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Welcome to the Ypres Salient
This site presents the story of the First World War in the West Flanders region. The various categories provide a wealth of information about a range of subjects.
The Roll of Honour category is where you will find the details of all the men from Falkirk District who are buried or commemorated in the Immortal Salient.
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Thomas Dunn
1st Battalion Scots Guards, 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Division. The Battalion was attached to the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards during the Battle of Nonne Bosschen (Nuns Copse) on 11 November 1914. On the 11 November 1914 the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards were in the line at Veldhoek and on this day the Germans launched a major attack on a 9 mile front with 12 Divisions with the aim of breaking the British line and taking Ypres.
Aug 252 min read
Robert Cousland
The 10th (Service) Battalion was formed at Hamilton in September 1914 as part of Kitchener’s Second New Army (K2) and joined the 15th (Scottish) Division. The Battalion landed at Boulogne-Sur-Mer as part of 46th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division on 10 July 1915. The Battalion participated in major battles at Loos were the Battalion was annihilated suffering 25 of the 27 officers as casualties, and 70% of 795 Other Ranks, Somme and at Arras in April 1917.
Aug 251 min read
James Sorley
Private James Sorley, Machine Gun Corps On the 3 April 1918 the 16th (Irish) Divisional Artillery and machine guns were left to cover the 14th (Light) Division when the 16th Division was relieved. During this time James was wounded and subsequently died of his wounds. He was buried in the cemetery associated with the Casualty Clearing Station located in the village of La Clytte.
Dec 12, 20231 min read
Robert Walter Shields
Son of John and Janet Baird, 112 Gairdoch Street, Carron Road, Bainsford, Falkirk. He was the half brother of Private James Baird 1st Battalion Royal Scots KIA 11.5.15 Robert was employed as an iron-dresser with the Grahamston Iron Works before joining the Territorial battalion.
Dec 7, 20231 min read
Alexander Rutherford
Private Alexander Rutherford, Royal Scots On the 24 February 1915, the battalion relieved the 2nd Battalion Cameron Highlanders in the line at St Eloi. This area was a mining hot spot with each side blowing mines and countermines. The front line ran through the houses of the village. By the end of 1915, 33 mines and 31 camouflets had been blown by both sides around The Mound, the high ground that stood to the north of the village, and was formed by the spoil from the old bric
Dec 4, 20232 min read
Matthew Russell
Gunner Matthew Russell, Royal Garrison Artillery The Heavy Batteries were employed behind the front line and their role was to destroy enemy artillery, supply routes, railways and stores and putting down fire on strong points. They were equipped with Howitzer guns firing large calibre 6, 8, or 9.2inch shells in a high trajectory. Some batteries were also equipped with huge 12 inch railway or road mounted howitzers. Casualties came from counter-battery fire, aircraft attack or
Dec 4, 20231 min read
John McLay
Private John McLay, Scots Guards. On the 19 October the battalion had lead the brigade forward in a reconnaissance in force starting from Zandvoorde. They advanced through the forward positions at Kruiseecke towards Gheluwe and had gone about a mile and a half when they were stopped by heavy German shelling coming from Wervicq. They were ordered to withdraw.
Nov 19, 20232 min read
James Horn
Private James Horn, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders The 19th Infantry Brigade was engaged in heavy fighting with advancing German troops around Le Maisnil which lay to the south of the Salient around Fromelles. During the fighting the Battalion had 5 Officers and 200 Other Ranks killed, wounded and missing. Roberts body was subsequently lost and he listed as one of the missing.
Nov 13, 20231 min read
Alexander Dick
Private Alexander Dick, Black Watch During the German Spring offensive of 1918, the 39th Division effectively ceased to exist owing to the heavy casualties incurred. On the 30 March the 4/5th Battalion numbered only one officer and 30 other ranks and the divisional strength was reduced to 700 men in all ranks. On 10 April the battalion was at Arques were a composite brigade was formed out of what remained of the battalions that remained of the 39th Division. Number 4 battali
Aug 13, 20232 min read
Thomas Campbell M.M.
