William O'Connor

The Battalion sailed from Liverpool on the 24/05/1915, going via Egypt to Gallipoli on the 14/06/1915. They returned to Egypt on the 08/01/1916 and moved to France, landing at Marseilles on the 17/04/1918. They were part of the 156th (Scottish Rifles) Brigade, 52nd (Lowland) Division. William was Killed in Action in the closing months of the war at the 2nd Battles of the Somme, 21st August - 3rd September 1918 : British Third and Fourth Armies commence offensive operations on the same ground over which the 1916 Battle of the Somme was fought. They make deep advance. The day before William fell is famous in the annals of the British Forces, Imperial and Colonial, for on the day the Canadian Corps with the 51st (Highland) Division fighting in its ranks , and the 52nd (Lowland) Division on its right flank, broke into and swung across the Siegfried section of the Hindenburg Line, shattering all the German dreams of its impregnability and General Ludendorff's plans for a stand during the winter behind its fortifications. On the 27th August an attack by the 157th Brigade was followed up by the 156th. The 1/7th Battalion Royal Scots along with the 1/4th Battalion and the 1/7th Battalion Cameronians in reserve captured over 500 prisoners and over 80 machine-guns during the fighting for Henin Hill, Croisilles. This is where William fell. "A" and "D" Companies of the 1/7th Royal Scots were involved in a rail accident at Quintinshill near Gretna on the 22/05/1915 while en-route to Liverpool from Larbert in Stirlingshire. 210 men were killed and 224 injured, forming the majority of the 473 casualties of the worst disaster in British railway history. See Directory for his uncle Henry O'Connor and cousin John O'Connor's pages. William is also remembered on the St. Patrick's (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for William's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial Panel List, William's Pension Records x 3, his name on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial and the Royal Scots Cap Badge.