Milne, James

SOLDIER DETAILS:

Milne, James
Private 73rd Battalion 126440
November 12, 1916
Vimy Memorial
Parents of Moffat (Halton) Ontario
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Haltonville Cenotaph
R. Laughton

Vimy Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves

James Milne is remembered on the Halton Cenotaph and the Vimy Memorial.

Many other Halton Soldiers share a place with James on the Vimy Memorial.

Other Links:

	CEFSG Matrix Unit Information, 73rd to 85th
	Library and Archives Canada, War Diary of November 1916
	Nicholson Chapter VI and Map 5 for Battles of the Somme

The 73rd Battalion was replaced in the 4th Division by the 85th Battalion in February 1917.

SOLDIER SUMMARY:

James Milne was an American by birth (Saginaw, Michigan) but at the time of his attestation on September 9, 1915 his parents Alexander and Christina were residing in the border area of Milton and Guelph (Moffat), in the County of Halton.

He listed prior military experience with the 30th Regiment "Wellington Rifles" from Guelph. From his service number and records we know that he attested to the 71st Infantry Battalion "D" Coy, which did not serve as an active field unit. The 71st was absorbed by the 54th Battalion. James went to the 51st Battalion on May 28, 1915. He was confirmed as a Lance Corporal on November 8, 1915 but reverted in rank to Private, at his own request, on June 14, 1916.

James Milne transferred to the 73rd Infantry Battalion (12th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division) on May 27, 1916 as a Lance Corporal. He personally requested his rank be reverted from Lance Corporal to Private. His pay records confirm that request was granted.

From July to November 1916 the CEF was heavily involved in the Battles of the Somme, and in particular the Battle of Ancre Heights to take Regina and Desire Trenches. The War Diary of November 11, 1916 shows the 73rd in the front of Regina Trench. A strong counter attack was expected and there was heavy shelling of the support trenches. Heavy casualties were reported for that period. It is unknown where exactly or how Private James Milne perished. As with so many, he is remembered on the ramparts of the Vimy Memorial.

The soldier pages contain information that is available from a number of resources. The following hyperlinks are active where the information is available:

	Soldier Name: Veteran Affairs Canada, Canadian Virtual War Memorial
	Soldier Number: Library and Archives Canada, Attestation Papers
	Cemetery: Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Debt of Honour Register
	Remembrance: Maple Leaf Legacy Project, Remembrance of Canada's War Dead

The summary of the service is taken from the soldier's service records, if they were available from Library and Archives Canada. A complete copy of the service record is available in electronic and paper format in the Alex Cooke Memorial Archives at the Milton Historical Society. Using that summary, combined with the key references, a summary of the events leading up to the death of the soldier has been prepared. The research information available is as noted on the Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group web site Matrix Project as well as in the Library and Archives Canada On-Line War Diaries.

A summary of all the soldiers is contained on the Web Blog "Great War Soldiers of Milton, Ontario CANADA". Please also be sure to purchase your own copy of "Milton Remembers World War I - The Men and Women We Never Knew" by John Challinor II and Jim Dills, edited by Ken Lamb.