James Edward Thomson

Killed in Action on the 11/03/1915 at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle

James and the Battalion were in Ambala, India in August 1914 and were part of the 9th (Sirhind) Brigade in the 3rd (Lahore) Division. They moved to France via Egypt, landing at Marseilles on the 01/12/1914 (some weeks after the other Brigades of the Division). From the 10th - 13th March 1915: the Battle of Neuve Chapelle,10th - 13th March 1915 : British First Army mounts first offensive on large scale: costly in terms of casualties but results in capture of Neuve Chapelle. Localised operations continue afterwards. Neuve Chapelle was the first large scale organised attack undertaken by the British Army during the war. It followed the miserable winter operations of 1914-15. More Divisions had now arrived in France and the British Expeditionary Force was now split into two Armies. Neuve Chapelle was undertaken by Sir Douglas Haig's First Army, while subsequent actions were fought by Sir Herbert Smith-Dorrien's Second Army. British First Army mounts first offensive on large scale: costly in terms of casualties but results in the capture of Neuve Chapelle. James is listed as E. James Thomson with the CWGC. This is also how he is also remembered on the Le Touret Memorial. See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration, his Headstone Report, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his Pension Records x 4, the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge, Neuve Chapelle in ruins after the Battle and captured German prisoners guarded by British soldiers at Neuve Chapelle, March 1915.