Private William Ogilvie

Private William Ogilvie, 9th ( Service ) Battalion Gordon Highlanders. He was killed in action on 25th September 1915, aged 20, on the first day of the Battle of Loos and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Dud Corner, Loos, France. He had been born in Tranent and was the son of William and Jane Ogilvie of Greycrook, St. Boswells, Roxburghshire. In 1914 his father had been employed as a chaffeur living at South Lodge, Linthill, Liliesleaf. His Battalion as part of the 15th ( Scottish) Division had attacked through Loos towards Hill 70 until heavy casualties and increasingly heavy resistance caused the attack to run out of steam. 5 Officers and 45 Other Ranks were killed or missing and 4 Officers and 181 Other Ranks were wounded.  The first photo shows Highland troops marching up to the front line before the Battle. This day saw the first use of gas by the British Army and the second photo shows an actual attack with the troops disappearing into the clouds of gas and smoke. The third shows the village of Loos after capture and the fourth shows Hill 70 looking beyond the northern outskirts of Loos village.