James Henderson Davie

Killed in Action on the 15/09/1916 on the opening day of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (near Lesboeufs) (part of the Battles of the Somme 1916)

ADDITIONAL FAMILY INFORMATION - From the 1891 Census - Address - Kirkshaws Farm, Old Monkland, Coatbridge - Grandfather John Davie aged 74, Aunt Annie C Davie aged 41, James H Davie aged 36, Mary U Davie aged 31, Margaret M Davie aged 7, John Davie aged 6, Christina M Davie aged 4, James H Davie aged 2, Mary E A Davie aged 6 months, Servant Helen Penman aged 19, Servant Elizabeth Penman aged 15, Farm Servant James Boyd aged 19. The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 2nd Guards Brigade, Guards Division. James arrived in France on the 23/04/1915. James was Killed in Action on the opening day of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, 15th - 22nd September 1916 : This was a large-scale general renewal of the offensive after the weeks of attritional fighting for the third German system at Pozieres, High Wood, Delville Wood, Guillemont and Ginchy. It is historically noteworthy for being the first time that tanks were used in battle. Few in number, mechanically unreliable and as yet without proven tactics for their best use, the small numbers of tanks that actually went into action had an important positive effect. High Wood and Delville Wood were finally cleared and a deep advance was made to Flers and towards Combles. The Canadian Corps entered the Somme fighting for the first time. Lesboeufs was attacked by the Guards Division on the 15th September 1916 and captured by them on the 25th. James was Killed during the attack towards Leboeufs where some of the fiercest hand to hand fighting took place. SEE PHOTOS x 14 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 1916. The War Diary states casualties on the 15th September were - The Battalion casualties on the opening day of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette from the Battalion War Diary - "Officers : Killed - Capt. L. NORMAN, Capt. E.P. ORR-EWING and 2nd Lt. W.F. MARTINDALE. Wounded - Capt. H.C.E. ROSS, Lt. D.S. BARCLAY, 2 Lt. E. MILLER, 2 Lt. V.S. DANIELL, 2 Lt. W.L.E. CHILDERS, 2 Lt. R.V. POWELL (at duty) and Capt. H.W. BAYLY (T.F) R.A.M.C. Other Ranks : Killed - 24, Wounded - 131 and Missing - 114". The 2nd Guards Brigade casualties between the 10th and 17th September 1916 were : Officers Killed 25, Wounded 26, Missing 10. Other Ranks Killed 153, Wounded 796, Missing 757. The Guards Division casualties between the 10th and 17th September 1916 were : Officers Killed 54, Wounded 105, Missing 13. Other Ranks Killed 612, Wounded 2,851, Missing 1829. (Total : 172 Officers and 4792 Other Ranks). This was part of the Battles of the Somme, 1st July - 18th November 1916 : A Franco-British offensive that was undertaken after Allied strategic conferences in late 1915, but which changed its nature due to the German attack against the French in the epic Battle of Verdun, which lasted from late February to November. Huge British losses on the first day and a series of fiercely contested steps that became attritional in nature. For all armies on the Western Front it was becoming what the Germans would call "materialschlacht" : a war not of morale, will or even manpower, but of sheer industrial material might. The 15th September 1916 saw the first-ever use of tanks in the step known as the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. The British army in France is now approaching its maximum strength in numbers but is still developing in terms of tactics, technology, command and control. James' brother Hugh of the Highland Light Infantry then Labour Corps (594118) was in hospital suffering from illness at the time of his death. Hugh was discharged on the 27/02/1919. James' Pension was awarded to his mother Mary and Hugh received his on the 28/02/1919 (see Pension Records). James is also remembered on the Coatbridge Technical College and Old Monkland Churches Rolls of Honour and in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his name on the Thiepval Memorial Panel List, his name on the Thiepval Memorial x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, the Scots Guards Cap Badge and James and brother Hugh's Pension Records x 3. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 5 (Coatbridge Express x 1 and Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 4), a map showing before 1st July until 18th September 1916, PHOTOS x 29 FOR THE GUARDS DIVISION BOOK 1st - 16th SEPTEMBER 1916 and the Guards Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was with when he died).