Pte
Samuel Dempster
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1896 |
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Place of birth: Tongland, Kirkcudbrightshire, 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: Private |
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Service number: S/13449 |
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Units: — Gordon Highlanders, 8/10th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 03/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Casualty Clearing Stations, Brandhoek, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Died of wounds (D.O.W.) |
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Age: 21 |
Cemetery
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Brandhoek New Military Cemetery Plot: 2 Row: G Grave: 16 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
The main offensive of the Battle of Passchendaele (Third Battle of Ypres) began on the 31st of July 1917. The Gordon Highlanders 8/10th Battalion part of the 44th Brigade of the 15th (Scottish) Division advanced that day at zero hour, 3.50 a.m. The Division attacked with two brigades, the 44th on the right of the divisional front and the 46th on the left plus the 45th in support. The 44th Brigade went forward with three Battalions, the 8/10th Battalion Gordon Highlanders on the right, the 9th Battalion Black Watch on the left and the 8th Seaforths in support. The right flank of the Gordon Highlanders rested on the Ypres-Roulers railroad.
The 8/10th Gordon Highlanders were the leading Battalion on the right. At 3.50 a.m. the British artillery brought down a barrage and the Gordons started advancing behind it. The German barrage on the British front line was put down four minutes after the men advanced and all companies got clear of the shelling. The advancing companies did have difficulties in keeping in touch with their flanks, due to the darkness and the utter destruction off al landmarks, as a result of the heavy preliminary British bombardments on the German positions. Notwithstanding by 4.25 a.m. the Gordons took the first objective, the Blue Line, with little loss and kept up with the barrage. The advance was resumed and the 8/10th Gordons reached the Black Line, the second objective, at 5.55 a.m. The German defenders put up a fierce fight and the Gordons had to rush the German pill-boxes with bayonets and hand grenades. After severe fighting the Gordons captured their final objective and consolidated the line.
The Gordons held the Black Line and at 10.10 a.m. the 45th Brigade advanced through the divisional front on to the last objective of the attack, the Green Line. The 45th Brigade had to wait for over two hours, because the artillery had to be pulled forward. Once the artillery was in place the 45th Brigade could attack. After advancing some 400 yards they were halted and had to dug in in front of the Gordons. The 11th Argyles and Seaforth Highlanders established a defensive line facing north-east. During the day the Germans made several attempts to recapture lost ground, but they were stopped each time. The Lewis-gun fire from the Gordons played a big part in breaking up the German counter-attacks.
During the rainy and muddy night the Gordons relieved the Argylls in the frontline, which had suffered heavy casualties due to German shell- an machinegun fire. On the next day at 3 p.m. the Germans launched a heavy counter attack on a front about 1000 yards wide along the railroad. It was still incessantly raining, since 7 p.m. The German attack was covered by machine guns, which caused heavy casualties. The 8th Division on the Gordons left began to retreat, which exposed the Gordons’ left flank. Subsequently the Gordons pulled back near the ruins of Frezenberg station, North Station Buildings, where they reorganized. Together with a company of the 7th Cameron Highlanders the Gordons counterattacked the German right flank and managed to regain the original front line by 4 p.m. Firing as they advanced under heavy machinegun fire they managed to drove the Germans from their gains. The British artillery remained silent during the attack until the German troops retreated. The Germans got caught between the British barrage and the British infantry. The Germans suffered heavy casualties and a number of them surrendered, some waving white sheets, though many were killed while trying to surrender.
The 8/10th Battalion Gordon Highlanders were relieved in the frontlines on the 2nd of August by the 7th Cameron Highlanders. The Gordon Highlanders 8/10th Battalion suffered heavy casualties during their three days at the front. Two officers were killed while fourteen were wounded. Of the other ranks, 36 were killed in action, 59 men went missing and 227 men were wounded. We believe Private Samuel Dempster was one of the 227 men who were wounded. He was probably hit during the German counterattack, followed by a counterattack of the Battalion. We believe he got wounded on the 2nd of August, because he died on the 3rd of August 1917 at Brandhoek, a hamlet close to the village of Vlamertinge. The hamlet was within the area comparatively safe from shell fire and counted a number of Casualty Clearing Stations. Field ambulances were posted there continuously. Private Samuel Dempster was probably wounded and evacuated to one of the Casualty Clearing Stations at Brandhoek, where he died of his wounds. He was buried on Brandhoek New Military Cemetery.
