James Coffield likeness

James Coffield cap badgePrivate James Coffield

8/10th (Service) Battalion Gordon Highlanders
Service No: S/9978

James Coffield grave

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Personal details

Family Information

Oldest son of James and Annie Shaw Coffield. Husband of Jane (Jeannie) Lindsay Coffield of 90c Buchanan St, Coatbridge. Father of 5 children. They were Helen Gilmore Coffield born 11/05/1908, Ann Shaw Coffield born 23/10/1909, James Coffield born 20/03/1911, Jeanie Campbell Lindsay Coffield born 10/06/1913 and Elizabeth Shanks Coffield born 09/04/1915. From the 1901 Census - Address - 31 Russell Colt St, Coatbridge - James Coffield aged 52, Annie Shaw Coffield aged 45, Elizzie Coffield aged 12, James Coffield aged 17, Marion Coffield aged 10, Annie Coffield aged 8, Robina Coffield aged 7. James' Pension was awarded to his wife Jeannie on the 08/01/1917. Their 5 children are also listed.

Born / Resided

Coatbridge / 90c Buchanan St, Coatbridge.

Died

Died of Wounds on the 08/07/1916 received at Hohenzollern sector, Vermelles

Enlisted

Aberdeen 08/05/1915

Employed

Tube Worker in the British Tube Works.

Age

33

Buried / Remembered

Vermelles British Cemetery (IV. F. 40), Pas de Calais, France.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

Vermelles was in German hands from the middle of October 1914 to the beginning of December 1914, when it was recaptured by the French. The cemetery was begun in August 1915 (though a few graves are slightly earlier), and during the Battle of Loos, when the Chateau was used as a dressing station, Plot I was completed. It was laid out and fenced by the Pioneers of the 1st Gloucesters, and known for a long time as "Gloucester Graveyard". The remaining Plots were made by the Divisions (from the Dismounted Cavalry Division onwards) holding the line 1.6 kilometres East of the cemetery until April 1917, and they incorporated a few isolated French graves of October 1914. From April 1917, to the Armistice, the cemetery was closed; but after the Armistice some graves were re-grouped and others were brought in (to Plots II, IV and VI) from the battlefields to the East. There are now over 2134 First World War casualties commemorated in this cemetery. Of these, 198 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to six soldiers from the United Kingdom, known to be buried among them. This cemetery also contains the graves of 11 casualties of other nationalities.

Additional Information

James arrived in France on the 20/07/1915 and joined the 8th (Service) Battalion in the field on the 29/09/1915. The 8th and 10th (Service) Battalions amalgamated on the 11/05/1916 and were part of the 44th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. From the Battalion War Diary - "On the 06/07/1916 the Battalion relieved the 11th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 45th Brigade in the centre sub section of the HOHENZOLLERN sector. The Battalion had held these trenches on a previous occasion vis from May 19th - 31st. We now found their trenches in a dilapidated state and far worse in every respect than they were when we last handed them over. It was obvious that now real work had been put into them at all". SEE PHOTOS x 7 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY EARLY JULY 1916. James' main Grave photo was sent to me by his Granddaughter Betty. The Poppy Cross was left on her behalf by her friend Robin Shields. See photos for another one of James' grave. James is also remembered in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) and Stewarts and Lloyds Rolls of Honour (see photos). See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, Vermelles British Cemetery, the Gordon Highlanders Cap Badge, James' Pension Records x 2 and his Service Record x 10. James' grave inscription reads "MOURNED BY HIS LOVING WIFE AND FIVE CHILDREN". Finally. see photos for Stewarts and Lloyds Roll of Honour plaque, James listed on the British Tube Works panel of the Stewarts and Lloyds Roll of Honour plaque x 2, another photo of James' grave, Newspaper clippings x 4 (Coatbridge Express x 1, Coatbridge Leader x 2 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1), Vermelles British Cemetery taken by myself in July 2023, Poppy Cross placed by myself at James' grave July 2023 x 2, Poppy Crosses x 9 placed by myself at Vermelles British Cemetery before I left for France in July 2023 (James' Cross in the centre), PHOTOS x 9 FOR THE 15th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK JULY 1916 and the 15th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 13 (the Division who he was with when he died).

Photos
James Coffield Medal Index CardJames Coffield remembered at homeJames Coffield remembered at homeJames Coffield remembered at homeJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photoJames Coffield additional photo

War Diaries

The battalion War Diary is available on the National Archives website.

Creative Commons License

We have made this information and the images available under a Creative Commons BY-NC license. This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement: © coatbridgeandthegreatwar.com

Comments
James Coffield was my great grandfather my gran was his daughter Helen. Lest We Forget
Robert McRobbie , Coatbridge , 23/01/2020 5:00AM
James coffield was my grandfather my mother was his daughter
Elizabeth Docherty , Glasgow , 27/03/2019 12:52PM

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