The Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 10/07/1915 and were part of the 46th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. Robert fell on the opening day of the Battle of Langemarck, 16th - 18th August 1917. This was part of the The Battles of Ypres (3rd Ypres), 31st July - 10th November 1917 : The British finally got what they had wanted since 1914 : the opportunity to attack at Ypres and breakout of the confines of the salient of trenches around it. Often known as the 3rd Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele, the offensive began with encouraging gains but terrible summer weather soon bogged it down. By August the offensive was clearly failing in its objectives and had descended into attritional fighting. New techniques by both sides led to agonisingly slow forward movement for the British, at enormous cost in casualties to both sides. Bad weather in October led to the battlefield becoming an impossible quagmire. Robert is listed as 9th BATTALION on the Coatbridge Memorial. This was his previous Battalion. Grave photo kindly donated by Mick McCann at the British War Graves website who supply photos FREE OF CHARGE
here. Robert is also remembered on the Coats Parish Church Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for Robert's Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, Robert's Pension Records x 2 and the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Cap Badge.
