William Hamilton

Killed in Action on the 04/11/1918 near Haute Cornée at the Battle of the Sambre (part of the Final Advance in Picardy)

William is listed as 10th BATTALION on the Coatbridge Memorial (his previous Battalion). William and the 10th arrived at Boulogne on the 20/09/1915. They were part of the 77th Brigade, 26th Division. On the 12/11/1915 they departed from Marseilles and landed at Salonika on the 24/11/1915. In July 1918 they left the Division and moved to France. This may have been the time William joined the 13th Battalion as they arrived in France in June 1918. On the 15/07/1918 the Battalion joined the 149th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division. William was Killed in Action one week before the Armistice near Haute Cornée during the Battle of the Sambre after serving for 4 years 3 months in the firing line. He was 3 years in Salonika. SEE PHOTOS x 21 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 1918. The War Diary for the day of William's death : FONTAINE-AU-BOIS, 04/11/1918, REFERENCE SHEET 57A 1/40.000 : "Until 06.15 hrs "C" Company continued holding the line - 3rd Royal Fusiliers on the right and 7th Wiltshire Regiment on the left. During the night "A", "B" and "D" Companies had moved up to assembly position - for the most part in trenches previously prepared. At 06.15 the Division attacked in conjunction with troops on both flanks. The objective of the Battalion was the vicinity of Haute Cornée. "A" Company attacked on the right, "B" Company on the left, "C" Company in support and "D" in reserve. The morning was very misty ; there was considerable hostile shelling and several casualties occurred in the assembly position and also during the initial stages of the advance through the enemy's barrage, which was very heavy. Tanks assisted in the advance, and when the mist cleared the operation became much easier. The enemy resistance, which was entirely Machine Gun apart from the Artillery fire, was overcome and the objective reached about 12 noon. The Battalion consolidated on the objective - the 151st Brigade passed through the remainder of the Division to exploit the success. Casualties were - 2/Lieut. J.R. GIBB killed ; 2/Lieut. J.D. RISK wounded ; 2/Lieut. J. Fraser injured ; 28 Other Ranks killed ; 99 Other Ranks wounded". According to the War Diary the Battalions total Battle Casualties since arriving in France - Officers : Killed 4, Died of Wounds 2, Wounded 15, Wounded and Missing 1. Other Ranks : Killed 85, Died of Wounds 29, Wounded 333. Total Estimated Captures : Prisoners 250, Machine Guns 50. The Battle of the Sambre was part of the Final Advance in Picardy, 17th October - 11th November 1918. The hardest-fought of the final offensive actions. First, Third and Fourth Armies exploited their success in breaking the Hindenburg Line by pushing on across the Rivers Selle and Sambre, recapturing Valenciennes and finally in liberating Mons, where it had all begun for the British Expeditionary Force more than four years before. William is also remembered on the Coatbridge Technical College and Clifton Churches Rolls of Honour (see photos). See photos for William's Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration x 3, his Headstone Report x 2, his Pension Records x 4, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, Cross Roads Cemetery and the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) Cap Badge. William's headstone reads "TILL GABRIEL SOUNDS HIS LAST RALLY". Finally, SEE PHOTOS x 7 FOR THE 50th (NORTHUMBRIAN) DIVISION BOOK OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 1918, the 50th (Northumbrian) Division Order of Battle x 13 (the Division William was with when he died) and 2 Newspaper clippings from the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser 07/12/1918.