Chalmers, John Stewart (1882 - 1918)

Major, 9th Bn. Higland Light Infantry

Buried at Ploegsteert Memorial

Commemorated at Scottish National War Memorial

Major John S Chalmers joined the High School of Glasgow soon after it was opened and left to begin his apprenticeship to law. Like so many of his contemporaries he remained to the last deeply attached to his old School, and the headmaster had several letters from him in which he showed that he kept in touch with all its doings. Soon after completing his apprenticeship he started in business for himself as a law agent, but also found time to join the Glasgow Highlanders as a commissioned officer.

When war began he was mobilised with his battalion and went to France in November 1914. No one who passed through the first winter in the trenches will ever forget the experience. Trying as the following years were, they were almost picnics compared with the winter of 1914. Major Chalmers came seemingly unharmed through the worst of it, but when home on leave he had a serious illness which kept him at home for a long time.

When he recovered he was appointed to raise, train, and command a company of divisional cyclists. In August 1917, he returned to France to his old battalion, and came safely through the terrible trials that marked the autumn of that year. During the critical days of April 1918, when the Germans were making their final effort for the possession of the Channel ports, the Glasgow Highlanders played a heroic part in stemming the onset.

They held part of the line between Bailleul and Neuve Eglise, and there while commanding the advanced company Major Chalmers was struck by a shell and killed instantaneously. He will always be remembered by his contemporaries for his fine qualities of leadership, which found a wider field for their exercise than he or they ever dreamed of.

Reproduced with permission from the University of Glasgow Roll of Honour: http://www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk/ww1-intro/