Harry arrived in France on the 10/08/1914 and was in the 20th General Hospital, Etaples, France suffering from slight influenza according to a report sent to his sister Susan of 27 Belgrave Crescent, Edinburgh in July1915. He was then sent to the Northern General Hospital, Leicester. He was admitted on the 11/07/1915 (see Service Records 14 and 15). On the 01/06/1915 the Battalion sailed from Devonport for Gallipoli, going via Egypt (12th June) and Mudros (1st July), landing at Cape Helles on the 3rd of July. On the 08/01/1916 they were evacuated from Gallipoli to Mudros and arrived Egypt in February. They were part of the 157th Brigade, 52nd (Lowland) Division. Harry sailed from Devonport on the 17/02/1916 and arrived in Alexandria, Egypt on the 29/02/1916. The Division fought at the Capture of Wadi el Hesi and the associated Sausage Ridge which began during the evening of the 07/11/1917 and was fiercely fought for during the 8th November and not cleared until the early hours of the 9th November. Sausage Ridge : The 157th Brigade - Holding the southern sector, the 157th Brigade was ordered at 13:30pm to attack "with its whole strength", leaving no units to strengthen their northern flank. The 157th Brigade was to attack through Herbie to capture the southern edge of Sausage Ridge overlooking the Ottoman Palestine railway which ran from Beit Hanun to Junction Station. The 5th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the 5th Highland Light Infantry were to extend "along the southern end of the Ras Abu Ameire Ridge" advancing frontally, while on the southern bank of the Wadi el Hesi, the 6th Highland Light Infantry was to cross the wadi southwest of Sausage Ridge, in a turning movement. The 157th Brigade, advanced unopposed until they were three-quarters of the way from Herbie towards the Sausage Ridge, at dusk they suffered considerable casualties from heavy rifle and machine gun fire. The 157th Brigade went on to attack the southern end of Sausage Ridge, and succeeded in gaining ground as darkness fell. By 18:00pm the leading troops of the Argyll and Southern Highlanders and 5th Highland Light Infantry reached the foot of the hill and charged straight up to gain the crest. Under very heavy Ottoman machine gun fire, strengthened by minenwerfer short range mortars, small groups of British soldiers "came to close quarters" with the Ottoman troops, fighting each other with bombs and bayonets. An Ottoman battalion counterattacked a few minutes later driving the British off the ridge. Harry was Killed in Action at Esdud or Beit Duras on the 10/11/1917. Losses here for the Battalion were - 3 Officers Killed, 4 Wounded, 16 Other Ranks Killed, 38 Wounded. Harry's Grave photo kindly donated by Mick McCann at the British War Graves website who supply photos FREE OF CHARGE
here. See photos for Harry's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clipping, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, the 1911 England Census (taken in Malta when Harry was in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders), his CWGC Grave Registrations x 2, his Headstone Report, his Service Records x 18, Gaza War Cemetery, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Cap Badge and Harry's Pension Records x 2. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 4 (Coatbridge Express x 1, Coatbridge Leader x 1 and Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 2), PHOTOS x 23 FOR THE 52nd (LOWLAND) DIVISION FROM THE 8th - 9th AT WADI HESI and PHOTOS x 9 FROM THE 9th - 10th ESDUD or BEIT DURAS and the 52nd (Lowland) Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was with when he fell).
