David McLaren
Regiment # 177503
Personal Info David McLaren was born on August 30, 1896 in Renfrew, ON to David Barr and Rebecca (McRae) McLaren. His father was working as a merchant at the time. David was the third of six children including Duncan, John, Jean, Isabella, and Rebecca. David’s mother Rebecca died in 1904, the day after she gave birth to David’s youngest sister Rebecca. David’s father remarried in 1906 to Isabella Crane and the family was living at RR#2 Carleton Place, several years later moving back to Renfrew. David was 5’9, single, blue eyes, dark hair, farmer by trade, and attended the Presbyterian church and was 19 years old when he enlisted. Two of his brothers Duncan and John enlisted as well.
Military Movements
David McLaren swore his oath of attestation in Montreal on November 10, 1915, and was formally accepted for enlistment in WWI on November 11, 1915. He officially joined the 87th Battalion, the Canadian Grenadier Guards. David trained with the 87th in Smiths Falls. On April 23, 1916, the 87th Battalion departed Canada on the R.M.S. Empress of Britain and arrived in Liverpool, England on May 5, 1916.
The battalion arrived on May 27 and was billeted at Bramshott Military Camp as part of the 12th Infantry Brigade until June 1916 and then designated as part of the 11th Infantry Brigade of the 4th Canadian Infantry Division in August of the same year. During the period in England, the battalion received training from an officer and four drill sergeants from the British Grenadier Guards, all trench veterans, all previously wounded in action WIA. On August 11, 1916 the battalion crossed over to France and landed at Le Havre, France on August 13, 1916 with 1,090 men. The battalion served the duration of the war as part of the 11th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Infantry Division.
First Actions & casualties
Following the Battle of Mont Sorrel, 303 members of the 87th Battalion were detached to reinforce the 1st Battalion Ontario Regiment, CEF. The initial loss of men was replaced by 391 officers & men from the 77th, Battalion, Ottawa CEF, from the GGFG. The battalion was introduced and indoctrinated into trench warfare beginning August 18, 1916 in the Ypres area. Their first casualties, two wounded, occurred that same day. The first 87th Battalion fatality occurred on August 26, 1916. Total casualties for the first weeks of the war were eventually 17 killed in action and 25 wounded in action. On September 16, 1916, David and the 87th battalion participated in their first trench raid resulting in 36 casualties more than half of the 60 engaged unit members.
Battle of the Somme
On October 10, 1916, the 87th Battalion was relocated to Albert area along the Ancre area where the Germans methodically shelled the town every night at six o'clock with their evening dosage of 30 shells. On the night of October 17, 1916, the 87th Battalion moved forward to relieve the 54th Battalion CEF, which was covering a frontage of 400 yards just north of the village of Courcelette, France. The area " … was dreadful beyond words. The stench of the dead was sickening. In many places arms and legs of dead men stuck out of the trench walls." The battalion got lost amidst the destruction and around 0200 hours found themselves in the darkness" ... half-way across 'No Man's Land,' several hundred yards beyond [their] front line and likely to be utterly wiped out in twenty seconds should the Germans sight us." When they finally reached their intended front line position they found nothing more than shell holes connected by shallow ditches. The early hours of 18 October would be hazardous. Within 15 minutes of reaching their position the Germans welcomed the fresh troops with an artillery barrage. On October 21, 1016 the Battalion attacked and took a section of Regina Trench. The Canadian First Division fought through two German defence lines. Although they successfully took the first two lines, the third, the Regina Trench line, was very difficult. The reasons for the difficulty were the huge barbed wire entanglements and many machine gun shots, one of which hit David McLaren. Amidst this confusion and shells, the rain started. The pouring rain caused the dirt to turn to mud. The soldier’s packs weighed 65 pounds and this heavy weight caused the soldiers to sink. The soldiers sinking actually caused some to drown. The conditions were called “A nightmare of the foulest sort.” Two months of attack after attack on the Regina Trench line, all unsuccessful, were made, due to the failure of artillery to cut the barbed wire in front of the German position, the scarcity of grenades, and poorly trained reinforcements. In late October, the three battered divisions of the Canadian Corps limped off the Somme having suffered 20,000 casualties.
Medical Record David McLaren was shot near Rouen on October 26, 1916 suffering a gunshot wound to the head. He was transferred to #5 Hospital in Rouen, where he died 7 days later on November 1, 1916.
Lest We Forget David McLaren was in the war for less than one year before he was killed at the age of 20. He is buried in France at the St. Seyer Cemetery in Rouen.
Cemetery: ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION (ROUEN)
Seine-Maritime, France
Grave Reference: O. I. Q. 1.
by Aine Kearns