Tuesday 17 January 2012

Tyneside Scottish Brigade Roll of Honour


The losses killed attributed to the Tyneside Scottish on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) database are 2,286.

Northumberland Fusiliers
Tyneside
Scottish
Casualties
20th (Tyneside Scottish)
1st TS
575
21st (Tyneside Scottish)
2nd TS
429
22nd (Tyneside Scottish)
3rd TS
623
23rd (Tyneside Scottish)
4th TS
646
29th (Tyneside Scottish)
Reserve
Listing
6
33rd (Tyneside Scottish)
Reserve
Listing
6
Battalion not identified
1
Casualties Died
2,286
Sources:  Commonwealth War Graves Commission    Geoff’s Search Engine
Those losses included those who joined up on the formation of the Battalions in 1914, and replacements for casualties sustained in the battles and actions from 1916 to 1918. Some died in the UK prior to the TS deploying to France, most are buried or commemorated in the cemeteries and memorials of France and Belgium. Others died in the UK from wounds and are buried in churchyards, their graves maintained by the CWGC. Graves of Tyneside Scottish prisoners of War (POW) have been identified in Germany and Poland.


Prior to the departure of the TS to France, the first casualty attributed to the Tyneside Scottish is Private P Lockey  of the 2nd TS who died 30th January 1915,   (CWGC Information). Private Lockey’s number is 21 / 69, one of the original Tyneside Scots. He is buried at Earsdon (St Alban’s) Churchyard in Northumberland.


Private Lockey's grave Earsdon St Alban's Churchyard

The first burial in France is Private R Armstrong 1st Tyneside Scottish died 30th January 1916 (CWGC Information). He is buried Y Cemetery Bois Grenier, a small village in the Department of the Nord, about 4 kilometres due South of Armentieres.

By the 30th June on the eve of the first day of the Somme, 155 losses (UK and France) are recorded.

The casualties killed listed for 1st July 1916 are 726. These include the Commanding officers of the 1st and 4th Tyneside Scottish.


Lieutenant Colonel CCA Sillery
Lieutenant Colonel
(Indian Army, Retired)
CO 1st Tyneside Scottish

Lieutenant Colonel W Lyle
CO 4th Tyneside Scottish
Killed in Action 1st July 1916 La Boisselle
Buried in Bapaume Post Military Cemetery Albert

For many lost that day, there is no known grave and they are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. The number of Tyneside Scots listed on the memorial totals 816, including one of the original Tyneside Scots, Corporal Henry Stokoe(CWGC Information)  whose service number is 20/16.





Private F Smeatham
3rd Tyneside Scottish
Killed in Action 1st july 1916 La Boisselle
Commemorated on Theipval Memorial

 The losses on the Somme were such that the Brigade was from withdrawn from the line the line together with the Tyneside Irish. Men would continue to die from wounds received. The depleted Battalions were replaced from reserves and from UK based units such as the Northern Cyclists Battalion over the remaining months of 1916.

Despite the move to quieter sectors to regenerate, casualties continued throughout 1916.
 


RSM JR Wadge MC

4th Tyneside Scottish



Died from Wounds in Ipswich 14th August 1916

Buried Gosforth St Nicholas Churchyard Newcastle upon Tyne




2 / Lt WB Catto

3rd Tyneside Scottish



Killed in Action

11th September 1916

Buried Erquinghem –Lys Churchyard, France.







The next major engagement for the Tyneside Scottish was the Battle of Arras. The casualties recorded from 9th April to the 17th May amounted to 275, of which 149 were lost on the first phase, the Battle of the Scarpe, 90 being lost on the first day.



Corporal Robert Darling

1st Tyneside Scottish



Died of Wounds

April 1917

Buried Rouex Military Cemetery

near Arras, France.





 In October 1917 the Tyneside Scottish moved to Ypres and the mud of Paschendeale. Though only involved in one small operation, 90 men were lost.
The casualties sustained by the Tyneside Scottish took their toll. By November 1918 the 1st and 2nd Tyneside Scottish had been disbanded, the 4th TS had returned to the UK as a training unit, only the  3rd Tyneside
Thelast to die prior to the armistice was Private C Levitt 3rd Tyneside Scottish (CWGC Information), a Prisoner of War, who died 8th November 1918. He is buried at Niederzwehren Cemetery, Kassel.  The cemetery was used by the Germans for the burial of prisoners of war who died at the local camp.

November 11th did not end the deaths in the Tyneside Scottish. Recorded as died 12th November 1918 is Private Henry Wood 4th Tyneside Scottish (CWGC Information), another POW, who is buried in Pozan Old Garrison Cemetery, in Poland. After the First World War, the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who had died in Poland as prisoners of war were gathered together in this cemetery.
Although the war had ended deaths still continued, 14 casualties are listed for 1919, and 4 for 1920. On the 20th October 1920 the Tyneside Scottish Committee was wound up. Up to that date 2,283 men were dead or missing.

A further 3 losses are recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in 1921.
The last named casualty is Private CB Slipper, 1st Tyneside Scottish (CWGC Information) who died 5th May 1921. The son of the local vicar, he is buried in Grosmont (St Matthew’s) Churchyard.
Graves to fallen of the Tyneside Scottish Brigade can be found in United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany and Poland. Many have no known graves being commemorated on memorials to the missing.

On the 20th April 1922, a memorial to the Tyneside Scottish and Irish Brigades was unveiled by Marshall Foch at La Boisselle, where the Tyneside Scottish had fought on the First Day of the Somme.

The losses of the Tyneside Scottish affected many communities, the memories of those lost being commemorated on local memorials


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Hexham War Memorial Northumberland





Sergt. J Nevison

1st TS

Died 16 Oct 1917

Tyne Cot Memorial


Pte F. Newman

1st TS

Died 13 Apr 1917

Arras Memorial


Pte. T. Pencott

2nd TS

Died 1st Jul 1916

Ovillers Cemetery


Pte. C.W Potts

2nd TS

Died 9th Apr 1917

Arras Memorial