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We provide detailed records, personal biographies, and cemetery information for soldiers from Falkirk District who served in the Ypres Salient during WWI. Explore our Roll of Honour and other dedicated sections for comprehensive insights.
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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Samuel Pollock
Tyne Cot Memorial, CWGC, Private Samuel Pollock, 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, Falkirk War Memorial. Prior to enlisting Samuel was employed as miner. He enlisted on 9 December 1915 and went to France on 14 April 1917. He was wounded in action on 31 July 1917, a shoulder wound and was admitted to 46 Casualty Clearing Station at Lijssenthoek. He then rejoined his Battalion on 15 September 1917. He went home on leave 16 February 1918 returning to his Battalion on 1 March
Dec 3, 20231 min read
James Peters
Tyne Cot Memorial, CWGC, L/Cpl James Peters, 2nd Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Falkirk War Memorial. On the 16 April the Battalion was in reserve billets at St Jan Capelle. It was reported that the Germans had captured Meteren and were advancing northwards. ‘A’ Company was sent up to occupy a line east-west on the German line of advance and at 1pm the remainder of the Battalion was ordered to advance to the area around Fontaine Houck and to dig in.
Dec 3, 20232 min read
Charles Patrick
Tyne Cot Memorial, CWGC, Private Charles Patrick, 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, Falkirk War Memorial. The Division arrived in Flanders, following their involvement in opposing the German ‘Operation Michael’ offensive further south on the Somme, in early April and took over the front line south east of Ypres, straddling the Comines Canal. Here, south of the canal, they also faced the next phase in the German spring offensive named ‘Operation Georgette’
Dec 3, 20234 min read
William Paterson
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, CWGC, Private William Paterson, Driver attached 39th Division, Ammunition Sub Park, Army Service Corps, Falkirk War Memorial. Prior to enlisting in the Army Service Corps on 10 September 1915, he was employed as chauffer to the owner of the Mathieson Bakery a prominent business in Falkirk. An Ammunition Sub Park was in effect a fleet of lorries and a workshop that maintained vehicles of a transport company.
Dec 2, 20231 min read
Kenneth James Niven
Tyne Cot Memorial, CWGC, Second Lieutenant Kenneth James Niven, 11th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Falkirk War Memorial. His father was Chief Engineer with the Carron Line. Prior to enlisting Kenneth was employed in the drawing office of the Falkirk Iron Company. He enlisted in January 1915 and was gazetted in April 1917. His brother John was a 2nd Lieutenant serving with the Royal Field Artillery and was killed in action in May 1917 and is buried in Anzin-St-Aub
Dec 2, 20232 min read
Peter Nimmo
Prowse Point Military Cemetery, CWGC, Ploegsteert, Private Peter Nimmo, ‘A’ Company, 7th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Falkirk War Memorial. The 7th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders joined the 10th Brigade, 4th Division, on 6 January 1915 and immediately began trench instruction and training in the Ploegsteert sector. This instruction was from the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders a regular army battalion and they were in ‘training’ until the end of Jan
Dec 2, 20232 min read
Andrew Nicol
London Rifle Brigade Cemetery, CWGC, Lieutenant Andrew Nicol, 6th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers, Falkirk War Memorial. Andrew graduated from the University of Edinburgh and was studying for the Indian Civil Service when he enlisted in the Royal Scots on the outbreak of the war. He was gazetted as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1915 and joined the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. He was a keen sportsman being a member of the Falkirk High School team that won the Scottish Schools
Dec 1, 20232 min read
William Neilson
Menin Gate Memorial, CWGC, Regimental Sergeant Major William Neilson, 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, On February 14 1916 the Germans carried out a local action on the north bank of Ypres - Comines Canal at The Bluff. The Bluff was a tiny artificial hill topping the terraced spoil bank, but it gave a good observation of the area. The Germans drove troops of the 17th Division off the Bluff with heavy loss and captured the British front line for 500 yards.
