Archibald Breingan

34640 Private

1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, 95th Infantry Brigade, 5th Division

Age: 26

Date of Death: Killed in Action 30.10.17

Buried: Menin Road South Military Cemetery III.H.17

Family history: Son of Mr & Mrs Breingan, Melville Street, Falkirk. He had two brothers William, who was killed serving in the R.N.D. and Harry. Husband of Caroline Breingan, 16A Grahams Road, Falkirk. Before enlisting he was employed in the Bainsford and Grahamston Co-operative Society.

The action leading to his death

The War Diary states that the Battalion was in the front line on the west side of the Menin Road. The front line bent back towards Lewis House which enabled a German machine gun to enfilade the positions thereby making movement by day impossible. Communication with Battalion HQ was only possible via light or pigeon. The Battalion was engaged in improving the trenches in their area.

(Linesman Map)

On the 29/30 October the War Dairy reported that the battalions rations were brought up to Clapham Junction at 7am by the battalion transport. They were then taken on by DCLI to battalion HQ. From there they were taken to the Gloucesters Support Company east of Tower Hamlets and dumped. The War Diary highlights that this is not a satisfactory arrangements as most of the battalions rations, at least the things in demand such as water, Tommy cookers and rum, are stolen.

Men from the battalion, Archibald was one of them, were sent down to watch over the rations and to accompany the DCLI carrying party with the rations. As they were moving along the track the party was caught by a burst of shell fire and ten men were killed. One of them being Archibald Breingan.