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Hi mgnv
Thank you for your super support and amazing data. I will spend the next few days going over your findings. again thanks for your help

Best regards
Ian

If your guy was in the 1/8 bn A & S H, then thru 1917, they were part of the 51st div.
Technically, they were not part of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Vimy Ridge was the highest part of the ridge, and was in the Canadian (1st army) sector. The ridge ended to the north, where a river valley ran. however, it picked up again on the other side of the valley as the Lorette Spur. The Canadian sector was abt 6km wide, and gradually flattened out to the south, where it fell under the British 17 (3rd army) corps. On 9/4/1917, the 51st div assaulted on the Canadians southern flank as part of 17 Corps in what was later termed the First Battle of the Scarpe (Apr 9-14) for the 3rd army. There was a 2nd battle (Apr 23-24) and a 3rd battle (May 3-4, which didn't involve the 51st div).

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/princess-louises-argyll-sutherland-highlanders/
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/51st-highland-division/
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/battles-of-the-western-front-in-france-and-flanders/the-arras-offensive-1917-battle-of-arras/

Here is a document on the battle of Vimy Ridge:
http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/Vimy_e.pdf

The interesting bits for you are the map on image 83 of 154.

Note the village of Ecurie in the centre of the map, 2km above the S edge.
The army boundary runs 200 yds N of Ecurie at an angle of N 70 E towards Willerval.
There is a statement on the progress of the 51st div on image 96 of 154.

There are 2 sites with large collections of trench maps - the Nat Lib Scot, and McMaster.

http://digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca/islandora/object/macrepo%3A73004
has a map that covers the 51st sector.
Note the chain of villages above the "3rd army situation map" label, viz
Les Tilleuls - Thelus Wood - Farbus - Willerval
Also Ecurie is located at Sheet 51.A.27.b.9.7.
The textual Description below the map tells us it's part of Sheet 51.
There's a heavy grid line just E of Thelus Wood. If we follow that line S to the centre of the map, we'll see the letters:

A B
G H

that identify the big blocks of squares.
Each square is 1000 yds x 1000 yds, and is partitioned into 4 quadrants.
The letter G is in square G.6 - This square gives a reminder of how the quadrants are identified by the letters a-d.
Anyway, moving W to square A.27 in quadrant b, we pick the easting in the range 0-9, then the northing in the range 0-9.
This identifies a 50 x 50 yd square - adequate for most purposes.
If we wanted more accuracy (e.g., for counter-battery artillery work), we could use an easting in the range 00-99, with a similar range for the northing, and identify a 5 x 5 yard square.

-------------

If you know your guy was in the 1/8 bn A & S H, I would check if Ancestry has their unit war diary. This identifies on a day by day basis what the unit was doing.

Incidentally, if you've never seen unit war diaries, you might check out:

http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e044/e001079152.jpg
thru
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e044/e001079167.jpg
[just edit the URL in the address bar to get the next page]

That was April 1917 (with appendix) for 5th Can inf bn, the unit on the 51st div's left.
Actually, in
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e044/e001079164.jpg
we learn the unit they were next to was the 4th Seaforths and, checking the 2nd of the LLT URLs I gave above, we see the 4th Seaforths were in 154 Bde, whereas 8th A & S H were in 152 Bde.

Hi Austin
Yes that is the James Paterson we have been researching.
Thanks to the fantastic help from my friends here on Genes I now have loads of interesting family history details to write up for and present to William son of James Paterson.

Best regards to all that helped

Ian

hI all I have been speaking to my old friend tonight and he his now saying that he believes his father James Paterson was shot at
Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War.
Period: April 9, 1917 – April 12, 1917

This ties in with note given above

Hi Austin must agree with your comments above family knows for sure he was Lance Corporal and shot in his left elbow at some point during the war and was medically discharged and returned to being a Iron moulder.
So you are correct the soldier shot 1915 in my notes could not be him.

