John Stewart Blackie

Blackie was commissioned into the 5th (Reserve) Battalion the Rifle Brigade.  As its name implies this was a depot/training battalion from which reinforcements were sent to the Front.  Blackie arrived in France either on the 20th April or on 20th June 1916 and joined the 1st Battalion part of 11th Brigade, 4th Division. The division was engaged several times in July in the early phases of the Battle of the Somme before being transferred to the Ypres sector towards the end of the month.  It returned to the Somme at the end of September and the battalion entered the front line west of Lesboeufs on 16th October. Over the next two days it was in action east of Lesboeufs on the northern slopes of the Morval Spur towards Le Transloy, suffering 261 casualties before being relieved.  Early in the morning of 18th October the Battalion mounted an attack to occupy some German trenches and gun pits.  ’I’ Company, in which Blackie was serving (probably as second in command), was in the centre of the line.  This company lost its direction and went too far but, realizing that, turned around and fought its way back and the survivors eventually regained the front line.  Both officers of ‘I Company were reported missing.