Bridge of Weir
Memorial

L' CPL JAMES BROOKS 9^TH R.S.

1881 Lance Corporal James Brooks

1st/9th Battalion, Royal Scots
att 5th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

killed in action 29th October 1916

aged 20


Thiepval Memorial
St Machar's Church Memorial, Bridge of Weir



Son of William Brooks and Mary McKay
Windsor Place, Bridge of Weir

His Life

James Brooks was born on 15th July 1896 in Bridge of Weir, 8 minutes after his twin sister Jane, to William Brooks, a shoemaker originally from Drumachose, Northern Ireland and Mary McKay, a cotton mill worker from Bridge of Weir who had married in Bridge of Weir on 18th March 1881.

In the 1881 Census, William (21) and Mary (18) were lodging with Mary Rennie in Alexander's Land, Bridge of Weir.

By 1891 they had their own two-roomed flat in Alexander's Land and their first four children.

In 1901 the Brooks family had grown to eleven, and all were living at Gryffe View, Bridge of Weir. The father and eldest son William were both bootmakers and repairers. Mary's most recent confinements had delivered two sets of twins, now aged 4 (James and Jane) and 1. A son, Thomas, was no longer in the family home.

By 1911 the family was living in a 3-roomed flat in 4 Windsor Place, Main Street, Bridge of Weir. William and William junior were still bootmakers and repairers. Elizabeth was a restaurant waitress, Mary and Agnes were both saleswomen in a mantle warehouse and all the other children, including James (14), were at school. Son John was no longer in the family home, but the youngest, Ann, maintained the same total of eleven in the household. William Brooks senior died on 22nd November 1912 at 5 Hillside Street, Edinburgh.

James Brooks attested in Edinburgh before the war, probably in May or June 1914, and being only 17 was put into the reserve battalion 2/9th Royal Scots (Private, No. 1786). He was transferred to B Company of the second reserve battalion, 3/9th Royal Scots, on 11th November 1915.

He first joined the theatre of war in France on 12th December 1915 and was wounded in 1916. At the time of his death on 29th October 1916 he was a Lance Corporal with the 5th Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), part of 19th Brigade, 33rd Division. It is possible he transferred there when he returned to active duty after recuperating from his wound. That date matches the battalion account of an attack on Hazy trench, the Somme, at 5.45am. Three platoons of "D" Company met with disaster. Machine gun fire mowed them down. Three sections of a reserve platoon suffered a similar fate. In a thirty minute attack, two officers and 26 men were killed and 34 wounded. James Brooks' name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Battle of the Somme.

