Robert Cousland

Private Robert Cousland. Authors image

24925 Private

10th Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 46th Infantry Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division.

Age: 19

Date of Death: 24.6.17 DoW

Buried: Brandhoek Military Cemetery I.K.39

Family history: Son of Robert and Margaret Cousland, 163 Cowcaddens Street, Glasgow. Born in Bainsford. He had a sister, Mary.

The action that led to his death

The 10th (Service) Battalion was formed at Hamilton in September 1914 as part of Kitchener’s Second New Army (K2) and joined the 15th (Scottish) Division. The Battalion landed at Boulogne-Sur-Mer as part of 46th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division on 10 July 1915. The Battalion participated in major battles at Loos were the Battalion was annihilated suffering 25 of the 27 officers as casualties, and 70% of 795 Other Ranks, Somme and at Arras in April 1917. On 24 June 1917, the Battalion was in Brigade support with the HQ on the Menin Road and companies in billets at the Ecole (school) and Infantry Barracks in Ypres.

Linesman map showing location of both the Infantry Barracks and Ecole (School) in Ypres

The War Diary records that they were subjected to heavy shelling on the Menin road and the Ecole and had casualties of 4 killed and 38 wounded, the wounded mostly occurred in the Ecole. Robert was one of the wounded  and he died of his wounds at the Casualty clearing Station at Brandhoek.

Medals Awarded

Victory Medal, British War Medal

Private Robert Cousland, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Medal Index Card