James Thomson

The Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 10/07/1915 and were part of the 46th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. On the 18/10/1915 the Division took over the front line trenches then held by the 12th Division. (the Quarries sector). Owing to the failure to capture Hohenzollern Reboubt and Puits 14 bis east of Loos, the whole of the British area between these points was under direct observation by the enemy. No movement could be made above ground during the day, and long communication trenches as far back as Vermelles (2 and a half miles) were necessary. On October 28th, His Majesty the King inspected detachments of the Division at La Buissiere. Throughout the period of the 19th October to 15th December the enemy systematically shelled the area, especially the front line south of Hohenzollern Redoubt, and retaliatory fire did not stop his activity. No enemy attack took place during the tour. The Loos Memorial commemorates over 20,000 officers and men who have no known grave, who fell in the area from the River Lys to the old southern boundary of the First Army, east and west of Grenay, from the first day of the Battle of Loos to the end of the war. See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clipping, 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, James' Pension Records and the King's Own Scottish Borderers Cap Badge.