James Scade

Menin Gate Memorial. Authors image

6467 Private

‘B’ Company, 1st Battalion, Queens Own Cameron Highlanders, 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Division

Age: 28

Date of Death: 1.11.14

Buried: Menin Gate Memorial Panel 38

Family history: James was the son of James and Margaret Scade. He had a brother Robert and four sisters. He joined the army in 1902 aged 16 and spent twelve years in the army the majority of which was spent overseas. As a reservist, he rejoined his Regiment on the outbreak of war and landed in France on 14 August 1914.

The action leading to his death

The 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders were in Edinburgh when war broke out in August 1914. They proceeded to France with the British Expeditionary Force, landing at Le Havre on the 14th of August 1914. The Battalion was involved in the fighting of the First Battle of Ypres known as the Battle of Messines from 12 October to 2 November 1914. On the 1st November the Battalion had moved into a position between Polygon Wood and the Veldhoek. The line of the 1st Brigade - from south to north, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Cameron Highlanders and the Black Watch - now ran from the eastern houses of the Veldhoek, a small hamlet half-way between Gheluvelt and Hooge, to the Polygon Wood. On the morning of the 1st November, while Battalion HQ, shared with the Black Watch, were at breakfast, they were subjected to heavy shelling with one shell striking the building killing one junior officer of the Cameron Highlanders and wounding Major Murray, commanding officer of the Black Watch.

Trench Map showing the area of the action

The War Diary records the Battalion losses for the period of 14 October to 31 October as 38 officers and 1000 other ranks. During the First Battle of Ypres many Battalions were significantly reduced in strength some to cadre level.

Medals Awarded

1914 Star and Clasp, Victory Medal, British War Medal

Medal Index Card