8th Black Watch (Royal Highlanders),
19 October 1916
Synopsis of Life and Military Service
James Gray Brough was born 17th February 1891 at Caputh, Perthshire and was the youngest son to Thomas and Catherine Brough.
James was one of 5 children; 4 sons and 1 daughter.
Is know to have attended both Spittalfield School and Butterstone School
He was a Footman for the Duke of Atholl prior to enlisting.
He enlisted at Dunkeld, Perthshire circa 1916
Brough’s enlistment had him placed into 6th Battallion Black Watch – service number 2804. He was issued the service number of 40456 once joined into the 8th Battallion Black Watch.
He was killed in action on 19 October 1916 aged 25 years.
He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Perthshire Advertiser
Extract from the above publication dated 17 January 1917 :-
CAPUTH
Mr and Mrs Thomas Brough, Snaigow Cottages, Caputh, have now received intimation from the War Office that their youngest son, James G. Brough, Black Watch, who was reported missing since October 1916, had been killed in action on the 19th of that month. Prior to enlisting Private Brough was employed as footman with the Duke of Atholl. He was 25 years of age, a well-set-up and kind-hearted young man. Mr Brough has three other sons on active service.
War Diary of the 8th Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) from 18th to 20th September 1916
The following is the War Diary for the 8th Black Watch during the period when James Brough was killed.
18 October 1916
Relieved 5th Camerons in front line trench. 2nd Lieutenant R.C. Ashfield and 2nd Lieutenant J. McK Taylor – Wounded.
19 October 1916
Repulsed German Flammenwerfer (Flame Thrower) counter-attack at 5.30 am under beastly weather conditions. Major U.H. D’A Steward to hospital. Very cold after rain and troops in very exhausted condition. 2nd Lieutenant A Craven killed-in-action, 2nd Lieutenant J.A. Anderson Killed-in-action, 2nd Lieutenant A. Campbell wounded, 2nd Lieutenant A.B. Ruthven wounded (S.S.), 2nd Lieutenant A.T. Lowen – Wounded and Lieutenant J. Inglis – wounded (S.S.)
20 October 1916
Relieved by 12th Royal Scots night of 19th / 20th and retired to trenches East of HIGH WOOD.
Battle Report of the 8th Black Watch from 19th October 1916
The following is an extract from the Battle Report for the 8th Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) on the date of 19th October 1916.
On the afternoon of the 18th (October 1916) the battalion received orders to relieve the 5th Camerons in sector S. N. of KAUCOURT L’ARSAYE. During the morning the Camerons had captured Bosch front line. The relief started at 9p.m. and was complete by midnight. “A” Company 10th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was sent up to be in close support.
Distribution of Companies was as follow –
Firing Line (captured Bosch trench)
- Right Company “D” Company (Capt. Murray)
- Centre Company “A” Company (Capt. Maclaren)
- Left Company “C” Company (Lieut. Inglis)
Support (old firing line)
- “a”(sic) Company (Capt. Taylor)
Reserve
- “A” Company 10th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Battalion H.Q. In staircase of unfinished dug-out on Sunken Road 300 yards behind Reserve Company.
On the Right we were in touch with 21st Brigade of 30th Division.
On the Left we were in touch with South African Brigade of 9th Division.
On the morning of the 19th the Bosches started a general counter attack by means of bombing about 5.30a.m. On the right “D” Company held its own easily, killing many Bosches by rifle fire. The Bosches tried to use a “Flammenwerfer” but this was knocked out by a bomb before it could get into action by Private TAIT.
On the left the Bosches bombed out the South Africans, who retired in disorder into “C” Company’s trench, completely jambing it up and preventing measures being taken to block the trench or bring up bombs. The enemy bombed up the trench inflicting very heavy casualties on “C”, and also drove in the top left platoons of “A” Company up to the C.T. (Communication Trench) leading back to our support lines. At this point a vigorous counter attack by S/Lt. CAMPSIE and a battle section of “A” Company held up the attack and drove back the enemy some 30 or 40 yards. The time was then about 6.15a.m.. At this time Capt. TAYLOR came up from the support line and found things more or less at a deadlock. He found “C” Company was practically non-existent and had lost its Company Commander, Lt. Inglis, also S/Lt. Anderson, who had done excellent work before he was killed. Sergt. Major Findlay was wounded. In “A” Company S/Lt. CAMPSIE had been wounded and S/Lt. CRAVEN killed, and the company had suffered about 40 casualties. S/Lt. YOUNG had forced a block to the left of the C.T. and the Bosch attack was held up.
Family
James Gray Brough was born 17 February 1891 at Caputh, Perthshire (Scotland). The following family information is taken from the 1917 Perthshire Advertiser, 1891 and 1901 Census and his Pension Card.
His family is shown as follows :-
- Mother: Catherine Brough (formally Forbes)
- Father: Thomas Brough, born c.1850 at Little Dunkeld, Perthshire. (Ploughman)
- Mother: Catherine Forbes or Brough, born c.1853 at Little Dunkeld, Perthshire.
- Sister: Elizabeth Jane, born c.1877.
- Brother: David, born c.1880 at Little Dunkeld, Perthshire.
- Brother: John Forbes, born c.1881.
- Brother: Thomas, born c.1884 at Little Dunkeld, Perthshire.
James Brough’s brother, Private, 17250, John Forbes Brough, 2nd South African Infantry is known to have also been killed in action in May 1918 in Belgium aged 36 years. He enlisted in 1917, while working in South Africa, and left behind a wife (Margaret Edith Gilmore Brough) and two children (Helen Yule Brough: born 1906 and George Gilmore Brough: born 1907), who had emigrated to New Zealand in March 1916.
Addresses
The following addresses have been ascertained for James Gray Brough :-
- 1889: Ninewells, Dunkeld, Perthshire
- c. 1890: Spittalfield, Perthshire
- 1891: Snaigow Cottage, Caputh, Perthshire
- 1901: Craigintaggart Cottage, Caputh, Perthshire
- 1904: Butterstone, Perthshire
- 1916: Beechwood Cottages, Snaigon Murthly, Perthshire
Medals
James Brough was awarded the Victory and the British War Medals for his service in the Great War.
Memorials
James Gray Brough is honoured and remembered on the following memorials :-
- Caputh War Memorial, Caputh, Perth and Kinross, Scotland.
- Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Links to Additional Information
- A Street Near You website: James Gray Brough
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission: J G Brough
- Find a Grave website: James Gray Brough
- Lives of the First World War: James G Brough
References
- Soldiers Died in the Great War.
- War Diary of the 8th Black Watch.
- 1891 Census.
- 1901 Census.
- Ancestry.
- Electoral Register 1909.
- Army Service Record.
- Battle Report 8th Black Watch.
- The National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918.
- Perthshire Advertiser dated 17 January 1917.
- War Pension Cards.
Groups
- Is not attached to any groups.
Contributors:-
- Evelyn Rylance.
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