The Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 10/05/1915 and were part of the 26th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. Hugh landed in France on Easter Sunday 31/03/1918 and fell just 16 days later during the German Spring Offensive. The Battles of the Lys, 9th April - 29th April 1918 : The third German offensive Operation Georgette takes place in Flanders with the objective of capturing key railway and supply roads and cutting off British Second Army at Ypres. After initial successes the German attack is once again held after British and French reserves are somehow found and deployed. Hugh's Division the 9th (Scottish) were involved in the Battle of Messines, 10th - 11th April 1918, the First Battle of Kemmel, 17th - 19th April 1918 and the Second Battle of Kemmel, 25th - 26th April 1918. SEE PHOTOS x 25 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY APRIL 1918. The 9th (Scottish) Division book lists the 'approximate' number of casualties at The Lys 9th - 26th April 1918 as : 35 Officers Killed, 95 Wounded and 39 Missing. 401 Other Ranks Killed, 1,832 Wounded and 1,646 Missing. TOTAL : 169 OFFICERS and 3,879 OTHER RANKS. The 'approximate' number of casualties from May 1915 to November 1918 reads : 474 Officers Killed, 1,744 Wounded and 275 Missing. 7,425 Other Ranks Killed, 34,559 Wounded and 10,138 Missing. TOTAL : 2,493 OFFICERS and 52,122 OTHER RANKS (see photo 30 from the 9th (Scottish) Division book April 1918. It shows casualties from 10 Battles the Division were involved in). Hugh was a one-time member of the Gartsherrie Band. Many thanks to James McKechnie who supplied information and Hugh's CWGC Remembered with Honour page (1). Hugh and his brother William are remembered on the Middle United Free Church Roll of Honour (only William remembered in Coatbridge Express Newspaper clipping in 1915 as Michael hadn't enlisted by then). Michael also remembered on the Stewarts and Lloyds Rolls of Honour plaque (see photos x 2). See photos for Hugh's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his name on the Family Plot in Old Monkland Cemetery, his name on the Tyne Cot Memorial, his name on the Tyne Cot Memorial Panel List, his CWGC Grave Registration, Cameron Highlanders Cap Badge, Hugh's Pension Records x 2, Hugh's CWGC Remembered with Honour pages x 2 and an aerial view of Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 4 (Coatbridge Express x 3 and Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1), PHOTOS x 30 FOR THE 9th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK APRIL 1918 and the 9th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division Hugh was with when he died). The History of the 9th (Scottish) Division book is available to read online
here
