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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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William Faichnie
Private William Faichnie, 2nd/2nd Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), Mendinghem British Cemetery, Falkirk War Memorial. Husband of Janet and they lived at 368 Thornhill Road, Falkirk with their five children Joan, Margaret, George, William, and James. Before he enlisted he was employed by the Falkirk Iron Company. He enlisted in the Army Service Corps before being transferred to the London Regiment.
Nov 9, 20231 min read
Henry Durie
Private Henry Durie, 8th Battalion Black Watch, Dozinghem Military Cemetery, CWGC, Falkirk War Memorial. The Battalion was part of an assault by the 9th (Scottish) Division on 12 October against the German lines on the northern edge of the Passchendaele Ridge. The leading battalions were the 8th Black Watch, and the 10th Argyll’s each on a two company front. ’C’ and ’D’ Companies were to lead the attack on the Black Watch front supported by ’A’ and ’B’ Companies.
Nov 9, 20232 min read
James Duchart
Private James Duchart, 7th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Menin Gate Memorial, CWGC, Falkirk War Memorial. James lied about his age when he enlisted, not unusual, on 16 March 1914. In his Attestation form is stated his age as ‘17 years, 8 months’ when in fact he was 15 years of age. At the time he enlisted in the 7th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, the local Territorial Battalion, James was employed as a moulder at Gowanbank Iron Foundry, Grahamston.
Nov 9, 20231 min read
John Dow
Private John Dow, 10th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Menin Gate Memorial, CWGC, Falkirk War Memorial. John enlisted in Stenhousemuir on 26 August 1914 joining the 10th Battalion Argyll’s, he lied about his age, not an uncommon practice. The 1911 Census shows that he was age 14 and employed as an apprentice wood machine man. On his Attestation form he claimed to be ‘19 years, 10 months’ and that he was employed as a miner. He went to France on 11 May 1915.
Nov 9, 20232 min read
John Henry Doughty
Private John Henry Doughty, 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Menin Gate Memorial, CWGC, Falkirk War Memorial. He was born in Birmingham and was living as a ‘Boarder’ with the Price family at 22 Victoria Place, Falkirk. Frank Price was an iron moulder and John, a workmate, was also employed as an iron moulder. He enlisted in Warwick at the outbreak of the war. The Battalion was part of the catastrophic attack by 10th Brigade, 4th Division on 25 April 1915 at St Juli
Nov 6, 20231 min read
George Dickson
Private George Dickson, 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots, Menin Gate Memorial, CWGC, Falkirk War Memorial. Before he enlisted on 23 September 1911 he was employed as a moulder. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 22 June 1913 however, at a Field General Courts Martial on 11 September 1914, he was tried for drunkenness on active service and sentenced to 2 months field punishment No.1 and reduced to the rank of Private. His brother William, serving with the Highland Light Infantry,
Aug 14, 20231 min read
James Dawson
Private James Dawson, 6/7th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, Potijze Chateau Grounds Cemetery, CWGC, Falkirk War Memorial. The 15th (Scottish) Division was preparing for the attack on the Frezenberg Ridge as part of Third Battle of Ypres. Attempts had already been made to take the ground on 31 July with minor gains. At 9.30pm on the 21 August the 6/7th Royal Scots Fusiliers took up their positions allotted to them at Bill Cottage, some 150 yards behind Frezenberg Ridge, and d
Aug 13, 20232 min read
Patrick Brennan alias John Davidson
Ploegsteert Memorial, CWGC, Private Patrick Brennan alias John Davidson, Falkirk War Memorial. 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. Patrick's body was subsequently lost and he is listed as one of the missing on the Ploegsteert Memorial.
Aug 12, 20232 min read
David Craig
Menin Gate Memorial, CWGC, Private David Craig, 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots, Falkirk War Memorial. The Battalion was to become involved in one of the last actions of the year of any importance on the northern front. It was to be a mainly French operation with the British 3rd Division and its 8th Brigade on the French right taking part. The plan was for the attack to spread south with the ultimate aim of capturing Messines Ridge. The 8th Brigade, with 9th Brigade in support and
Aug 9, 20232 min read
Alexander Christie
Prowse Point Military Cemetery, CWGC, Private Alexander Christie, 2nd Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, Falkirk War Memorial. He had two brothers James and David and a sister Jessie. Before he enlisted on the outbreak of the war, he was employed as a painter and paper hanger by David McGilchrist of Graham’s Road, Falkirk. He landed in France on 3 January 1915. The Battalion was in the line at St Yves at Ploegsteert. The War Diary records that there was ‘heavier sniping than
Aug 8, 20231 min read
Charles Ronald Campbell
Private Charles Ronald Campbell, Black Watch 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 German reserve lines. One squadron of the 1st King Edward’s Horse and ei
May 7, 20232 min read
John Buchanan
Tyne Cot Memorial, CWGC, Private John Buchanan, 10th Battalion Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), Falkirk War Memorial. The 41st Division was engaged in the Battle of the Menin Road, from 20 to 25 September. They were part of X Corps and had topographically the most difficult ground to cross. The division formed part of the southern defensive flank for the main attack with the final objective being the German third Line atop Tower Hamlets spur.
