b. ? d. ?
DATE OF AM ACTION: 02/08/1918 Bailleul, France.
James McLaughlin AM
James McLaughlin served with the 1st/5th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during the Great War, and was awarded his Albert Medal, the only one awarded to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, near Bailleul, France, whilst attached to the 157th Trench Mortar Battery. He received his medal from King George V at Buckingham Palace on 21st December 1918. He was living at 35 Logie Street, Govan, Glasgow at the time of his award.
AM CITATION:
On the 2nd August, 1918, Private McLaughlin, in the course of his duty, was examining a Stokes Mortar shell in a gunpit in which there ware nine other men and about 150 Stokes shells, when the striker of the shell gave way and ignited the fuse, timed to explode in thirteen seconds. McLaughlin warned the others, and, taking the shell with him, ran from the pit by the narrow rear exit and along a sap which he had difficulty in reaching, as the ground was slippery. It was necessary to traverse this sap for some distance to ensure that the inevitable explosion did not affect the men or the shells in the gunpit. The shell exploded as McLaughlin was throwing it clear and blew off his hand. It is stated that his action undoubtedly saved the lives of all the men in the gunpit.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: PRIVATELY HELD. SOLD FOR £6,000 AT DNW IN MAY 2017.