Dec 1, 20232 min read
Robert Ferguson Morton
Tyne Cot Memorial, CWGC, Private Robert Ferguson Morton, 1/5th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Falkirk War Memorial. 34th Division was part of the allied offensive, launched on 28 September 1918. The advance began at 5.30am on the 28th September, by strong patrols under cover of a smoke barrage. The 5th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders took Red Chateau at 6.30am and by 10am its line ran north and south through Grand Bois to Northern Brickstacks with Battalion
Dec 1, 20231 min read
John Rennie Moodie
Menin Gate Memorial, CWGC, Private John Rennie Moodie, 5th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, Falkirk War Memorial. At 3.50am on 31 July 1917, the Third Battle of Ypres opened. The 51st (Highland) Division attack was opened with a barrage of 206 drums of burning oil projected from mortars on the German support and reserve lines, like something from medieval siege warfare. A further 150 shells filled with thermite were fired at the strong point known as Fort Caledonia in the Germ
Nov 30, 20232 min read
Alexander Monfries
Tyne Cot Memorial, CWGC, L/Cpl Alexander Monfries, 15th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, Falkirk War Memorial. At the time of his death his mother (recipient of a pension gratuity) was living at 5 Brunswick Road, Edinburgh. His father had been a potato merchant and they were living in Falkirk, the household employed a maid. He had two sisters Jane and Marion and two brothers James and Hector. Interestingly, the Register of Soldiers Effects lists him as assumed to have died in
Nov 30, 20231 min read
Charles Mason
Menin Gate Memorial, CWGC, Private Charles Mason, 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, Before the attack on Verdun the Germans initiated a series of diversionary attacks along the allied line. One of these attacks was against the British line at The Bluff in the Ypres Salient. They exploded a mine in front of The Bluff on 22 January and shelling half a mile of front line trenches, including The Bluff itself, on the 14th February. The front line was defended by the 17th Division’
Nov 25, 20233 min read
Alexander Mason
Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Private Alexander Mason, 144th Company, Labour Corps. Falkirk War Memorial. Prior to enlisting he was employed as a coal miner with the Callendar Coal Company. He enlisted in the Royal Scots Fusiliers with the number 13794 and was later transferred to the Labour Corps. Prior to enlisting he was employed as a coal miner with the Callendar Coal Company. He enlisted in the Royal Scots Fusiliers with the number 13794 and was later transferred t
Nov 25, 20232 min read
John Markie
Tancrez Farm Cemetery, Sergeant John Markie, 6th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers, Falkirk War Memorial. Prior to enlisting as a regular he was employed as a moulder. He went to France on 15 August 1914 as a Private and was later promoted to Sergeant. The Battalion was in the line at Le Bizet located to the south of Ploegsteert. The War Diary reports that it was fairly quiet on their front but that the Germans spent the morning firing 200 rounds of 4.2 inch shells to k
Nov 24, 20231 min read
William Main
Menin Gate Memorial, Private William Main, 1st Battalion Royal Scots, Falkirk War Memorial. Prior to enlisting he was employed as a moulder with the Callendar Iron Works. He went to France on 19 December 1914. The Battalion were 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.
Nov 23, 20232 min read
John McVitty
Tyne Cot Cemetery & Memorial, Private John McVitty, 7/8th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers, Falkirk War Memorial. On the night of the 30/31 July 1917 the Battalion had taken up position for the attack on the opening day of the Battle of Third Ypres. At 3.50am, zero hour, the Battalion moved forward in four waves with a Company of Scottish Rifles between the first and second waves as moppers up. The Battalion was subjected to enemy shelling and opposition encountered up
Nov 23, 20232 min read
Robert McPherson
Mendinghem British Cemetery, Private Robert McPherson, 1st Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifle), Falkirk War Memorial. On the 17 April 1918 the Battalion was billeted in farms and cottages in the area around Meteren. They were subjected to German artillery fire with the War Diary reporting ‘1 killed and 6 wounded.’ Robert died of his wounds at 64 Casualty Clearing Station known as Mendinghem on 18 April.
Nov 23, 20231 min read
John McPartlane
Brandhoek New Military Cemetery, Private John McPartlane, 8th Battalion Suffolk Regiment, Falkirk War Memorial. John was living with his aunt Mrs Mary Welsh, 4c Garrison Place, Falkirk. Prior to enlisting in the Army Service Corps in November 1914, he was employed as a miner with Callendar Coal Company. He later transferred to the Suffolk Regiment going with a draft to France in May 1917. John was wounded in the head and body and died of his wounds at the CCS at Brandhoek.
Nov 20, 20231 min read
Allan McMillan
Menin Gate Memorial, Private Allan McMillan, 1st Battalion Royal Scots, Falkirk War Memorial. Allan was a regular soldier. He enlisted on 3 February 1908, joining the Royal Scots, when employed as a moulder and also serving in the Militia Battalion 3rd Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. The Battalion took over the front line trenches in front of Vierstraat on 6 February and were in this position until 8 February when they were relieved. They had three Company’s in the firing li
Nov 20, 20231 min read
James McMahon
London Rifle Brigade Cemetery, Private James McMahon, 7th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Falkirk War Memorial. He joined the Territorials when employed as a pithead labourer at Meadowbank Colliery, Polmont. His brother Robert was also serving with the 7th Argyll’s, and at the time of James’s death he was in Bedford, and was to be killed in action on 22 April 1917. From the 1st February the Battalion was given a length of line to defend, with Battalion HQ located
Nov 20, 20231 min read
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