16453 L/Cpl
1st Battalion, Royal Scots, 81 Infantry Brigade, 27 Division
Age: 32
Date of Death: Killed in Action on 30 April 1915
Buried: The Menin Gate Memorial, Panel 11
Family history: Husband of Agnes Moodie Jack, 26 Grahamdykes Street, Laurieston. He was the father of five young children.
The action leading to his death
He enlisted at the beginning of the war and landed in France on 17 February 1915. From April 1915 to 4 May 1915 the battalion occupied trenches 4 miles east of Ypres astride the Menin Road east of Inverness Copse. They worked on improving the trench system. The German trenches were anything from 40 yards to 250 yards across No Man’s land. The battalion suffered heavy losses during this period with 3 officers and 29 other ranks killed and 3 officers and 190 other ranks wounded. The Minnenwerfen making themselves felt and many men suffered severely from shock. This weapon was good at breaking down the parapets but not at killing men. The trenches were also subject to enfilade fire from a light gun, or guns, whose position could not be located. One officer and several men were killed by them on 30 April 1915.
Map showing the area in which the Battalion was located.
The War Diary recorded the casualties that day as:
