Samuel Fryer

Died of Wounds on the 18/09/1916 at the No. 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital. Wounds received at Martinpuich during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (part of the Battles of the Somme 1916)

The 7th and 8th Battalions arrived at Boulogne on the 10/07/1915 and were merged in Bethune on the 28/05/1916. They were part of the 46th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. Samuel received his wounds at Martinpuich during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, 15th to the 22nd of 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. Samuel's Division captured Martinpuich during this Battle. In the preparations for the capture of Martinpuich the 46th Brigade had 3 Battalions in the front line, the 10th Scottish Rifles on the right, the 7/8th King's Own Scottish Borderers in the centre and the 10/11th Highland Light Infantry on the left. Divisional casualties on the 15th and 16th September were 15 Officers Killed, 74 Wounded, 206 Other Ranks Killed, 1208 Wounded and 351 Missing. The Battalion casualty record to the 18/09/1916 since the Battalions arrival on the Somme Front states 7 Officers Killed, 3 Died of Wounds, 18 Wounded, 86 Other Ranks Killed, 24 Died of Wounds, 490 Wounded and 118 Missing. SEE PHOTOS X 33 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER 1916 (War Diary 23 states Casualty record). Samuel was formerly with the Lanarkshire Yeomanry (1417). He died just 6 months after enlisting. He is also remembered on the Gartsherrie Church Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for Samuel's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clipping, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, another photo of Samuel's Grave, St. Pierre Cemetery, Samuel's Pension Records x 2, the Lanarkshire Yeomanry Cap Badge and the King's Own Scottish Borderers Cap Badge. Samuel's grave inscription reads "REST WELL BRAVE HEART." Also see photos for Samuel's elder brother Gunner John Fryer's Medal Index Card, his Service Medal and Award Rolls and his Service Records x 14. Finally, see photos for 2 Newspaper clippings (1 Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser and 1 Coatbridge Express), PHOTOS x 6 FOR THE BATTALION BOOK 14th - 18th SEPTEMBER 1916, PHOTOS x 25 FOR THE 15th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK 27th JUNE - SEPTEMBER 1916 and the 15th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 13 (the Division Samuel was with when he was wounded).