Bombardier Thomas Campbell M.M. The War Diary records that the ‘A’ Battery, 28th Brigade, were covering the action of the 122 Infantry Brigade, 41st Division around Square Farm, east of Wieltje. He died of wounds sustained to the head and face at Mendinghem Casualty Clearing Station.
May 7, 20231 min read
John Brown
Private John Brown, Scots Guards On the 4 July, the Battalion had provided men for working parties at night in the Elverdinghe area from their camp in the woods at Coppernollehoek east of Proven. It was a four mile march each way. The working parties, involved burying cables and pushing trucks full of stores and ammunition along railway lines. It was dangerous work as the Germans were always shelling the rear areas and the roads at night.
Apr 29, 20232 min read
James Taylor
L/Cpl James Taylor, the Black Watch The Battalion was in the line in the Zillibeke sector when on the night of the 26 March the Germans attempted to raid the Black Watch line without success. James was one of the 20 Other Ranks who were wounded. He died of his wounds.
Apr 9, 20221 min read
David King Taylor
Private David King Taylor, Royal Scots The 15th (Scottish) Division was moved forward to support the attack on Frezenberg Ridge. The attack of the 16th (Irish) Division had stalled in front of the German strong points at Beck House and Borry Farm. On the 17 August 46th Brigade took over the whole of the right sector of V Corps front from the 16th (Irish) Division. This Brigade had occupied this ground a fortnight earlier and the situation had not changed from then to now.
Apr 9, 20222 min read
Andrew Stewart
Private Andrew Stewart, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders The 103rd Brigade were preparing for the continuation of the advance to victory in Flanders on 14 October. The 5 Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders were in support of the 5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers and the 8th Scottish Rifles, the two other Battalions in the Brigade. The plan was for the leading battalions to take the village of Gheluwe and for the 5 Argyll’s to pass through them and to consolidate their o
Apr 2, 20222 min read
Robert Rae
Private Robert Rae, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders The 19th Infantry Brigade was engaged in heavy fighting with advancing German troops around Le Maisnil which lay to the south of the Salient around Fromelles. During the fighting the Battalion had 5 Officers and 200 Other Ranks killed, wounded and missing. Roberts body was subsequently lost and he listed as one of the missing.
Apr 2, 20222 min read
James Muirhead
Private James Muirhead, Queens Own Cameron Highlanders, From the 17 to 19 July the Battalion was in the front line at Cambridge Road with the War Diary recording this time as simply ‘Trench Warfare’ and listing the daily casualties. This was not unusual with the British calculating that they would have 200 casualties per day from what was known as ‘trench wastage’ as a result of illness, wounds or killed by shell fire or by snipers.
Mar 30, 20221 min read
Frederick James Milne
L/Cpl Frederick James Milne, Gordon Highlanders The 10th Battalion Gordon Highlanders left Parkhouse Camp, Salisbury on 8 July 1915 and entrained for Folkestone were they embarked on the SS Victoria landing in France on 9 July at Boulogne The 10th battalion began their trench induction on 20 July 1915, attached to the 7th London Regiment. They joined the 15th (Scottish) Division on August 1, 1915. The 10th Gordons were part of 44th Infantry Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division,
Mar 30, 20222 min read
Alexander Miller
Private Alexander Miller, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) The Battalion was part of the Fifth Army attack on 31 July 1917, in what became known as the Battle of Passchendaele. The 13th Royal Scots, as part of 45 Infantry Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division, were involved in the assault on the German lines at Frezenberg Ridge. The task of 15th Division was to seize the ridge near Frezenberg and then to push on to a rise to the north east of Frezenberg known as Hill 35.
Mar 29, 20222 min read
Alexander Marshall
Sapper Alexander Marshall, Royal Engineers, Bainsford War Memorial The Division was in the line that ran through White Trench and Bear Trench. They had been involved in an attack on the German line on 27 August however, this was unsuccessful. Since then they had not conducted any further operations and the time in the line passed without incident except for the daily shelling. As Alexander died of wounds it can be assumed that he was a victim of this shelling.
Mar 28, 20222 min read
Thomas Henderson
L/Cpl Thomas Henderson, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Bainsford War Memorial, Falkirk
Mar 27, 20221 min read
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