Cpl
John Cant
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1888 |
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Place of birth: Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Corporal |
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Service number: 351237 |
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Enlistment place: Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment), 1/9th Bn. (Highlanders) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 20/09/1917 |
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Place of death: No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station, Dozinghem, Westvleteren, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 29 |
Cemetery
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Dozinghem Military Cemetery Plot: V Row: D Grave: 14 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 19/05/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 19/05/1920 |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Corporal John Cant of the 1/9th Royal Scots, 154th Brigade, 51st Division partook in the Third Battle of Ypres, also known as The Battle of Passchendaele.
Originally from Edinburgh, Scotland Cant was married and is noted as having lived in Brussels, Belgium before the outbreak of the First World War. Upon the outbreak of the War he moved back to Scotland as a refugee, after which he enlisted for service.
On 19 September 1917 the 9th Battalion Royal Scots moved into the front line to assume their positions for the following day’s offensive, as the Battalion was to participate in The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge. The attack was to be carried out by 154th Brigade with the 9th Royal Scots on the right and the 4th Seaforth Highlanders on the left. Over the churned-up ground the march from Siege camp to the assembly area was an arduous undertaking. Several casualties are recorded; 10 Other Ranks Wounded.
On the 20th of September 1917 at Zero Hour 5.40 a.m. the British artillery put down a covering barrage. The men of the 9th Royal Scots got well away and advanced close behind the barrage with the Seaforths on their right side. The Royal Scots encountered strong resistance in and around Pheasant Trench. Considerable opposition came from strong points at Vieilles Maisons. But these were speedily overcome.
On the left from Poelkappelle Road to the Lekkerboterbeek, the attacking waves of “B” Company were stopped by heavy machine gun fire and the men were forced to withdraw to their original lines. Once reorganised they advanced again and managed to reach Pheasant trench. On finding the trench still occupied by Germans, the right flank commander and his unit worked their way along it, while the second wave of “D” company of the 9th Battalion passed by. Around 6.45 a.m. Pheasant Trench on the right between Vieilles Maisons and New Houses, including all adjacent strong points, was captured and consolidated.
The attack was continued and the 9th Royal Scots moved on to take Flora Cottage. They came under enfilade fire from Hübner Farm, in the 58th Division area, to their right. Lewis guns were sent to help the Londoners of the 58th Division to capture Hübner Farm. The Royals Scots went on and took their objective, the Blue Line. The Seaforths and 7th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders passed through in good time. On their way they cleared the remaining resistance in Pheasant trench.
Throughout the rest of the day the Germans intermittently shelled the Langemark-Poelkappelle Line. After a heavy bombardment, the Germans assembled for a counter attack around 6 p.m. The weight of the attack was directed on the left flank of the Brigade resulting in the Seaforths to retire to Pheasant Trench. Once the men were rallied and after collecting ammunition they were able to recapture the lost ground.
Corporal John Cant Died of Wounds on 20 September 1917, aged 29, and is buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery; Plot V, Row D, Grave 14. We can assume, that he was one of those 10 Wounded on the march up to the Front Line on 19 September or was mortally wounded during the attack on Pheasant Trench. According to the Scottish National Probate Index, he was evacuated to the 4th Casualty Clearing Station before succumbing to his wounds. The 4th, 47th and 61st Casualty Clearing Stations were posted at Dozinghem in the village of Westvleteren and the adjacent military cemetery was used by them until early in 1918.
Originally from Edinburgh, Scotland Cant was married and is noted as having lived in Brussels, Belgium before the outbreak of the First World War. Upon the outbreak of the War he moved back to Scotland as a refugee, after which he enlisted for service.
On 19 September 1917 the 9th Battalion Royal Scots moved into the front line to assume their positions for the following day’s offensive, as the Battalion was to participate in The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge. The attack was to be carried out by 154th Brigade with the 9th Royal Scots on the right and the 4th Seaforth Highlanders on the left. Over the churned-up ground the march from Siege camp to the assembly area was an arduous undertaking. Several casualties are recorded; 10 Other Ranks Wounded.
On the 20th of September 1917 at Zero Hour 5.40 a.m. the British artillery put down a covering barrage. The men of the 9th Royal Scots got well away and advanced close behind the barrage with the Seaforths on their right side. The Royal Scots encountered strong resistance in and around Pheasant Trench. Considerable opposition came from strong points at Vieilles Maisons. But these were speedily overcome.
On the left from Poelkappelle Road to the Lekkerboterbeek, the attacking waves of “B” Company were stopped by heavy machine gun fire and the men were forced to withdraw to their original lines. Once reorganised they advanced again and managed to reach Pheasant trench. On finding the trench still occupied by Germans, the right flank commander and his unit worked their way along it, while the second wave of “D” company of the 9th Battalion passed by. Around 6.45 a.m. Pheasant Trench on the right between Vieilles Maisons and New Houses, including all adjacent strong points, was captured and consolidated.
The attack was continued and the 9th Royal Scots moved on to take Flora Cottage. They came under enfilade fire from Hübner Farm, in the 58th Division area, to their right. Lewis guns were sent to help the Londoners of the 58th Division to capture Hübner Farm. The Royals Scots went on and took their objective, the Blue Line. The Seaforths and 7th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders passed through in good time. On their way they cleared the remaining resistance in Pheasant trench.
Throughout the rest of the day the Germans intermittently shelled the Langemark-Poelkappelle Line. After a heavy bombardment, the Germans assembled for a counter attack around 6 p.m. The weight of the attack was directed on the left flank of the Brigade resulting in the Seaforths to retire to Pheasant Trench. Once the men were rallied and after collecting ammunition they were able to recapture the lost ground.
Corporal John Cant Died of Wounds on 20 September 1917, aged 29, and is buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery; Plot V, Row D, Grave 14. We can assume, that he was one of those 10 Wounded on the march up to the Front Line on 19 September or was mortally wounded during the attack on Pheasant Trench. According to the Scottish National Probate Index, he was evacuated to the 4th Casualty Clearing Station before succumbing to his wounds. The 4th, 47th and 61st Casualty Clearing Stations were posted at Dozinghem in the village of Westvleteren and the adjacent military cemetery was used by them until early in 1918.
Sources 2
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Ewing J., The Royal Scots: 1914-1919, (Edinburgh, Oliver and Boyd, 1925), pg. 475-479. Sources used |
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McCarthy C., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Uniform, 2018), pg. 84-87. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/620133 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=31310479-da33-489b-ad37-25eaefaaa5ee |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/706393 |