Private William Wallace

Private William Wallace, 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. He was a Regular soldier and was killed in action in France in the Retreat to the Marne on 27th August 1914, aged 31. He had been born in Oldhamstocks and was the son of Laurence and Margaret Wallace of Loanside , Reston. and is commemorated on the La Ferte-Sous -Jouarre, Memorial, France This Memorial is dedicated to the 4000 men of the B.E.F. who died in the first three months of the war and have no known grave. The delaying Battle of Le Cateau had been fought by the British 2nd Corps on the 26th and having stopped the German advance in its tracks continued the retreat on the 27th. On that day the Gordons seem to have taken a wrong turn and ran into strong German forces.  There were many casualties and over 500 Gordons were captured and afterwards all that remained was one Company and the transport section. (On the plus side most of these men would return to their families after the War). 

 

Scroll to Top