The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division. Duncan arrived on the 03/05/1915. Duncan was Killed in Action on the opening day of the Battle of Loos, 25th September - 15th October 1915 : The first genuinely large scale British offensive action but once again only in a supporting role to a larger French attack in the Third Battle of Artois. British appeals that the ground over which they were being called upon to advance was wholly unsuitable were rejected. The battle is historically noteworthy for the first British use of poison gas. The Battle : 07.05am - noon : 1st Division began to advance a few minutes late, after casualties were suffered from the British gas which had drifted back into the assault trenches. On the right front of 2nd Brigade, it was discovered that the enemy wire was undamaged, having been out of direct observation over a crest line, and two German machine guns and heavy rifle fire played across the lines of advancing troops as desperate efforts were made to cut the wire. The succeeding lines of infantry could not move forward and took to ground just below the gentle crest line. By 7.30am the gas and smoke had cleared, completely exposing the pinned-down troops in No Man's Land. The 1st Brigade did not suffer so badly from gas, and the lead Battalions advanced through all objectives despite heavy casualties. North of Hulluch : The attack of 1st Division had met with such intensive enemy fire that by 10.55am it was effectively halted. By 1.15pm it had been decided at Divisional HQ to leave only a screen of men holding their existing positions. SEE PHOTOS x 4 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY FOR SEPTEMBER 1915. The War Diary states : Casualties on the 25/09/1915 - 3 Officers Killed, 3 Wounded, 1 Missing, 48 Other Ranks Killed, 127 Wounded and 36 Missing. Scottish Regiments lost a huge amount of brave men at Loos. Here is a list of Infantry Battalions who lost more than 500 men at the Battle of Loos from the 25/09/1915 to the 16/10/1915 - 7th Cameron Highlanders 687, of which 19 Officers, 9th Black Watch 680, of which 20 Officers, 6th King's Own Scottish Borderers 650, of which 20 Officers, 10th Highland Light Infantry 648, of which 20 Officers, 7th King's Own Scottish Borderers 631, of which 20 Officers, 8th Devons 619, of which 19 Officers, 8th Royal West Kents 580, of which 24 Officers, 8th Buffs 558, of which 24 Officers, 12th Highland Light Infantry 553, of which 23 Officers, 8th Black Watch 511, of which 19 Officers, 5th North Staffordshire 505, of which 20 Officers, 8th Seaforth Highlanders 502, of which 23 Officers. Duncan was reported wounded at Loos (see Newspaper clipping). Duncan was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. The photo of Duncan's name on the Loos Memorial kindly donated by Mick McCann at the British War Graves website who supply photos FREE OF CHARGE
here. He is also remembered on the Whifflet United Free Church Roll of Honour (see photo). See photos for Duncan's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Loos Memorial Panel List, his name on the Loos Memorial, the Black Watch Cap Badge and Duncan's Pension Records x 2. Finally, see photos for Newspapers clippings x 5 (Coatbridge Express x 3 and Coatbridge Leader x 2), a wreath placed by myself remembering the men on the Loos Memorial in July 2023 x 2, myself at the Black Watch Panels at Loos Memorial in July 2023 (Duncan listed on the left), PHOTOS FOR 38 PAGES FROM THE MOST UNFAVOURABLE GROUND BOOK REGARDING THE BATTALION AND DIVISION 25/09/1915 (fantastic book on the Battle of Loos kindly signed by the author Niall Cherry), the 1st Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was with when he died), Duncan's name on the Black Watch panel (Loos Memorial), another photo of Duncan's name on the Loos Memorial both kindly donated by my friend in France, Thierry Dericbourg and a Newspaper clipping from The Scotsman 05/10/1915.
