David Heatlie Finston

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

The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 2nd Guards Brigade, Guards Division. David arrived in France on the 04/10/1915 and fell 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. This Battle 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. SEE PHOTOS x 14 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 1916. The War Diary casualty list for action on the 15/09/1916 states - Battalion Other Ranks : Killed 34, Wounded 174, Missing 62. Machine Gun Company : Killed 2, Wounded 5, Missing 1. Total = 278 (excluding Officers). David is also remembered on the Hamilton War Memorial Roll of Honour. The panels for the Memorial are held in Hamilton Town Hall (see photos). See photos for David's Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Thiepval Memorial Panel List, his name on the Thiepval Memorial x 2, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, David's Pension Records x 2, the Scots Guards Cap Badge and a map showing position before advance on the 1st July - approximate line 18th September 1916. Finally, SEE 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).