8149 Private
2nd Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers, 13th Infantry Brigade, 5th Division
Age:
Date of Death: 18.4.15
Buried: Hagle Dump Cemetery IV.E.7
Family history: Son of David and Jessie Stothart of Hawick. He resided in Bonnybridge. The sole legatee of his effects was Mrs Mary Ann Kerr Bell.
The action leading to his death
The 5th Division was preparing for the attack on Hill 60 and on the night of the 16/17 April the 13th Brigade moved up, with 2nd KOSB moving through the communication trench leading to 39 and 40 trenches in the front line, the Royal West Kents and K.O.S.B. taking over the trenches in the vicinity of Hill 60. The 13th Brigade HQ was located in the railway embankment in the dugouts at Transport Farm. There was fire support from the machine guns of the 13th Brigade and a Battery of motor machine guns. The guns of 27th Brigade RFA were in position near Kruistraat, 28th Brigade RFA at Zillibeke Lake, and 15th Brigade RFA east of Ypres. The attack began at 7.05pm with a mine being detonated beneath the German positions on the Hill and the opening of the artillery barrage. A second and a third mine was detonated and at 7.06pm the Royal West Kents, supported close on their heels by ‘B’ and ‘C’ Company’s KOSB, advanced and captured Hill 60. At midnight ‘B’ company retired with ‘C’ Company remaining to strengthen their part of the line. ‘A’ and ‘D’ Company’s relieved the two Company's of the Royal West Kents at 2am. At 4am the Germans launched a counter attack and fierce fighting took place in which the KOSB did well to hang onto their positions.
(Linesman Map)
They were relieved at 11.30am on the 18 April by the West Riding Regiment. Battalion casualties were recorded in the War Diary as:
Medals Awarded
1914 Star & Clasp, British Medal, Victory Medal
