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Edward Douglas cap badgePrivate Edward Douglas

2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry
Service No: 8252

Edward Douglas grave

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Personal details

Family Information

Son of William Edward and Catherine Douglas. Husband of Maggie Douglas of Lamont House, Buchanan St, Coatbridge. Edward's Pension was awarded to his brother Mr J. Douglas of 49 Derwent Street, Workington, Cumberland.

Born / Resided

Workington, Cumberland / Lamont House, Buchanan St, Coatbridge.

Died

Killed in Action on the 02/10/1915 at Gun Trench, Hulloch Road during the Battle of Loos

Enlisted

Coatbridge 1914

Employed

Iron Worker in the Woodside Iron Works.

Age

48

Buried / Remembered

Loos Memorial (Panel 108 to 112), Pas de Calais, France.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

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. On either side of the cemetery is a wall 15 feet high, to which are fixed tablets on which are carved the names of those commemorated. At the back are four small circular courts, open to the sky, in which the lines of tablets are continued, and between these courts are three semicircular walls or apses, two of which carry tablets, while on the centre apse is erected the Cross of Sacrifice.

Additional Information

The Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 5th Brigade, 2nd Division. Edward arrived in France on the 26/05/1915 and was Killed in Action just over 4 months later during 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. From the 1st to the 3rd October 1915 : Close fighting is renewed in the Hohenzollern Redoubt, and all but Big Willie Trench is lost to the enemy. 12th (Eastern) Division relieves 1st and 2nd Guards Brigades in area of the Chalk Pit. They are put to work on completing preparations of new trenches, roads and positions in preparation for the assault. Heavy enemy shelling causes many casualties among the working parties. The Battalion spent the opening day at Givenchy. SEE PHOTOS x 10 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 1915. The War Diary for the day Edward fell states - "Brigade was ordered to take part of GUN TRENCH held by enemy. A preliminary bombardment was started at 4 pm and lasted until 8.30 pm when assault was timed to take place. The assault was undertaken by A and D companies. These companies got into the trench and stayed there for some considerable time in spite of a heavy counterattack by the enemy, but eventually were compelled to the 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. THE 2nd HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY 358, of which 8 Officers. They were part of the first wave of 5th Brigade near Givenchy. Edward was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. At 48 years old he is one of the oldest men to fall from the Memorial the oldest being Private William Ashwood aged 51. Edward is listed as 10TH BATTALION on the Memorial. He is also remembered in the St Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour and on the Workington Roll of Honour-Civic Memorial. There are no names on the Workington Memorial (see photos). See photos for Edward's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clipping, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Loos Memorial Panel List, his name on the Loos Memorial, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, Edward's Pension Records x 2 and the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge.

Photos
Edward Douglas Medal Index CardEdward Douglas newspaper clippingEdward Douglas newspaper clippingEdward Douglas newspaper clippingEdward Douglas remembered at homeEdward Douglas remembered at homeEdward Douglas remembered at homeEdward Douglas remembered at homeEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas additional photoEdward Douglas 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

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