Private Charles Chisholm

Private Charles Chisholm, 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. He was killed in action on 25th September 1915 aged 22 on the first day of the Battle of Loos and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Dud Corner, Loos, France. He was the son of James and Jessie Chisholm of ” Galabank”, Stow. Before enlisting he had been employed as a ploughman. He fell in the attack on  Cite St Elie which was not successful with German wire entanglements uncut by the artillery and the open ground swept by machine gun fire. Casualties were very heavy with 8 Officers and 73 Other Ranks killed and  8 officers and 310 Other Ranks Wounded. In addition 1 Officer and 116 Other Ranks were posted missing.  The first photo shows  an actual assault with the troops disappearing into the clouds of gas and smoke. Gas was used for the first time by the British Army on that date. The second shows the village of Loos after its capture. The artist’s illustration depicts a Battalion attack at loos led by its pipers.