 6 months, Mary Bryce (fathers mother-in-law) aged 54, George Black (fathers uncle) aged 25, Hugh Bryce (fathers brother-in-law) aged 23, Janet Bryce (fathers sister-in-law) aged 22, Jane Bryce (fathers niece) aged 4 months. James Cosgrove (1850 - 1913) Birth 07/08/1850 - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Death 23/03/1913 - West Calder, West Lothian, Scotland. Jane Bryce Cosgrove (1854 - 1894) Birth ABT 1854 - West Calder, West Lothian, Scotland. Death 22/08/1894 - West Calder, West Lothian, Scotland. James Bryce Cosgrove (1873 - 1949) Birth 09/10/1873 - West Calder, West Lothian, Scotland. Death 05/05/1949 - Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Peter Cosgrove (1875 - 1899) Birth 20/02/1875 - West Calder, West Lothian, Scotland. Death 08/07/1899 - Fauldhouse, Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland. John Wilson Cosgrove (1877 - 1916) Birth 16/12/1877 - West Calder, West Lothian, Scotland. Death 20/08/1916, the Somme, France. Mary Black Cosgrove (1880 - 1946) Birth 12/09/1880 - West Calder, West Lothian, Scotland. Death 04/08/1946 - Fauldhouse, West Lothian, Scotland. George Black Cosgrove (1882 - ) Birth 08/10/1882 - West Calder, West Lothian, Scotland. Death Unknown. Thomas Cosgrove (1885 - ) Birth 21/05/1885 - West Calder, West Lothian, Scotland. Death Unknown. Alexander Bryce Cosgrove (1890 - 1892) Birth 10/09/1890 - West Calder, West Lothian, Scotland. Death 15/02/1892 - West Calder, West Lothian, Scotland. John and the 10th (Service) Battalion Highland Light Infantry arrived at Boulogne on the 12/05/1915. On the 14/05/1916 they were part of the 46th Brigade,15th (Scottish) Division and amalgamated with the 11th (Service) Battalion to form 10/11th (Service) Battalion. John was wounded near the German Switch Line at the Battle of Pozieres, one of the Battles of the Somme. He died of his wounds 3 days later. The Battle of Pozieres, 23rd July - 3rd September 1916 : Pozieres was a small, straggling village on the main Albert-Bapaume road. It is situated on high ground that gives the occupier observation southwards along the road towards Ovillers, La Boisselle, Albert and beyond; to the east across to High Wood, Delville Wood and beyond; and westwards to Thiepval. Possession of Pozieres was key to making possible any further advances towards Bapaume, the capture of the Thiepval ridge and the breaking of resistance at High and Delville Woods. The Battle for Pozieres and nearby Mouquet Farm became an epic in its own right, with tenacious German defence keeping determined British-Australian attack at bay for several weeks. SEE PHOTOS x 12 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY AUGUST 1916 and PHOTOS x 14 FOR THE 15th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK 27th JUNE - 17th AUGUST 1916. John is listed as LANCE CORPORAL on the Memorial. John was very prominent in Masonic circles and was Scribe E for New Monkland Royal Arch Chapter for many years. I personally laid a Poppy at John's grave in 2008 (see additional grave photo). He is listed as aged 39 by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and on his Grave (see Family Information for his Date of Birth listed here). See photos for John's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, Contalmaison Chateau Cemetery, his Headstone Report x 2 and the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 4 (Coatbridge Express x 2, Coatbridge Leader x 1 and Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1), additional grave photo I took in 2008 (Poppy placed), Poppy Cross placed by myself in July 2023 x 2, Poppy Cross and Poppy placed by myself in July 2023 (main grave photo too), entrance to Contalmaison Chateau Cemetery taken by myself in July 2023 (Poppies on the right), Contalmaison Chateau Cemetery taken by myself July 2023 and 9 Poppy Crosses placed in Northern France by myself July 2023 (John's middle left) and the 15th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 13 (the Division he was with when he died ).