James Bryans

Private James Bryans

276066 Private

2nd Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, 98th Infantry Brigade, 33rd Division

Age: 24

Date of Death: 20.11.17

Buried: Tyne Cot Cemetery XII.B.24

Family history: Husband of Agnes, Main Street, Bonnybridge. They had two children born in 1912 and 1914. Son of Isabella he had a brother and sister. Prior to enlisting on 11 January 1915, he was employed by the Scottish Central Foundry Company, Camelon.

The action leading to his death

The Battalion was in the Passchendaele sector, in dugouts at Abraham Heights holding the support lines. The War Diary records that some of the dugouts were blown in and casualties ocurred.

Trench map showing Abraham Heights, Passchendaele sector

In a letter to his wife his Platoon commander wrote: ‘…. On the night of 20 November a shell landed in his dugout, and death would be instantaneous. He would suffer no pain….. He was buried by his comrades on a little hill some miles behind Passchendaele, the grave being marked by a cross…’

After the war his grave was concentrated into Tyne Cot Cemetery.

Graves Registration Commission Burial Return for Tyne Cot of bodies exhumed and reburied

Square D15 referred to in the above Concentration Burial Return

Trench map showing the map reference for the exhumed body of Private James Bryans, Bonnybridge

Medals Awarded

1915 Star, The British War Medal, Victory Medal.

Private James Bryans, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Medal Index Card

Headstone

Private James Bryans. Authors image