Private James Darling

Private James Renauit Darling, 10th Battalion, (Alberta Regiment) ,Canadian Infantry. He was killed in action in Flanders during the Battle of Gravenstafel which was part of the Second Battle of Ypres on 22nd April aged 25. He had been born in Greenlaw and was the son of Catherine Mary Jaques Darling and the late James Darling of the “Cross Keys” Greenlaw and is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres. He had emigrated to Canada in 1908 and was working as a grocer when he enlisted in August 1914. On 22nd April the Germans launched the first gas attack on the Western Front. A hole was punched through the French lines and the 10th Battalion was ordered to fill the gap. This they did by gallantly attacking the German positions in Kitchener’s Wood. After fierce hand to hand combat the enemy was repulsed and the gap closed. This success was achieved with about 75% casualties. The artist’s illustration tries to depict the valiant actions of the Canadians against overwhelming odds. The photograph shows troops with their primitive gas masks.

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