ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS

[Liz Hall]

Hello all

My great-uncle is interred at Etaples cemetary, date of death 11th July 1916.

He is recorded as being in 'D' company 15th (Service) battalion, and I wondered if anyone knew what action he may have been engaged in.

Cheers.

[gordon92]

I am unaware of the existence of a 15th Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers. Are you sure your great uncle was not in the 15th Bn Royal Scots? If so, then he was a casualty of the Somme offensive that began 1 July 1916.

[Liz Hall]

My mistake - you are quite correct.

[WilliamRev]

Liz,

15th Royal Scots were in the 101st Brigade, 34th Division, and on July 1st 1916, (the first day of the Battle of the Somme) attacked at La Boisselle along Sausage Valley, together with the 16th Royal Scots. There are plenty of good books on the battle of the Somme which will give you lots of detail.

By the end of the 3rd July, 15th Royal Scots had suffered casualties of 18 officers (11 killed, 7 wounded) and 610 other ranks (perhaps 200 killed, 400 wounded). The Germans were using flamethrowers in the trenches attacked by 101st Brigade, and many of the wounded were badly burned.

William

[Liz Hall]

Many thanks, William - gives me something to go on. I was at Thiepval and Albert early June - If only I'd known!!!

(Village listed in my roadmap as Ovillers-La Boiselle)

Cheers

Liz