Charles John Coyle

Killed in Action on the 22/03/1918 near the Ecoust-Beugnatre road on the 2nd day of the Battle of St. Quentin (phase of the Battles of the Somme 1918)

The Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 12/05/1915. On the 14/05/1916 they transferred to 46th Brigade,15th (Scottish) Division and amalgamated with the 11th (Service) Battalion to form 10/11th Battalion. They joined the 120th Brigade, 40th Division in February 1918 and left as cadre in June 1918. Charles was part of the Lewis Gun Section and was 9 months in France when he was killed on the 2nd day of the Battle of St. Quentin 21st - 23rd March 1918 when the Highland Light Infantry was part of a allied defensive formation attacked by vastly superior numbers of German storm-troopers. This was a phase of the First Battles of the Somme, 21st March - 5th April 1918 : After transferring very large forces from the now-collapsed Eastern Front, the German Army commits to a series of large-scale offensives. The first, Operation Michael, strikes the British Fifth and Third Armies. A deep advance is made and inflicts large losses, although the second phase, Operation Mars, at Arras on the 28th March, is soon held. In the crisis, the Allies decide at Doullens to appoint French General Foch as co-ordinator, and soon enough, as Generalissimo. Before enough French and British reserves are finally assembled to hold the German advance before it captures the critical railway junctions at Amiens. The original intention was that the memorial at Pozières should commemorate the missing of the Third Army (Charles' Battalion were part of this), while those of the Fifth Army would be commemorated at Saint-Quentin, at the heart of the Army's sector in March 1918. However, the French authorities objected to the amount of land being taken for British memorials, and so the names of the Third Army missing were added to the Arras Memorial. News of Charles' death was conveyed by the Field Chaplain. SEE PHOTOS x 18 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY MARCH 1918. Charles is also remembered on the St. Patrick's Church and Kipps Locomotive Works Rolls of Honour (see photos). See photos for Charles' Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Arras Memorial Panel List, the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge and Charles' Pension Record. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 4 (Coatbridge Express x 2, Coatbridge Leader x 1 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1), Charles' name on the Arras Memorial x 2, Arras Memorial taken by myself in July 2023, Arras Memorial taken in July 2023 from Faubourg d'Amiens Cemetery (partner Linda seated to the right), PHOTOS x 13 FOR THE 40th DIVISION BOOK 1st - 21st MARCH 1918, PHOTOS x 13 FOR THE 40th DIVISION BOOK 22nd MARCH 1918 (the day Charles fell) and the 40th Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division Charles was with when he died).