Private William Gilchrist

Private William Gilchrist, 1st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action in Belgium, aged 22, during the attack on Bellewarde Ridge on 16th June 1915 is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium. He had been born in Felkington, Northumberland and was the son of Thomas and Agnes Gilchrist of Greenfield, Foulden and Mordington Mains, Berwickshire. He had been farming at Nunlands, Foulden when he enlisted in January 1915 going to Belgium in May 1915.He was a member of  “X” Coy. commanded by Captain Bagshawe who was also killed. The first and second objectives were captured  but no further progress could be made and with heavy casualties a retirement was made to the first captured German trench. 15 Officers and 645 Other Ranks had gone into action and casualties totalled 15 Officers and 386 Other Ranks of which over 200 were fatalities.  The Liverpool Scottish fought beside the Fusiliers in this attack and the actual combat photograph, courtesy of the Western Front Assoc., shows them in action. ( The troops were not supposed to have cameras with them and this is one of the very few pictures of the actual fighting. The troops had reached the first objective and the flag signals they are going forward  to the next objective. ).