Sergeant James Crichton

Sergeant James Crichton, 6th (Service) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He died from wounds in France, aged 35, on the 27th September 1915 during the Battle of Loos. He had been born in Kirkpatrick Fleming, Dumfriesshire and was the son of James and the late Sarah Crichton of 36 Island Street, Galashiels. He had enlisted as a Regular soldier in the K.O.S.B. in 1897 and spent 14 years with the Regiment. As a Reservist he was recalled top the Colours on the outbreak of War and joined the 6th Battalion. He is buried in Chocques Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. He was wounded in the failed attack on the German positions in the “Mad Point” trench system. In the face of intense machine gun fire and uncut wire entanglements advance was impossible. Casualties in this disaster were very heavy with 11 Officers and 358 Other Ranks were killed or missing and 8 Officers and 272 Other Ranks were wounded. The first photo shows an actual attack at Loos with the troops advancing into a ghostly cloud of gas and smoke. This was the first time the British Army had used gas in the War. The second shows the village of Loos after its capture and the third is an artist’s nightmarish illustration of an attack during the Battle. ( His brother Edward died after the War as a result of his Service, see above ).