Adam Hunter Balsillie

Killed in Action on the 09/05/1915 on the opening day of the Battle of Aubers

The 1st (Lowland) Field Company were part of the 1st Division. Adam arrived in France on the 16/12/1914. Adam was Killed in Action on the opening day of the unsuccessful British offensive at Aubers on the 9th - 10th May 1915. From the Coatbridge Leader 15/05/1915 : "On Wednesday afternoon wild rumours were afloat in the town to the effect that the 1st Field Company of the Lowland Divisional Royal Engineers, comprising all the local Territorials, had been almost completely wiped out in the course of a hazardous operation at the front. These rumours, it appears, had emanated from semi-official source, being based on a letter which had been received from an Officer in France. Many anxious questions for definite details were made at the headquarters of the Company at Coatdyke, and there it was learned that, while there were certainly good grounds for disquietude, the report in circulation did not refer to the Company as a whole, but to No. 1 Section of it only. On Thursday, however, all questionings were set at rest, when word was received from Major Arthur by the relatives of the men who had fallen, and it was then evident that the section had suffered severely. The official message showed that there had been 11 killed, 17 wounded and 4 missing, or 32 in all out of a total strength of 39". (SEE COATBRIDGE LEADER NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS x 4 FOR ALL THE INFORMATION and the BATTALION WAR DIARY 12 FOR ACTIONS BY No. 1 SECTION ON THE 09/05/1915). The Battle of Aubers, 9th - 10th May 1915 : A disastrous attack that cost 11,000 British casualties for no material gain : it was a minor supporting operation to a much larger French attack in an action known as the Second Battle of Artois. 17 other men from the Memorial fell here on this day. On the 9th May : the Southern pincer. At 5.00a.m : British bombardment opens with field guns firing shrapnel at the German wire and howitzers firing High Explosive shells onto front line. German troops are seen peering above their parapet even while this shelling was going on. At 5.30a.m : British bombardment intensifies, field guns switch to High Explosives and also fire at breastworks. The lead Battalions of the two assaulting Brigades of 1st Division go over the top to take up a position only 80 yards from German front. At 5.40a.m : British bombardment lifts off front lines and advances 600 yards; infantry assault begins. Despite the early losses and enemy fire, the three Brigades attempted to advance across No Mans Land. They were met by intense crossfire from the German machine-guns, which could not be seen in their ground-level and strongly protected emplacements. Whole lines of men were seen to be hit. Few lanes had been cut in the wire and even where men reached it they were forced to bunch, forming good targets for the enemy gunners. The leading battalions suffered very significant losses, particularly among officers and junior leaders. Around 100 men on the Northants and Munsters got into the German front, but all were killed or captured. The advance of the supporting Battalions suffered similarly, and by 6.00am the advance had halted, with hundreds of men pinned down in No Mans Land, unable to advance or fall back. At 7.20a.m : Major-General Haking (Commanding Officer, 1st Division) reports failure and asks if he should bring in his last Brigade, 1st Guards. He offered his opinion that it would not be successful. The new attack at 2.40p.m would again be preceded by a 40 minute bombardment. The various movements of relief forces were achieved only with much confusion and further losses under renewed enemy shellfire. The time was again moved to 4.00p.m. More than 11,000 British casualties were sustained on the 9th May 1915, the vast majority within yards of their own front-line trench. Mile for mile, Division for Division, this was one of the highest rates of loss during the entire war. This battle was an unmitigated disaster for the British army. No ground was won and no tactical advantage gained. It is very doubtful if it had the slightest positive effect on assisting the main French attack fifteen miles to the south. 1st Division casualties : 3,968 of which 160 Officers. SEE PHOTOS x 13 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY FROM 1st MAY - 14th MAY 1915. Adam is also remembered on the Clifton Church Roll of Honour (see photo). See photos for Adam's Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Le Touret Memorial Panel List, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his name on the Le Touret Memorial, the Royal Engineers Cap Badge and his Service Records x 11. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 7 (Coatbridge Leader x 4 and Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 3), photos of Poppies placed at Le Touret Memorial by myself July 2023 remembering Adam and 7 other men also remembered on the Coatbridge Memorial, the 1st Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was with when he died) and 3 more Newspaper clippings (Daily Record x 1 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 2 which contains Adam and his brother Andrew listed on the Coatdyke United Free Church Roll of Honour) and another photo of Adam's name on the Le Touret Memorial kindly donated by my friend in France, Thierry Dericbourg.