Private James Strachan

Private James Coutts Strachan, 1st/9th ( Highland ) Battalion, Royal Scots ( The Dandy Ninth). He was killed in action, aged 20, on 1st August 1918 and is buried in Raperie British Cemetery, Villmontoire, France. He had been born in Marykirk, Kincardineshire and was the son of William and the late Mary Strachan of Fishwick, Hutton, Berwickshire. His father married again to Grace Mathieson whose brother Donald Mathieson was killed in action with the 1st Battalion, Black Watch on the 14th July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He fell in the attack on strong German positions near  Villemontoire. Unfortunately the supporting barrage was poor and French support did not materialise with the result the Royal Scots attacked alone into heavy machine gun fire.  Casualties were appalling  121 men were killed and 300 wounded a total which represented about 80% of the Battalion strength. This was the worst day of the War for the Battalion. Although the attack was a failure, success on the flanks forced the Germans into full retreat. The Battalion was part of the 154th Brigade in the 51st ( Highland )Division and after the War an impressive Memorial was raised in its commemoration. It was erected overlooking “Y” Ravine in Newfoundland Park on the Somme which was taken when the Division stormed the strong German positions in Beaumont Hamel on the 13th November 1916. A Plaque on the Memorial reads in both English and Gaelic ” Friends Are Good On the day Of Battle”.