#16936 Private James Kennedy
13TH ROYAL SCOTS
IN EARLY AUGUST A DIVISION of Scottish troops had taken over the area to the left of High Wood. The trenches were in a disgusting condition thanks to a combination of the recent fighting and shelling in the area, and due to the constant rain. On arrival, the line consisted of shell holes strung together and shallow ditches. They were going to have to ‘work like Trojans’ to gain any cover.
Among the new occupants of the sector was a 29-year-old labourer from Alloa serving with the 13th Royal Scots named James Kennedy. Enlisting in January 1915, James had been ever present on the Western Front since the summer of that year and, when his time on the Somme began, was as yet unharmed physically, despite the horrors of the Battle of Loos at the tail end of 1915.
James’ early days next to High Wood were comparatively quiet. He and his companions were to get straight to work in spite of the maintenance that needed doing on their lines, raiding trenches ‘and otherwise annoying the enemy’. The Germans opposite appeared to be confused at this point, having suffered numerous small setbacks. James and the rest of his battalion spent their time working hard to link their forward line with an old British trench behind. The Switch Line in front of them running out of High Wood had turned out to be empty, so it had been occupied and they slung out new posts in front of it.
The 13th Royal Scots were not involved during operations on 18th August, but came up the following day to relieve a battalion of the Highland Light Infantry that had been part of the assault. Their three-day stay in the trenches was uncomfortable, not only on account of the weather but because they were harassed by German gas shells. Casualties mounted until James and his fellow Scotsmen were relieved again on the 22nd. There was to be little respite for the 13th Royal Scots. Now James was employed as part of constant work parties, wading through mud as the battalion accumulated more losses all the while carrying supplies back up to the front lines. The cycle of exhausting work continued when, on 27th August, James Kennedy’s company was sent into the firing line with another to relieve a battalion of the South Wales Borderers. Casualties began to mount again immediately. Eleven men were killed and another nine wounded just taking up their new positions. The trenches were in a neglected state and almost uninhabitable. In full view of High Wood, James and his comrades were under constant heavy shellfire from the enemy guns in that direction as 28th August dawned. Fourteen men of the 13th Royal Scots were wounded that day, and two killed, including James Kennedy, another victim of the daily attrition on the Somme. James left behind a wife, Catherine, and three sons: James, 9; John, 3 and 1-year-old George. His body, if recovered, was never identified and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier & Face 6d/7d.