James Riley (Reilly)

James and the 11th (Service) Battalion Highland Light Infantry arrived at Boulogne on the 13/05/1915 and were part of 28th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. On the 14/05/1916 they transferred to 46th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division and amalgamated with 11th (Service) Battalion to form 10/11th Battalion. James was Killed in Action on the opening day of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, 15th - 22nd September 1916 : This was a large-scale general renewal of the offensive after the weeks of attritional fighting for the third German system at Pozieres, High Wood, Delville Wood, Guillemont and Ginchy. It is historically noteworthy for being the first time that tanks were used in battle. Few in number, mechanically unreliable and as yet without proven tactics for their best use, the small numbers of tanks that actually went into action had an important positive effect. High Wood and Delville Wood were finally cleared and a deep advance was made to Flers and towards Combles. The Canadian Corps entered the Somme fighting for the first time. This Battle was part of the Battles of the Somme, 1st July - 18th November 1916 : A Franco-British offensive that was undertaken after Allied strategic conferences in late 1915, but which changed its nature due to the German attack against the French in the epic Battle of Verdun, which lasted from late February to November. Huge British losses on the first day and a series of fiercely contested steps that became attritional in nature. For all armies on the Western Front it was becoming what the Germans would call "materialschlacht" : a war not of morale, will or even manpower, but of sheer industrial material might. The 15th September 1916 saw the first-ever use of tanks in the step known as the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. The British army in France is now approaching its maximum strength in numbers but is still developing in terms of tactics, technology, command and control. James is listed as REILLY on the Census Record. He is also remembered on the St. Augustine's Church Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clippings x 2, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Thiepval Memorial x 2, James' Pension Records x 3 and the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge.