James A Gray likeness

James A Gray cap badgePrivate James A Gray

8th (Service) Battalion Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Service No: S/6308

James A Gray grave

162

0

4

0

73
Click here for a frameable A4 print
Personal details

Family Information

Only son of James Hutton and Sarah Gray of 15h Douglas St, Coatbridge. Only match on the 1901 Census ? - Address - 4 Clydeside Terrace, Old Monkland West District - James A Gray aged 43, Sarah E Gray aged 35, Eunice Gray aged 7, James A Gray aged 6, Jeanie Gray aged 1 and visitor William Hackney aged 37. James' Pension was awarded to his father James on the 27/04/1918 then his stepmother Christina on the 18/04/1927.

Born / Resided

Coatbridge / 15h Douglas St, Coatbridge.

Died

Died on the 07/10/1915 after a leg amputation at No.5 General Hospital Rouen, France. Wound received on the opening day of the Battle of Loos 25/09/1915

Enlisted

Coatbridge /09/1914

Employed

Puddler in the Waverley Iron Works.

Age

20

Buried / Remembered

St. Sever Cemetery (A. 12. 11), Rouen, France.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

During the First World War, Commonwealth camps and hospitals were stationed on the southern outskirts of Rouen. A base supply depot and the 3rd Echelon of General Headquarters were also established in the city. Almost all of the hospitals at Rouen remained there for practically the whole of the war. They included eight general, five stationary, one British Red Cross, one labour hospital, and No. 2 Convalescent Depot. A number of the dead from these hospitals were buried in other cemeteries, but the great majority were taken to the city cemetery of St. Sever. In September 1916, it was found necessary to begin an extension. St. Sever Cemetery contains 3,082 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There is also 1 French burial and 1 non war service burial here.

Additional Information

James and the Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 10/05/1915 and were part of the 26th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. The opening day of The Battle of Loos : 07.05 - noon : The 9th (Scottish) Division had to attack the formidable obstacle of the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, the high location of the main enemy observation posts looking across the whole battlefield. Preparations had included Russian saps to close the distance to be covered, and effective observed heavy shelling. The lead units of 26th Brigade suffered casualties as they cleared the gas and smoke, but advanced through well-cut wire to quickly take the front face of the Redoubt. The 8th Black Watch came up from reserve to reinforce, but suffered grievous casualties from fire from Mad Point. By now it had become clear that failure on their left meant that the Brigade could not continue, and instead it had to prepare against counterattack, while under continuous enemy shellfire. Auchy area : The attack of 9th (Scottish) Division had by mid-morning succeeded in reaching and occupying the enemy trench network around the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, and also Pekin Trench. James was wounded on the opening day of the Battle of Loos on the 25/09/1915 and died after having his leg amputated on the 07/10/1915 in No. 5 General Hospital, Rouen, France. SEE PHOTOS x 6 FOR THE 8th (SERVICE) BATTALION WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER 1915. James was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. 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. James is also remembered on the East United Free Church and Maxwell Parish Churches Rolls of Honour and in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for James' Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Headstone Report x 2, his Memorial Plaque (Dead Mans Penny), his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, St Sever Cemetery, the Black Watch Cap Badge and James' Pension Records x 4. James' grave inscription reads "AN AFFECTIONATE SON AND BRAVE SOLDIER". Finally, SEE PHOTOS x 21 FROM THE 9th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK SEPTEMBER 1915, PHOTOS FOR 20 PAGES FROM THE MOST UNFAVOURABLE GROUND BOOK REGARDING THE BATTALION and DIVISION 25/09/1915 (fantastic book on the Battle of Loos kindly signed by the author Niall Cherry), the 9th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was with when he died) and Newspaper clippings x 3 (Coatbridge Express x 2 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1).

Photos
James A Gray Medal Index CardJames A Gray remembered at homeJames A Gray remembered at homeJames A Gray remembered at homeJames A Gray remembered at homeJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray additional photoJames A Gray 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

There are no comments yet for Private James A Gray. Be the first to leave one.

Do you have any information about or memories of Private James A Gray that you would like to share?

Or even if you would just like to leave a message to say you've been here, please leave a comment below.

*Please note that all comments are verified by a moderator before appearing on the site. All fields are required except links to photos.