This is re the Lance Corporal record posted on page one:

Name: James Paterson
Military Year: 1914-1915
Rank: Lance Corporal
Medal Awarded: 1914-15 Star
Regiment or Corps: Labour Corps
Regimental Number: 469658
Previous Units: 7th Bn. A & S. Hdrs. 2775. Pte.
Name: James Paterson
Military Year: 1914-1915

Same man:
First name(s) J
Last name Paterson
Service number 644
Rank Lance Corporal
Corps Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Service record Soldier Number: 644, Rank: Lance Corporal, Corps: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Rank: Lance Corporal
Medal Awarded: 1914-15 Star
Regiment or Corps: Labour Corps
Regimental Number: 469658
Previous Units: 7th Bn. A & S. Hdrs. 2775. Pte.
Date of disembarkation: 15: 12: 1914
Discharged 04: 03:1919

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6382229#imageViewerLink

But according to the newspaper article, he wrote to his father, in 1917 he was wounded and had returned to a War Hospital in Leeds.

From the address we know the article is the correct man, so he can't have been discharged after being shot in 1915.

It doesn't fit with the information that we know is correct.

James son of Janet and William Paterson of 37 Main Street, Bainsford
In 1917 he was a Lance Corporal in the A & S Highlanders
In 1917 he wrote to his father to say he was wounded
In 1917 he was in a War hospital in Leeds

Hi all the family knows that he did receive the 1914/15 Star medal, he was shot in the left elbow and was returned to British Hospital and after this he was discharged of duty so all above looks good.
Would be good to find his sign up details and papers

The medal card of that soldier just has him listed as 'private'

If same person as above, this also shows in RE - No. WR/300254. There is also a note "See Pattison James Identical"

James Paterson
in the British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920

Name: James Paterson
[James Pattison]
Regiment or Corps: Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders), Royal Engineers, Army Service Corps
Regimental Number: 946, WR/300254, ET/58728

shows Awarded Victory and British Medals and the 1914/15 Star. Says first entered theatre of war (1) on 19.12.14

Hi Austin
Attachment works great my friend thank you for your help
Ian

Ian, I've sent you the whole page so you can see the article I posted above re James:

Forgot to add to my message that it was from:
Falkirk Herald - Saturday 21 April 1917

If you do decide to get a months subscription to the British Newspaper Archive I don't think you'll regret it. Try searching for discount codes before buying.

Hi Chris I will take a look at your link to new paper thank you

Would it be possible for you to show so more links to the paper new items as I would love to print copies of them out for my friend to see.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

(you could always get a months subscription on above, filter to County, then off you go, lol, search by name, address, different keywords etc., list is endless!, very time consuming, well worth the effort!)

Chris :)

WOW you guys are all amazing thank you all so much.

Just for interest I too am helping as I am trying to find these details for a friend of mine called William Paterson he is the son of James Paterson and William Paterson is his Uncle Willie
My friend is now 94 years old and he is going to be totally amazed with your findings and details

I again thank you all
My friend as always wondered if there could be any military records for is father . Later in his life James Paterson went onto to be very successful and received an MBE

(below look to relate also, if family stayed at 37. First one Dollar Park Draught Board) (just quick version!)

Chris :)

The contestants were two local enthusiasts in Mr W. Paterson, 37 Main Street, Bainsford, and Mr W. Mitchell, the Hedges. Camelon. The draughtsmen are manipulated by means of poles which fit to ...”

06 June 1931 - Falkirk Herald - Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland


FALKIRK PLAYER.—Draughts enthusiasts in the district will learn with regret of the passing of William Paterson, in his 78th year, at his home at Main Street, Bainsford, last Saturday morning. The late Mr Paterson was well known in draughts circles. As a member ...”

03 June 1933 - Falkirk Herald - Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyll_and_Sutherland_Highlanders

(above might be worth a read for info.)

Just did the same!! :)

Falkirk Herald - Saturday 21 April 1917

Lance Corporal Jas Paterson A & S Highlanders whose father resides at 37 Main Street, Bainsford, Falkirk has written home stating that he has been wounded and is at present in a war Hospital in Leeds. Lance Corporal Paterson joined the colours immediately after the outbreak of hostilities and in December 1914 was drafted to France. He is 19 years of age and prior to enlisting he was employed in Grahamston Iron Works as a moulder.

I entered the address onto FMP newspaper search Austin. LOL