Family Information
Son of James McVie (18/07/1864 - 02/11/1900) and Catherine McVie (15/03/1866 - 11/07/1957). Catherine married Edward Lapsley (1860 - 13/06/1944) after her first husband James died. They lived at 272 Dundyvan Rd, Coatbridge. Herbert's mothers stepson Private Charles Lapsley of the 1st/4th West Riding Regiment was Killed in Action on the 20/11/1915. Herbert had 2 brothers, William Arnold McVie (22/09/1891 - 1946) and Alfred Edward McVie (14/06/1900 - /12/1973). He also had 1 half sister Jane (Jean) Veronica Lapsley (01/04/1904 - 18/01/1980) and 1 half brother Thomas Harold Lapsley (22/01/1906 - 29/01/1976). From the 1901 England Census - Address - 191 Fordingley Rd, Paddington, London - Catherine McVie aged 35, William McVie aged 9, James Herbert McVie aged 5, Alfred McVie aged 9 months. From the 1911 Census - Address - 22 Albert St, Calton, Edinburgh - Grandmother Jane Devite aged 74, Uncle Alfred Devite aged 41, Uncle Martin Devite aged 41, William McVie aged 19, Herbert J McVie aged 15. Herbert's Pension was awarded to his mother Catherine.
Additional Information
The Battalion formed at Edinburgh in late November 1914 by Lt-Col. G. McCrae, MP and was manned in large part by players and supporters of the Heart of Midlothian Football Club. A Memorial stands next to the Church in Contalmaison, where the Battalion fought its first major battle in early July 1916. The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 08/01/1916 and were part of the 101st Brigade, 34th Division. Herbert died in 1923 and is NOT LISTED with the CWGC. He was wounded on the 09/04/1917 at the 1st Battle of the Scarpe, 9th - 14th April 1917 and the London Gazette states - Temporary Lieutenant H J McVie relinquishes his commission on the 25/03/1919 on account of ill health caused by wounds. His Medical Record states - 1914-1918, Gun Shot Wound to Abdomen and Fracture of Radius. The Battle was part of the Arras offensive (Battle of Arras), 9th April -16th June 1917 : the Arras offensive. Once again the British are called upon to launch an attack in support to a larger French offensive: the battles of the Chemin des Dames and the hills of Champagne. The opening Battle of Vimy and the First Battle of the Scarpe are very encouraging, but once again the offensive - often known as the Battle of Arras - bogs down into an attritional slog. Final attempts to outflank the German lines at Bullecourt prove terribly costly. See Directory for Herbert's mothers stepson Charles Lapsley's page. A huge thank you to Harry Breen who supplied the family information and many photos. See photos for Herbert's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clippings x 2, his Burial Record, his Birth Certificate, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, listing in the 1901 England Census, listing in the 1911 Census, his War Service Record, his name on the Holy Cross Academy Roll of Honour, his First Matriculation - Arts Dept., Edinburgh University, Herbert's Dux Prize 1911 - Maths, Science, English, French-Holy Cross Academy, Edinburgh, his Mother Catherine and his half sister Jane (Jean), Jane's (Jean) Baptism Certificate, photos of Jane (Jean) x 3, his brother William's Marriage Certificate, his brother Alfred's Birth Certificate, Alfred and his wife Mary's (Mayor and Mayoress of Barnsley) Christmas card in 1934, photo of Herbert's brother Alfred and his wife Mary's (Mayor and Mayoress) with the now Queen and Prince Philip in 1954, the Royal Scots Cap Badge, Herbert's Pension Record and finally a photo of myself at the Contalmaison Cairn Memorial during a fundraising walk in 2012 and Piershill Cemetery.
