Wounded At The Hohenzollern Redoubt.

1914 - 15 Trio. Silver War Badge. 3310 Pte. I. Ross, 1/5th Lincolnshire Regiment.

Irvine Ross was born in Scotton, Lincolnshire, the son of Arthur Ross, an agricultural labourer, and his wife Mary. The 1901 Census lists the couple and their six children (Albert 12yrs, Charles 10yrs, Olive 8yrs, Irvine 6yrs, Myra 4yrs and Rose 2yrs) as resident in Church Road, Bolinbroke. By 1914, the family were living at Laughton Wood Cottage, Gainsborough.

On 9th November 1914, Irvine joined the 2/5th Lincolns, a Territorial Battalion based at Grimsby, his Attestation Papers describing him as 20 years old, 5' 6" in height and with good vision and good physical development. On 17th January 1914, he signed Army Form E.624 agreeing to serve outside the United Kingdom in the event of national emergency. After a period of basic training, he was transferred to the 1/5th Lincolns on 17th March 1915. This Battalion had actually gone to France on 1st March and Irvine would join them on the Western Front on 25th June, a member of the first draft of reinforcements under Lieutenant Walcott. The draft travelled by train to Poperinghe and was met on the road by the Regimental Band, who played them to their bivouac in an open field near the village of Ouderdom, where they were received with great enthusiasm.

On June 29th, the Battalion paraded at 7.00pm and marched seven miles to the trenches south of Hooge, where Irvine would have his first experience of life in the front line. Routine trench warfare interspersed with periods in reserve and at rest continued throughout the following months. On the 13th October 1915, the 1/5th Lincolns took part in the 46th (North Midland) Division's attack on the German positions around the Hohenzollern Redoubt. The Lincolns went over the top in the first wave and were cut down by heavy rifle and machine gun fire, suffering appalling casualties. 23 officers went into action, of whom 11 were killed and 11 were wounded, one of the latter subsequently dying of his wounds. 285 other ranks were reported killed or missing and 175 were wounded. A full description of the action can be read in the Battalion history. According to this "The attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt was a feat of arms of which the Battalion will be ever proud, but the enormous number of casualties practically destroyed it for the time being as a fighting unit. The survivors for a short period were shaken and depressed and all organization was destroyed, but the task of rebuilding the Battalion on its old lines and traditions was begun at once, and carried through ultimately with entire success. "

Private Irvine Ross suffered a gunshot wound to the neck in the attack and was evacuated to England on 18th October. After five months, he was sufficiently recovered to be sent back to the 1/5th Lincolns and would serve with them from 19th March 1916 through to 26th January 1917. On 1st July 1916, the Battle of the Somme commenced and the Lincolns were in reserve for the Division's attack on the Gommecourt Salient. A full account of this action, again from the Battalion history, can be read here. On 26th January 1917, Irvine Ross was again evacuated back to England but the surviving pages from his Service Record do not reveal the reason for this. In August 1917, he was discharged from the army and awarded a Silver War Badge for "Services Rendered". He had served a total of 2 years and 283 days.

Irvine is remembered on the Scotton Roll of Honour, which was "erected by this grateful village to commemorate its faithful sons who fought for England and liberty" and is located in the church of St Genewys. He is also listed on the Roll of Honour in Scotton Chapel. He died in 1964 at the age of 69. In 2006 a new memorial was unveiled on the site of the Hohenzollern Redoubt to commemorate the men of the 46th (North Midland) Division who died there in October 1915. You can read more about the battle and the memorial here and here.