May 6, 20232 min read
William Baird Brock
Menin Gate Memorial, CWGC, Private William Baird Brock, ‘C’ Company, 1/6th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), Falkirk War Memorial. The 51st (Highland) Division was in the line preparing for the opening of Third Ypres on 31 July 1917. The Division had been allotted a front of fourteen hundred yards and the final objective was the Steenbeek River which was about two thousand yards behind the German front line.
Apr 26, 20233 min read
Robert Bell
Menin Gate Memorial, CWGC, Private Robert Bell, ‘C’ Company, 1/7 Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Falkirk War Memorial. Before he enlisted in the Territorials at the outbreak of the war he was employed as a moulder. In his spare time he also worked at the Electric Theatre in Falkirk. He had two brothers both of whom were also serving. The 25 April 1915, is a day that brought catastrophe to 7th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and to the towns and villages
Apr 26, 20231 min read
Alexander Bissett
Ploegsteert Memorial, CWGC, Private Alexander Bissett, 16th Battalion Royal Scots, Falkirk War Memorial. The 16 Battalion Royal Scots became involved in what was to be termed the Battle of the Lys or as the Germans called their offensive Operation Georgette. On the night of 8/9 April the battalion was in billets at Erquinghem-sur-Lys, which was about 1.5 miles south of Armentieres, and as part of 101 Brigade was the XV Corps reserve. At about 4.30am the town and the surround
Aug 18, 20213 min read
Thomas Hughes
Rifle House Cemetery, CWGC, Ploegsteert Wood, Private Thomas Hughes, 11th Battalion, Royal Scots, Falkirk War Memorial. He was employed as a miner before enlisting on a Short-Term duration of the war Attestation in Grangemouth on 3 June 1915. His brother James, a Private in the Royal Scots, Died of Wounds on 13 October 1917 and is buried in Dozinghem Cemetery. On 4 December 1915, he was given 14 days Field Punishment No.1 for leaving his post while on sentry duty in the trenc
Feb 28, 20212 min read
James Hughes
Dozinghem Military Cemetery, CWGC, Ypres, Private James Hughes, 11th Battalion, Royal Scots, Falkirk War Memorial. He had been a Territorial since their formation from the Militia in 1908 and was employed at Sunnyside Foundry as a moulder. Wounded three time and gassed. His brother Thomas, a Private in the Royal Scots, was killed in action on 12 February 1916 and is buried in Rifle House Cemetery. His other brother John also enlisted on 27 October 1917 and survived the war.
Feb 27, 20212 min read
William Marshall Harley
Menin Gate Memorial, CWGC, Ypres, Ieper, Private William Marshall Harley, ‘A’ Company, 1/7th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Falkirk War Memorial. He enlisted in the Territorials on 8 April 1914, and was employed at Laurieston Iron Works as a constructional fitter. His brother Private Charles Harley, serving with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in Salonika, was awarded the Military Medal in 1918 and was Mentioned in Despatches three times.
Feb 27, 20212 min read
Robert Ford
Tyne Cot Memorial, CWGC, Private Robert Ford, 1/7th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Falkirk War Memorial. Before enlisting he was employed as a Bottle Blower. He also had three brothers and two sisters all of whom lived in the town of Alloa. On 10 January 1915, he was deducted 3 days pay for missing parade while on active service. He joined 176 Tunnelling Company from 10/A & SH from 28 July 1916 to 29 September 1916, when he was hospitalised sick on 29 September 1
Feb 27, 20212 min read
Alexander Strachan Fleming
Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery, CWGC, Sgt Alexander Strachan Fleming, 1st Battalion, Black Watch, Falkirk War Memorial. This action occurred during the First Battle of Ypres. One company and two platoons of the battalion were sent to Inverness Copse, a wood located on the Menin Road. It was the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders who gave the wood its name and it soon appeared on British trench maps. ‘B’ Company and two platoons of ‘A’ Company, the whole only 90 strong, were sent
Feb 27, 20212 min read
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