100 years ago today - 30th July 1916

Daniel McKay - born 16th  June 1898, Dumfries, died 30th July 1916, on the Somme.

My great-uncle, Daniel, had just passed his 18th birthday.   He was conscripted into Kitchener's New Army, into the 10/11th Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry.  In July 1916, his battalion was part of the 15th Division.

He probably died at the Battle of Pozières, a two week struggle for a strategically placed village near Thiepval.    The Battle is chiefly remembered as a result of the very heavy loss of Australian forces, but British Divisions were engaged at every stage too.  

At that particular stage of the battle is was impossible to retrieve bodies from where they fell - the sheer volume being the chief reason.   I heard on a TV programme the other night the dismaying fact that in the very hot weather of that battle, and the presence of massive numbers of flies, that a body would just disappear in about nine days.    His name is on the monument at Thiepval remembering all those who simply disappeared into the ground of the Somme.

Daniel's mother was eventually sent £2/3/-  his worth at the time of his death.

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?  
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.  
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle  
Can patter out their hasty orisons.........    

W. Owen