Drummond, James M

Person

Drummond, James M

James Moffat Drummond was born in Glasgow on the 8th May 1885 to Mary Drummond (née Moffat) and William Drummond, a commercial traveller. Drummond attended The Glasgow School of Art from 1904 to 1910 as a part time student of design and later drawing and painting from 1907. He then re-joined GSA from 1911 to 1914 as a full time student of drawing and painting. He held a number of occupations whilst he studied including a salesman, carver, designer, litho artist and photo processing clerk. During the First World War, Drummond served as a Private in the Cameron Highlanders 7th battalion where he died on the 25th September 1915, aged 30. It is likely that Drummond died in the Battle of Loos which took place from the 25th of September to the 15th of October 1915. The 25th of September saw the first use of British poison gas which allowed them to access the first evacuated German trench. The soldiers were attacked by German grenades and were forced to retreat. A total of 950 men were lost that day. Some of the 7th battalion fell victim to this gas poisoning after they removed their helmets due to breathing difficulties. It appears that Drummond could have been part of a Pals battalion as he attended GSA on the same semesters as students such as John McGirr, who also fought in this battalion and also died on the same day. Other students in this battalion include Donald McLeod and Andrew McWilliam. On 9th July 1915, the Cameron Highlanders 7th battalion landed in Boulogne and it is possible that this is where Drummond fell. A memorial stands for Drummond in Loos, France. Drummond is commemorated on The Glasgow School of Art's First World War Roll of Honour.

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Sources: Scotland's People: http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ ;The National Archives: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/; Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.co.uk; Lives of the First World War: https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/ The Long, Long Trail: http://www.1914-1918.net/cameron.htm; http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/battles-of-the-western-front-in-france-and-flanders/the-battle-of-loos/; Imperial War Museums: http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-pals-battalions-of-the-first-world-war

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