James Masterton

Lance Corporal James Masterton

42676, 15th Royal Scots

died 22nd March 1918


aged 25


Arras Memorial
Bathgate War Memorial

Son of Charles Masterton and Agnes Baillie
Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland
Husband of Isabella Grant

Genealogy

James Masterton was born in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland in 1892, the second of three children and only son born to Charles Masterton, master tailor, and Agnes Baillie who had married in 1889 in Edinburgh. All three children were born in Bathgate, with known residences at Marjoribanks Street and 91 Hopetoun Street. Charles died in 1909 and his widow Agnes returned to live in Edinburgh. In 1911 James was boarding in 20 Summerhill Terrace, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, working as a linotype printer. James married Isabella Grant on 21 March 1916 in the Sheriff Court House, Edinburgh.

Further details of James, his parents and two siblings and the extended family of Mastertons that flourished in the Bathgate area can be found at the following link.

His War

James Masterton's Service Record shows that he attested under the Derby Scheme on 29th November 1915 when he was a Police Clerk, and was mobilised into the 4th HLI on 5th July 1917. On 16th October 1917 he was appointed Lance Corporal (unpaid), but was granted pay of his rank from 11th December 1917. He transferred to the 15th Battalion, The Royal Scots on 21st February 1918, having disembarked in Boulogne on 19th February.

The 15th Battalion, The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment), was raised in September 1914 by the Lord Provost and City of Edinburgh. It was trained initially at Troon, Ayrshire and in June 1915 moved to Ripon, Yorkshire under command of 101st Brigade, 34th Division. It had landed in Le Havre on 8th January 1916.

James was reported missing on 22nd March 1918, and later presumed dead. That was the second day of the German Spring Offensive. The 15th Royal Scots were in the line between Croisilles and Arras in the Pas de Calais. The first day of the Spring Offensive began with a "fire waltz" of high explosives, shrapnel, smoke, tear gas, and poison gas directed against General Gough's Fifth Army, intending to punch a hole in the front line to split the British and French Armies. The 15th Royal Scots was one of the battalions that suffered the full force of that attack.

James was one of many who fell somewhere between the 15th Royal Scots retiring from the Outpost Line to the Third Line System on 22 March 1918

The Thirty Fourth Division 1915-1918

The 15th Royal Scots were attacked in rear with bombs, rifle grenades, and rifle fire, and they withdrew along the support line of the second system towards Hill Switch. The enemy pressed his advantage and attacked a portion of the 16th Royal Scots in Hill Switch in support of the 15th. Unfortunately, this trench was incomplete and unsuited for defence, giving little cover and being very difficult to fire out of. The enemy's gunners, informed by an air scout, put down a crushing barrage, chiefly of 5.9 inch and eight inch shells, added to which the enemy attacked from Croisilles. Under these trying circumstances the right flank and centre of the 101st Brigade began to give way, and a general retirement took place some time early in the afternoon, which was not stopped till the third line system, in front of Boiry Becquerelle, was reached.. on which the shaken troops of the 101st Brigade were rallied.

The Thirty Fourth Division 1915-1918
J. Shakespear
p. 192

James's name is on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, one of almost 35,000 whose bodies were never recovered.

James is also remembered on the War Memorial of his home town of Bathgate.

James's name is the third name from the top of the left column

Other Sources

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