George Paterson likeness

George Paterson cap badgePrivate George Paterson

1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry
Service No: 6998

George Paterson grave

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Click here for a frameable A4 print
Personal details

Family Information

Son of George and Sarah Paterson of 181 Bank St, Coatbridge. From the 1891 Census - Address - 245 Herriots Row, Coatbridge - George Paterson aged 33, Sarah Paterson aged 36, David Paterson aged 16, Sarah Paterson aged 12, Jane Paterson aged 10, Elizabeth Paterson aged 4, George Paterson aged 2. From the 1901 Census - Address - 44 Quarry Row, Coatbridge - George Paterson aged 43, Sarah Paterson aged 45, Jane Paterson aged 19, Elizabeth Paterson aged 14, George Paterson aged 11. George's Pension was originally awarded to his mother Sarah on the 16/05/1916. When she died it was passed on to George's father George.

Born / Resided

Coatbridge / 181 Bank St, Coatbridge

Died

Killed in Action on the 11/03/1915 at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle

Enlisted

Glasgow 1914

Employed

Clerk with the Coatbridge Corporation

Age

24

Buried / Remembered

Le Touret Memorial (Panel 37 and 38), Pas de Calais, France

Cemetery / Memorial Information

The Le Touret Memorial commemorates over 13,400 British soldiers who were killed in this sector of the Western Front from the beginning of October 1914 to the eve of the Battle of Loos in late September 1915 and who have no known grave. Almost all of the men commemorated on the Memorial served with regular or territorial regiments from across the United Kingdom and were killed in actions that took place along a section of the front line that stretched from Estaires in the north to Grenay in the south. This part of the Western Front was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting of the first year of the war, including the battles of La Bassée (10 October - 2 November 1914), Neuve Chapelle (10 - 12 March 1915), Aubers Ridge (9 - 10 May 1915), and Festubert (15 - 25 May 1915). Soldiers serving with Indian and Canadian units who were killed in this sector in 1914 and 1915 whose remains were never identified are commemorated on the Neuve Chapelle and Vimy memorials, while those who fell during the northern pincer attack at the Battle of Aubers Ridge are commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial.

Additional Information

The Battalion were in Ambala, India in August 1914 and were part of the Sirhind Brigade in the 3rd (Lahore) Division. They moved to France via Egypt, landing at Marseilles on the 01/12/1914 (some weeks after the other Brigades of the Division). George arrived in France on the 05/01/1915. George was Killed in Action at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, 10th - 13th March 1915 : British First Army mounts first offensive on large scale: costly in terms of casualties but results in capture of Neuve Chapelle. Localised operations continue afterwards. Neuve Chapelle was the first large scale organised attack undertaken by the British Army during the war. It followed the miserable winter operations of 1914-15. More Divisions had now arrived in France and the British Expeditionary Force was now split into two Armies. Neuve Chapelle was undertaken by Sir Douglas Haig's First Army, while subsequent actions were fought by Sir Herbert Smith-Dorrien's Second Army. The attack at Neuve Chapelle was an entirely British affair, the French saying that until extra British divisions could relieve them at Ypres, they had insufficient troops in the area to either extend of support the action. Neuve Chapelle was the first planned British offensive of the war. It demonstrated that it was quite possible to break into the enemy positions ' but also showed that this kind of success was not easily turned into breaking through them. The main lessons of Neuve Chapelle were that the artillery bombardment was too light to suppress the enemy defences; there were too few good artillery observation points; the reserves were too few to follow up success quickly; command communications took too long and the means of communicating were too vulnerable. One important lesson was perhaps not fully understood: the sheer weight of bombardment was a telling factor. Similar efforts in 1915 and 1916 would fall far short of its destructive power. George is listed as 1st BATTALION CONNAUGHT RANGERS on the Coatbridge Memorial. He is also remembered in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for George's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Le Touret Memorial Panel List, George's Pension Records x 3, his name on the Le Touret Memorial and the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge.

Photos
George Paterson Medal Index CardGeorge Paterson newspaper clippingGeorge Paterson newspaper clippingGeorge Paterson newspaper clippingGeorge Paterson remembered at homeGeorge Paterson remembered at homeGeorge Paterson remembered at homeGeorge Paterson remembered at homeGeorge Paterson additional photoGeorge Paterson additional photoGeorge Paterson additional photo

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