Siblings

Sources

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• Scottish National War Memorial
• William Brooks and Mary McKay marriage certificate Bridge of Weir 18th March 1881, regd 21st March 1881, Kilbarchan
• James & Jane Brooks birth certificate 15th July 1896, Bridge of Weir; regd 22nd July 1896, Kilbarchan.
• 1881 UK Census: Parish: Kilbarchan; ED:12; Page:13; Line:10; Roll: cssct1881_169.
• 1891 UK Census: Parish: Kilbarchan: Village. Bridge of Weir: Sch48: 568/01 009/00 009
• 1901 UK Census: Parish: Kilbarchan; ED:3; Page:15; Line:16; Roll: CSSCT1901_188
• 1911 UK Census: Parish: Kilbarchan & Bridge of Weir. Page 14; lines 23-337. 559/0B 002/00 014
• Information from Nigel Brooks owner of the Brooks one-name study
• The Thirty-Third Division in France and Flanders 1915-1919. G.S. Hutchison. 1921. p25.
  Following this the 19th Brigade assaulted "Hazy" Trench and captured the "Gun Pits." Owing to the uncertainty of the exact position of the Boche, equally with that of our troops, it was impossible for the heavy artillery to be used. In addition, water, food, and ammunition had to be man handled for 5,000 yards of thick mud. It is little wonder, therefore, that the 19th Brigade had to evacuate their position. The 100th Brigade lost two very able and gallant officers in Captain W. Henderson, M.C., of the Worcestershires, and Lieutenant-Colonel J.C. Stormonth Darling, D.S.O., of the Glasgow Highlanders, both killed by snipers while reconnoitring.
• 5th Battalion, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) T.F. 1914-1919. p92 and Appendix V Roll of Honour, p 204. Glasgow. 1936.
• The Divisional Commander, in conjunction with the French, ordered an attack to be made by one company of The Cameronians at 5.45 a.m. on 29th October on Hazy Trench. The hour was not propitious, as the enemy was sure to be standing-to, and similar unsuccessful attempts had already been made at that hour. The element of surprise was to be achieved in this instance by dispensing with any barrage.
  "D" Company, being in the front line was called upon to carry out this operation. Three platoons led by 2nd Lieutenants J.A.B. MacHarg and J. Macdonald, D.C.M., attacked with great dash, but met with disaster. Machine-gun fire mowed them down. Some managed to reach within twenty yards of the enemy's position but were unable to effect anything. The officers were both killed. In an endeavour to enable the survivors to reach the objective, Captain D.D. Clarkson launched three sections of his reserve platoon. A like fate befell them, and seeing them falter C.S.M. J. Brown, M.M., rushed forward with the greatest gallantry, only to be struck down, almost immediately. The Cameronians, and the French on the right, were similarly unsuccessful. The whole attack was over in less than thirty minutes. Besides the two officers "D" Company lost twenty-six men killed and thirty-four wounded.
• War Diaries: 5th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). WO 95/2422/3. National Archives.
  • 29th October 1916: Orders were received for the front line company to attack the German trench opposite - HAZY TRENCH - in conjunction with The Cameronians on the right. "D" Company attacked; "A" in support; at 5.45 a.m. Three platoons of "D" Company deployed on the parapet and assaulted slightly before The Cameronians. Immediately the men crossed the parapet, machine gun fire was opened on them by 3 or 4 machine guns. The guns were believed to be in shell-holes in advance of HAZY TRENCH. The result was that, after going about 50 yards, the attacking platoons were so much reduced in numbers that although some men got within 20 yards of the enemy's trench they were unable to effect anything. The remnants of the company lay down in NO MAN's LAND unable to move. Captain D.D. Clarkson, in command of the company, seeing that the attack was not proceeding well, put in three sections of his reserve platoon. These men had hardly crossed the parapet when they were caught by machine gun fire. The whole attack was over in less than two minutes.
    Captain H.B. Spens, in command of "A" Company, which was now in the front line, seeing how things stood, decided to make no further attempt to advance and took over charge of the line.
    There was a great deal of machine gun and rifle fire directed on the men lying in NO MAN'S LAND. This was kept under fire from our front line and Lewis guns.
    At night stretcher parties collected wounded; the unwounded and some wounded crawled in.
    The casualties for the attack were:-
    2/Lt. J.A.B. Macharg, 2/Lt. J. Macdonald killed; 25 other ranks killed; 34 other ranks wounded.
  • Appendix to War Diary Octr 1916.
    October 28th., 1916.
    19th INFANTRY BRIGADE ORDER NO. 187.
    Ref. Maps 57c.S.W. 1/20,000.
    Situation Map X.A.3 1/10,000.
    1. Order No. 166 is cancelled.
    2. The 19th. Infantry Brigade will attack HAZY TRENCH tomorrow morning, but not BORITSKA.
    3. The attack will be done with a rush at 5.45 a.m. tomorrow morning by The Cameronians and 5th Scottish Rifles.
    4. The objectives are as follows: -
    (a) 1st. Cameronians. From junction of BORITSKA and HAZY TRENCHES to T.5.a.9.6, where HAZY TRENCH crosses the track.
    (b) 5th Scottish Rifles. From T.5.a.9.6 to Northern end of HAZY TRENCH.
    On objectives being gained outposts will be pushed forward to the North and North-East.
    5. There will be no artillery barrage before the attack. (a) at 5.48 a.m. a stead [sic] Field Artillery barrage will open 150 yards East of Hazy TRENCH, and across BORITSKA TRENCH, 100 yards South-East of its junction with HAZY.
    (b) The ground farther East will also be bombarded by our own artillery and that of the Divisions on the right and left.
    6. Immediately HAZY TRENCH is captured the following will be carried out:-
    (a) A block will be made at the junction of BORITSKA and HAZY TRENCHES by the 1st Cameronians.
    (b) A strong point will be made at the North End of HAZY TRENCH by the 5th Scottish Rifles.
    Commanding Officers will arrange for parties to be ready to dig forward from our present trenches.
    7. A Brigade dump has been established near the right Battalion Headquarters in the SUNKEN ROAD T.4.d. Battalions will arrange to carry forward from here with their own carrying parties any further stores required.
    8. Prisoners will be sent to the cage at T.e. where they will be taken over by the A.P.M.
    9. Stragglers' posts E. of LES BOEUFS will be arranged by Battalions.
    The 20th Royal Fusiliers will collect stragglers at OX TRENCH.
    10. (a) Flares will be lit as soon as the objective is gained, and when called for by a contact aeroplane.
    (b) Signalling flags will be carried and will be waved to show the Artillery the Infantry positions. On no account will flags be stuck in the ground.
    11. Watches will be synchronised with Brigade Headquarters on receipt of this order.
    Issued at 9 p.m. (Signed) E.K. Twiss, Major, Brigade Major, 19th Inf. Brigade.
  • Regimental Roll of Honour of the Officers, Warrant Officers, N.C.Os. & Men of The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
    Brooks, J. R.: L./Corporal: 1881: 5th Battalion: France 29/10/16: Bridge-of-Weir
  • James Brooks in Index of 9th Royal Scots
  • IWM Lives of the First World War Lance Corporal James R Brooks
  • Medals: Victory, British War, 1914-15 Star.
  Back to 1914-1919

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