Thomas Neilson likeness

Thomas Neilson cap badge2nd Lieutenant Thomas Neilson

17th (Service) Battalion (3rd Glasgow) Highland Light Infantry
Service No: 15046 as a Private

Thomas Neilson grave

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Personal details

Family Information

Son of James and Jane Neilson of 99 Dunbeth Rd, Coatbridge. Husband of Mary Dunn Neilson of 5 Finlaystone St, Coatbridge then of the United Fruit Company, Central Preston, Cuba. Thomas was married in his uniform exactly 4 months before he fell. From the 1891 Census - Address - 91 Sunnyside Rd, Coatbridge - James Neilson aged 40, Jane Neilson aged 36, Agnes Neilson aged 15, Janet Neilson aged 14, William Neilson aged 12, Alexander Neilson aged 7, James Neilson aged 5, Thomas Neilson aged 2, John Neilson aged 11 months. From the 1901 Census - Address - Inveresk Place Ardgowan, Coatbridge - James Neilson aged 50. Jane Neilson aged 46, Agnes Neilson aged 25, William Neilson aged 22, Alexander Neilson aged 17, James Neilson aged 15, Thomas Neilson aged 12, John Neilson aged 10, Maggie Neilson aged 9, Jane Neilson aged 6. Thomas' Pension was awarded to his wife.

Born / Resided

Coatbridge / 5 Finlaystone St, Coatbridge

Died

Killed in Action on the 18/11/1916 at Beaumont Hamel during the Battle of the Ancre (the last part of the Battles of the Somme 1916)

Enlisted

Coatbridge /10/1914

Employed

Teacher in Blairhill School

Age

29

Buried / Remembered

New Munich Trench British Cemetery (A. 15), Beaumont Hamel, Somme, France

Cemetery / Memorial Information

Beaumont-Hamel was attacked again and taken on the 13th November 1916, by the 51st (Highland) and 63rd (Royal Naval) Divisions. Munich Trench was occupied by the 51st (Highland) Division on the 15th November 1916; New Munich Trench was dug on the previous night by the 2/2nd Highland Field Company and a company of the 8th Royal Scots, and lengthened by the 8th Devons in December. The cemetery was made by the V Corps in the spring of 1917, when their units cleared the battlefield, and it was known also as V Corps Cemetery No.25. There are now nearly 150, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, almost 20 are unidentified. All fell in the period November 1916, or January 1917, and the majority belonged to the 10/11th, 16th or 17th Highland Light Infantry.

Additional Information

The Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 23/11/1915 and were part of the 97th Brigade, 32nd Division. The Battalion at Beaumont Hamel : The attack which commenced at 6.10 on the morning of November 18th - a day of ice-covered slushiness - was held up owing to the insufficiency of the artillery barrage and the heavy enemy machine gun fire. At 7.42 a.m. the message came into the Battalion from the right-hand Company that the Company Commander was wounded and that a Sergeant and about ten men were holding the right flank. The jumping off trench known as New Munich Trench, was manned by the Battalion machine gunners with a view to concentrating some of the Companies in it back across "No Man's Land" to form a rallying point. At 8.30 a.m. the following message was received from 2nd Lieutenant Macbeth of the right Company, "Am holding old front line with remainder of Battalion, and have established a bombing post on the right. There are only Lieutenant Martin and myself in the trench." The left Company was also being hard pressed. It was reported by one of the Battalion Officers that when the barrage opened a great number of shells fell just in front of New Munich Trench where the attacking companies were lying out, killing and wounding a large number of the Battalion. When the barrage lifted on to Munich Trench for the last four minutes, it was still short, and when the leading waves came up to about 50 or 60 yards from Munich Trench followed by the barrage, the Germans could be seen lying in the trench in force. When the barrage was on the Munich Trench, the enemy machine guns played on the attackers from both flanks all the time. The failure of the attack was due to the inefficiency of the British supporting barrage, together with the condition of the ground-thaw having set in and rain falling on the snow, making it exceedingly slippery-the targets the men formed against the snowy background, and the intense cold. Describing the attack one of the members of the Battalion writes: -"The preliminary bombardment opened with its awful messages of destruction, and the rapid reply of the enemy's artillery indicated ominously that our intentions were not unknown to him. When our barrage lifted, and the first wave of our men attempted to go forward, their dark forms showed up against the snow. They were met by machine gun fire, by rapid fire from the enemy trenches, and by snipers in skilfully chosen holes. Our bombardment had failed. It was impossible to get to close quarters with the enemy-hopeless to advance-dangerous to retire. Many of our men were killed in the attack, others in the attempt to carry in the wounded. Many remained all day in exposed positions, beside their wounded comrades, in hope of rescuing them when darkness fell. Beaumont Hamel will not be remembered by us as bearing any resemblance to the official description. We look back upon it now, from the personal point of view, as a touchstone of the individual soul, as a prominent landmark in the vast monotony of death and horror-a chapter of inspiring deeds. It represents to us the heroism of a forlorn hope, the glory of unselfish sacrifice, the success of failure. Tis too easy to despond, while the tired waves visibly gain no painful inch, hard to believe that far back through creeks and inlets making, comes silent, flooding in, the main." This was part of the Battle of the Ancre, 13th - 18th November 1916 : The Battle was now extended northwards across to the far side of the River Ancre. The British force attacked in fog and snow on the 13th November from the very same front lines from which the attack had failed so badly on the 1st July. Beaumont-Hamel was finally captured but Serre once again proved an objective too far. Considerable casualties were sustained before the Battle was called off. This was the end of the Battles of the Somme 1916. SEE PHOTOS x 10 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY FOR NOVEMBER 1916 (Thomas is listed as 'unaccounted for' in War Diary 6 and 8). The 17th Battalion were the "Glasgow Commercials" or the "Featherbeds", a nickname acquired after a storm destroyed their tents at their training camp at Gailes in Ayrshire and they were moved to comfortable billets in Troon. Their original name was the "Glasgow Chamber of Commerce Battalion". Thomas enlisted as a Private in the Highland Light Infantry (15046) in October 1914. Thomas was a teacher at the Coats Parish Church Sunday School and was a popular member of the Whifflet Tennis Club. See Newspaper clippings for a tribute to Thomas from the Reverend George Mackenzie of Coats Parish Church. Thomas is also remembered on the Coatbridge Technical College Roll of Honour and the Coats Parish Church Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for Thomas' Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clippings x 3, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his Scotland National Probate Index, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, Thomas' Pension Record, New Munich Trench British Cemetery, another photo of Thomas' grave and the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge. Finally, this book is the Record of War Service 1914-1918 of the 17th (Service) Battalion - https://ia800306.us.archive.org/29/items/17thHLI00glasuoft/17thHLI00glasuoft.pdf

Photos
Thomas Neilson Medal Index CardThomas Neilson newspaper clippingThomas Neilson newspaper clippingThomas Neilson newspaper clippingThomas Neilson remembered at homeThomas Neilson remembered at homeThomas Neilson remembered at homeThomas Neilson remembered at homeThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photoThomas Neilson additional photo

War Diaries

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

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