Lieutenant Colonel William Drysdale
COMMANDING 7TH LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT
BACK IN RAWLINSON’S FOURTH ARMY sector, the fight for objectives such as Gueudecourt was still continuing as Gough’s men attempted to conquer the Thiepval Ridge. Units present that had not yet seen action on the Somme were now rare. Commanding a battalion in the Leicester Tigers Brigade, which had distinguished itself at Bazentin on 14th July, was a career army man with a wealth of experience.
Thirty-nine-year-old William Drysdale had been a regular in the 2nd Royal Scots. Born in Kirkcaldy and educated at the Loretto School, Musselburgh, and Sandhurst, in a twenty-year military career William had served in Burma and India. As well as a long track record of competency in his work, he also had a bronze medal from the Royal Humane Society for ‘a plucky endeavour to save Private Weaver’, who had sadly drowned in a river near Poona. By 1907 William was at Staff College, where he was a keen cricket, hockey, golf and tennis player. He held a number of staff appointments, before he was appointed a brigade major to 7th Division. This proved to be his first wartime role. Wounded during the First Battle of Ypres, William stayed with his brigade nonetheless and was awarded the DSO before being taken away to recover. He had served at the front again on the staff until he was given command of the 7th Leicesters. William was wounded on 14th July, the day that Luther Cordin was killed under his command, as the battalion was marching up into position in front of Mametz Wood. Ever keen, as soon as he recovered, William took back his command and was now with his battalion at Gueudecourt.
On 25th September, as Rawlinson’s army began its assault, the 7th Leicesters were in reserve and did not leave their bivouacs until 5am, sending two companies up towards the front line. Gueudecourt had finally fallen on 26th September and they were to be filing into the line nearby. On 29th September, Lieutenant Colonel Drysdale was killed by a sniper as he carried out an early reconnaissance of the village before his battalion was due to take over the north and north-east parts of the village.
Another officer was passing the regimental aid post laden with rations when he noticed a stretcher holding a covered body on the ground. ‘I lifted up the blanket to see who it was and found it was the commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Drysdale, who had just been brought in, shot through the head by a sniper.’ Throughout the day a number of men approached the body, saluting and paying their respects. One brigadier would miss him sorely. ‘Working with him,’ he wrote, ‘put more life and go into one than I ever thought possible. He had the soundest possible judgement, and it was his spirit that really made the 110th Brigade what it was.’ William Drysdale left behind a wife of twelve years, May, and three sons, William, 11, John, 7, and 5-year-old James. He was laid to rest at Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, plot VI.E.11.