John Wallace likeness

John Wallace cap badgePrivate John Wallace

2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry
Service No: 8119

John Wallace grave

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Click here for a frameable A4 print
Personal details

Family Information

Son of Robert Wallace and Jessie Wallace of 1c Barrowfield St, Coatbridge. Husband of Margaret Wallace (31/01/1886- ) of Dalmarnock, Glasgow who received the news of John's death. Father of 1 child, Robert born on the 11/09/1907. John's brother Private William Wallace (S/7485) of the 9th (Service) Battalion Black Watch Died of Wounds 17 days before his brother on the 16/09/1915. From the 1891 Census - Address - 68 Whifflet St Com Close, Coatbridge - Robert Wallace aged 28, Jessie Wallace aged 25, John Wallace aged 5, Robert Wallace aged 3, William Wallace aged 10 months. From the 1901 Census - Address - 36e Whifflet St, Coatbridge - Robert Wallace aged 38, John Wallace aged 14, Robert Wallace aged 12, William Wallace aged 11, Maggie Wallace aged 8, Rachel Wallace aged 5. John's Pension was refused to his wife on the 27/04/1916 with the reason being "separated and unworthy wife". She had remarried and became Mrs Margaret Aitken of 291 Swanston St, Bridgeton, Glasgow. John and his brother William's Pensions were awarded to their father Robert and their stepmother Catherine of 1c Barrowfield St, Coatbridge.

Born / Resided

Govan, Glasgow / Dalmarnock, Glasgow

Died

Killed in Action on the 03/10/1915 near Hulloch Road at the Battle of Loos

Enlisted

Coatbridge 1914

Employed

Previously a Painter with Mr William Gibson, Coatbridge / Reservist

Age

29

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

John and the Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 5th Brigade, 2nd Division. John was Killed in Action on the 2nd week of the Battle of Loos : Battalion War Diary 03/10/1915 - "The line was heavily shelled from 4pm to 5pm. Very little damage was done however. After dark we were relieved by the Scots Guards of 3rd Guards Brigade and we marched back to billets in BEUVRY which was reached at 6am". The Battle from the 25th September until the 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. The 2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry had 358 casualties, 8 Officers. On the opening day of the Battle the Battalion attacked the enemy lines at Givenchy. SEE PHOTOS x 8 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY FROM THE 20/09/1915 - 05/10/1915. One of the first British formations to move to France, the 2nd Division remained on the Western Front throughout the war. It took part in the following battles and engagements up until John's death - 1914 : The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, including the Affair of Landrecies, the Rearguard affair of Le Grand Fayt and the Rearguard Actions of Villers-Cotterets (August), The Battle of the Marne (September), The Battle of the Aisne including participation in the Actions on the Aisne heights (September), First Battle of Ypres (October-November). 1915 : Winter Operations 1914-15, The Battle of Festubert (May), The Battle of Loos (September-October). 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. John was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. See Directory for John's brother William's page. See photos for John's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clippings x 2, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Loos Memorial Panel List, his name on the Loos Memorial, John's Pension Records x 7 (brother William on 4 of them), the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge and John with his comrades (kindly donated by Peter Deigan). Finally, I have the 2nd Battalion War Diary from August 1914 - March 1919. If further information is required regarding John please contact me.

Photos
John Wallace Medal Index CardJohn Wallace newspaper clippingJohn Wallace newspaper clippingJohn Wallace newspaper clippingJohn Wallace remembered at homeJohn Wallace remembered at homeJohn Wallace remembered at homeJohn Wallace remembered at homeJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photoJohn Wallace additional photo

War Diaries

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

Creative Commons License

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