Private George Gallant, 5th Scottish Rifles but attached to 9th Battalion

[Trailfinder]

I hope someone can help me find out where my relative, Private George Gallant died of wounds while with the 9th Battalion Scottish Rifles on 18 August 1918, when he was 19 years old. His enlistment record must be among those destroyed in the 1940 German bombing raid. From other records I find that he must have signed up in Liverpool (one record states 'Liverpool Regiment', service No.72359). He then appears with the Cameronians: '5th Att 9th Bn'. He is listed on the Roll of Honour (Scotland), and I recently had his name added to the Roll of Honour (Liverpool). I have no dates for his military service, only his date of death. The CWGC and other sources give his burial at La Kreule Cemetery, Hazebrouck.  I believe he was one of two Runners killed on 18 August 1918 at Adv Bn HQ, but the field diary only gives the location as 'In the Field', although the Meteren Road comes up a few times and Thieushouck, plus various farms (e.g. Kodak, Fauna).  The 9th seems to have been in that area for some months and I would like to find out which action/assault was underway when he was KiA. Any info or pointers would be very much appreciated.

[jim1]

Why do you believe he was a runner ?
Soldiers effects state that he died of wounds which is always
problematic as it doesn't state when he was wounded.
The obvious date would be the 18th. as that is when the
attack took place but it could just as easily be prior to that
as shelling was quite intense from both sides.
To give a location of the 9th. on the 18th. the below map shows
Fauna Farm & the support trench they occupied prior to the attack.
Fauna Farm is right at the top of the map in X.1.
The diary states the the Btn. were occupying the support trench right of the Meteren rd.
You can find this by scrolling down the map across the reserve & the Meteren rd.
https://maps.nls.uk/view/101724065

[GR2]

Liverpool Echo 20-9-1918 and also in the Liverpool Post & Mercury 21-9-1918:

GALLANT - August 18th, from wounds received in
action, GEORGE GALLANT (Scottish Rifles), my
boy, my hero. - Sadly missed by Dad and Family.

[Trailfinder]

Hi Jim1:
Many thanks for your reply and for the very useful map link. Your point that 'died of wounds' leaves some uncertainty as to date is something I did consider. I read the war diary for the 10 days before the 18th and there is no other plausible death noted.  The CWGC lists George as 'died' on the 18th and he is one of only two Bn deaths listed that day, the other being Private R Frail, and both are buried in La Kreule Military Cemetery and the only two from the 9th to be so, as far as I recollect. The war diary for the 18th specifies the deaths of two runners (only) that day in heavy shelling - Advanced Bn HQ - 3 direct hits, and under those circumstances it seems probable he was wounded and died on the same day.  Putting that information all together makes me reasonably confident in concluding that George was one of the two Runners, as far as I've got in my research so far.  I'm open to comments!

Thanks again for taking the time to reply and for that map link.

[Trailfinder]

Hi GR2:
Thanks for kindly providing me with the obituary notice placed by George's family.   I am new to posting on Rootschat and don't yet know how messaging works, but I wondered whether you might be able to post/attach an image of the entry here, assuming you have it yourself and it's not too much effort.  Otherwise, I will aim to obtain a copy when I can get access (Ancestry don't seem to have it).  In any case, the location, date and wording of the notice are really useful, thank you.