Michael Torley

ADDITIONAL FAMILY INFORMATION - From the 1881 Census - Address - New Monkland - Robert Torley aged 33, Jeanie Torley aged 32, Robert Torley aged 13, John Torley aged 10, Agnes Torley aged 7, Peter Torley aged 5, Archibald Torley aged 3, Michael Torley aged 1. The Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 12/05/1915 and were part of the 28th Brigade, 9th (Scottish Division). On the 14/05/1916 they transferred to the 46th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division and amalgamated with 11th (Service) Battalion to form the 10/11th Battalion. Michael arrived in France on the 09/06/1915. The Battle of Loos 25th September to the 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 of Loos : Zero hour was fixed for 05.50 a.m. On the left of the Division were the 10th Highland Light Infantry and the 6th King's Own Scottish Borderers were on the right. At 06.30 they advanced in 3 lines against the German trenches. The 10th Highland Light Infantry : As the wind was too weak to carry the gas forward from the trenches many of the men were suffering from the effects of it when they left the front line. At the very start the ranks of the Battalion were thinned by a storm of shell, rifle and machine-gun fire, a considerable amount being killed or wounded. The men pushed on but we unable to penetrate the enemy's wire. Before vicious machine-gun fire from Madagascar Trench, Railway Work and Mad Point the attack melted away and most of the survivors struggled back to the trenches none of whom had broken through the German wire. SEE PHOTOS x 6 FOR THE 10th (SERVICE) BATTALION WAR DIARY ON THE 25/09/1915. THE BATTALION CASUALTIES ON THE 25/09/1915 (NON COMMISSIONED OFFICERS + MEN) - "A" COMPANY : 29 KILLED, 66 MISSING, 45 WOUNDED, 22 GASSED (TOTAL = 162), "B" COMPANY : 66 KILLED, 70 MISSING, 33 WOUNDED, 6 GASSED (TOTAL = 175), "C" COMPANY : 28 KILLED, 46 MISSING, 46 WOUNDED, 7 GASSED (TOTAL = 127), "D" COMPANY : 37 KILLED, 17 MISSING, 50 WOUNDED, 9 GASSED (TOTAL = 113). TOTAL : 160 KILLED, 199 MISSING, 174 WOUNDED, 49 GASSED = 577. OFFICERS - HQ : 1 KILLED, 1 WOUNDED, 1 GASSED, "A" COMPANY : 4 KILLED, "B" COMPANY : 3 KILLED, "C" COMPANY : 2 WOUNDED, "D" COMPANY : 1 KILLED, 2 WOUNDED. TOTAL : 9 KILLED, 5 WOUNDED, 1 GASSED = 15. 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. The Battalion history states - "the 10th Highland Light Infantry suffered from our own gas before the attack, at the very start the ranks of the Battalion were thinned by a storm of shell, rifle and machine-gun fire, a considerable number being killed on the parapet". Michael was another of the many men from the Memorial who were Killed in Action on the opening day of the Battle of Loos. Michael's wife asked for information on her missing husband in the 10th November edition of the Coatbridge Express (see Newspaper clipping). Michael was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. Michael originally enlisted on the 23/02/1897 in Coatbridge and was discharged on the 09/03/1897. He was Private Michael Torley (9734) of the 3rd Battalion Highland Light Infantry. Thanks to Tony McCann for some of the family information. Michael is also remembered on the St. Mary's Church Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for Michael's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clippings x 2, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his name on the Loos Memorial, his name on the Loos Memorial Panel List, his CWGC Grave Registration, the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge, Michael's Pension Records x 2 and his Attestation Papers x 3.