The 8/10th Gordon Highlanders were the leading Battalion on the right. At 3.50 a.m. the British artillery brought down a barrage and the Gordons started advancing behind it. The German barrage on the British front line was put down four minutes after the men advanced and all companies got clear of the shelling. The advancing companies did have difficulties in keeping in touch with their flanks, due to the darkness and the utter destruction off al landmarks, as a result of the heavy preliminary British bombardments on the German positions. Notwithstanding by 4.25 a.m. the Gordons took the first objective, the Blue Line, with little loss and kept up with the barrage. The advance was resumed and the 8/10th Gordons reached the Black Line, the second objective, at 5.55 a.m. The German defenders put up a fierce fight and the Gordons had to rush the German pill-boxes with bayonets and hand grenades. After severe fighting the Gordons captured their final objective and consolidated the line.
The Gordons held the Black Line and at 10.10 a.m. the 45th Brigade advanced through the divisional front on to the last objective of the attack, the Green Line. The 45th Brigade had to wait for over two hours, because the artillery had to be pulled forward. Once the artillery was in place the 45th Brigade could attack. After advancing some 400 yards they were halted and had to dug in in front of the Gordons. The 11th Argyles and Seaforth Highlanders established a defensive line facing north-east. During the day the Germans made several attempts to recapture lost ground, but they were stopped each time. The Lewis-gun fire from the Gordons played a big part in breaking up the German counter-attacks.
During the rainy and muddy night the Gordons relieved the Argylls in the frontline, which had suffered heavy casualties due to German shell- an machinegun fire. On the next day at 3 p.m. the Germans launched a heavy counter attack on a front about 1000 yards wide along the railroad. It was still incessantly raining, since 7 p.m. The German attack was covered by machine guns, which caused heavy casualties. The 8th Division on the Gordons left began to retreat, which exposed the Gordons’ left flank. Subsequently the Gordons pulled back near the ruins of Frezenberg station, North Station Buildings, where they reorganized. Together with a company of the 7th Cameron Highlanders the Gordons counterattacked the German right flank and managed to regain the original front line by 4 p.m. Firing as they advanced under heavy machinegun fire they managed to drove the Germans from their gains. The British artillery remained silent during the attack until the German troops retreated. The Germans got caught between the British barrage and the British infantry. The Germans suffered heavy casualties and a number of them surrendered, some waving white sheets, though many were killed while trying to surrender.
The 8/10th Battalion Gordon Highlanders were relieved in the frontlines on the 2nd of August by the 7th Cameron Highlanders. The Gordon Highlanders 8/10th Battalion suffered heavy casualties during their three days at the front. Two officers were killed while fourteen were wounded. Of the other ranks, 36 were killed in action, 59 men went missing and 227 men were wounded. We believe Private Samuel Dempster was one of the 227 men who were wounded. He was probably hit during the German counterattack, followed by a counterattack of the Battalion. We believe he got wounded on the 2nd of August, because he died on the 3rd of August 1917 at Brandhoek, a hamlet close to the village of Vlamertinge. The hamlet was within the area comparatively safe from shell fire and counted a number of Casualty Clearing Stations. Field ambulances were posted there continuously. Private Samuel Dempster was probably wounded and evacuated to one of the Casualty Clearing Stations at Brandhoek, where he died of his wounds. He was buried on Brandhoek New Military Cemetery.
Sources 2
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Falls C., The Gordon Highlanders in the First World War 1914-1919, (Aberdeen, Aberdeen University Press, 1957), pg. 152-155. Sources used |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995), pg. 25-34. 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/430300 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=32464fbb-0697-4825-9224-7190b85b7064 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/1167225 |