Edward Starrs

Edward and the Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 12/05/1915 and were part of the 28th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. Edward 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 opening day of the Battle : On the left of the Division an attack was arranged for the 6th King's Own Scottish Borderers on the right and the 10th Highland Light Infantry on the left. These were supported respectively by the 11th Highland Light Infantry and the 9th Scottish Rifles. 10 minutes after the crash of the Division's guns had announced the hour of zero the German counter-bombardment fell on the front and communication trenches ; the supporting Companies and Battalions, which were moving up from the rear trenches to the front, suffered severe losses. At 08.15 a.m. a message was received from the 9th Scottish Rifles that the 10th Highland Light Infantry were asking for reinforcements. At 09.10 a.m. the Division learned from a telephone message that the attack of the 28th Brigade had been repulsed. At 12.15 p.m. the 11th Highland Light Infantry on the right and 9th Scottish Rifles on the left advanced again the enemy lines. The bombardment delivered earlier was not sufficiently heavy to demolish the German strong points. The attack was swept away by the enemy's rifle and machine-gun fire. As a result the 28th Brigade had lost about 2/3 of its effective strength, it was now unfit for further action and was withdrawn to its original line. 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 25/09/1915 to 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. Edward was 1 of the men from the Coatbridge Memorial to be Killed in Action on the opening day of the Battle of Loos. It was late January 1916 before his wife received news he was missing. He was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. Edward is listed as STARS on the Memorial. He is also remembered on the St. Mary's Church Roll of Honour. See photos for Edward'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, Edward's Pension Records x 3, Edward's elder brother John's Attestation Papers x 3 and the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Cap Badge.