Private Walter Lewis

Private Walter Lewis, 1st Battalion, Black Watch. He was killed in action in France on 13th October 1915 during the Battle of Loos and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Dud Corner, Loos, France. He fell in yet another fruitless attack on the German stronghold of the Hohenzollern Redoubt. 14 Officers and 536 Other Ranks attacked only to find the German wire was thick and uncut and covered by multiple machine guns With suicidal bravery the men tried again and again to penetrate the wire and close with the defenders but heroism was not enough and the attacks were called off. 6 Officers and 33 Other Ranks were killed with 4 Officers and 163 Other Ranks wounded. In addition 33 Other Ranks were missing. The Battalion history states ” They were there to do the impossible and came out of action with spirit unsubdued “. The photo shows shells bursting on the redoubt and the artist’s image shows a Battalion attack at Loos led by their pipers.

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