George enlisted in the 8th (Service) Battalion Gordon Highlanders 09/09/1914, his Service number was 4283. They were part of the 26th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. George and the Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 10/05/1915. George was Wounded in Action at the Battle of Loos between the 25th and 27th of September 1915 just over 2 weeks after his arrival. He was transferred to a Casualty Clearing Station in Etaples on the 06/10/1915. He rejoined his Battalion on the 23/10/1915. SEE PHOTOS x 15 FOR THE 8th BATTALION GORDON HIGHLANDERS WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER 1915, PHOTOS x 21 FOR THE 9th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK ON THE 25/09/1915 and SEE PHOTOS FOR 20 PAGES FROM THE MOST UNFAVOURABLE GROUND BOOK REGARDING THE BATTALION and DIVISION 25/09/1915 (fantastic book on the Battle of Loos kindly signed by the author Niall Cherry). See Directory for the page of Private John Brown, 8th (Service) Battalion Gordon Highland who was Killed in Action on the 25/09/1915. His page describes the opening day of the Battle of Loos (George was wounded at this Battle). George was transferred to the Royal Engineers 49th Broad Gauge Company, Railway Operations Division on the 17/05/1917. The introduction from the Railway Operating Division on the Western Front book describes the scale of operations as " . . . operating from some 30 depots spread across the whole length of the British sector of the Front, from Dunkirk in the north, to Chaulnes (between Amiens and St Quentin) in the south, a distance under 100 miles as the crow flies (less than from Kings Cross to Grantham) . . . with as many engines as the Great Northern Railway . . .". George's Service Record (5) states he Died of Bronchopneumonia almost 3 months after the Armistice and after over 4 years serving. His Service Record (6) from Lieutenant Colonel H.H.J. Fawcett, Royal Army Medical Corps, Commanding 12th Stationary Hospital states probable condition was Lethargic Encephalitis (see photos). George and Private Samuel Nicholson Rogan (see Directory) were the LAST 2 MEN TO DIE ON ACTIVE SERVICE listed on the COATBRIDGE MEMORIAL. George's Grave photo kindly donated by Mick McCann at the British War Graves website who supply photos FREE OF CHARGE
here. George is also remembered on the East United Free Church Roll of Honour and the Kipps Locomotive Works Rolls of Honour (see photos). See photos for George's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, George's Pension Records x 2, his Service Record x 8, St. Pol British Cemetery, George's former Regiment the Gordon Highlanders Cap Badge, the Royal Engineers Cap Badge, 2 Newspaper clippings from the Coatbridge Express 27/01/1915 and the 9th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was with when he died). The History of the 9th (Scottish) Division book (George's previous Division) is available to read online
here
