Description
1914-15 trio – 1/6th (Perthshire) battalion, Royal Highlanders. (Black Watch)
1914-15 Star, 1426 Pte J. McNeil R. Highrs.; British War and Victory Medals, 1426 Pte J. Mc Neil R. Highrs
Pte / Drummer James McNeil was born in Auchterarder, Perthshire in 1888.
He enlisted in late 1913 / early 1914.
Landed France on the 2nd May 1915
Wounded (GSW to right knee joint) believed during 1918,
Discharged 22nd November 1918 as no longer physically fir for war service (Silver War Wadge no B.50323.
Lived Mill Street, Perth, Scotland.
Condition – GVF
Mobilized in August 1914 as a Territorial unit headquartered in Perth, the 1/6th (Perthshire) Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) initially undertook coastal defense duties in Scotland before concentrated training in Bedford. In May 1915, the battalion landed in France as part of the 153rd Brigade in the renowned 51st (Highland) Division. They quickly entered the trenches on the Western Front, gaining early battle experience at Festubert and Givenchy.
The battalion earned distinguished acclaim during the 1916 Battle of the Somme. In November 1916, they played a pivotal role in the capture of the heavily fortified fortress of Beaumont-Hamel during the Battle of the Ancre. The 1/6th pressed forward through thick mud and heavy machine-gun fire, securing vital positions at severe cost.
In 1917, the Perthshire men fought across major offensives:
Arras Offensive (April 1917): Fought in the bloody assaults near Rœux and the Chemical Works.
Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele): Participated in the assaults at Pilckem Ridge and the Menin Road under terrible weather and relentless bombardment.
Battle of Cambrai (November 1917): Took part in the initial mass tank attacks against the Hindenburg Line.
German Spring Offensive & Final Victory (1918)
When the German Army launched Operation Michael in March 1918, the 1/6th Battalion fought desperate rearguard actions at Bapaume. In July 1918, during the Second Battle of the Marne, the battalion delivered an outstanding assault in the Épernay region, driving German forces from the Ardre Valley. For their extraordinary gallantry in this action, the 1/6th Battalion was awarded the prestigious French Croix de Guerre.
