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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 7:55 pm Post subject: Roxburgh |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:17 pm Post subject: |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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A World War Two veteren at Roxburgh.
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Adam Brown Curator
Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 7312 Location: Edinburgh (From Sutherland)
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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Ian
Thanks for posting this memorial. There's lots of information for anyone researching these names.
Adam |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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I felt honoured to place a poppy cross on the grave of Thomas Biggar, MM when I passed by Caestre military cemetery some years ago. He was a tailor in my home village of Heiton. In this small village (c160 residents) there were two families of tailors - the Biggars and the Afflecks. William Affleck won the Military Medal and I suspect that father Biggar let it be known that anything the Afflecks could do, the Biggars could do better! |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:43 pm Post subject: |
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Peter J Reid
Private Reid served with the 1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers. and died on 25/4/1915 in the Dardanelles. He was born at Faldonside, Roxburgh. Regimental number 10776. Awarded the 1914-15 Star. He was killed at the landing on 'Y' Beach in Gallipoli and is buried at Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery, Turkey. The battalion scaled steep cliffs after having waded ashore, sometimes up to their necks in the sea. Winston Churchill's brother, Jack, wrote of it:
Y Beach, the Scottish Borderer cried,
While panting up the steep hillside,
Y Beach!
To call this thing a beach is stiff,
It's nothing but a bloody cliff.
Why beach?
When discovered by the Turks, they were attacked by rifle fire and shrapnel. When grenades were thrown, they set fire to the gorse on the cliff top and the Borderers, not having had time to dig trenches, were silhouetted by the flames which made them easy targets for Turkish marksmen. |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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Thomas B Fairbairn
Private Fairbairn S/5340, served with the 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders and was killed on 9/5/15 aged 19. Son of Robert, a railway signalman, and Margaret Fairbairn, New Cottages, Roxburgh. Buried St Vaast Post Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L'Avoue. He was killed at the Battle of Aubers Ridge which was a complete failure, lasted less than one day, and resulted in 12,000 British and Indian casualties. |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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Peter Armstrong
Private Armstrong, S/14346, fought with the 7th Battalion Cameron Highlanders and was killed on 26/9/15, aged 26. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial. He was the son of William (general labourer, born Roxburgh) and Janet Liddell Armstrong of Heiton. The 1911 census has Peter (21) a 'general labourer' living with his father William (also a labourer) and mother Janet at 65, South side, Heiton. He was killed in the attack on Hill 70 at the Battle of Loos. The Camerons were a support battalion but streamed forward to take advantage of the successful capture of Loos. The village was over-run but small pockets of Germans were left behind and it may be that Armstrong was shot by one of these concealed snipers. |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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Robert Johnstone Alexander
Rifleman Alexander, 3687, served in the 1/8th London Regiment (Post Office Rifles). He died 21/5/16 aged 37 and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. Born in Roxburgh, he was a postman in the 1901 census. Son of William Alexander of Rose Cottage, Roxburgh. His battalion was part of the 140th brigade who were holding trenches at the previously quiet Berthonval sector on Vimy Ridge. On the 21st May, the Germans shelled it heavily, sending over 70,000 shells in just four hours prior to the blowing of a mine and an infantry attack. It is probable that Alexander was killed in this bombardment. |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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Charles Reid
Lance corporal Reid, 13532, served with the 8th Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers which, at the time of his death, had amalgamated with the 7th battalion to become the 7/8th. It had been engaged in an attack on the village of Martinpuich in the Battle of the Somme but withdrew to Divisional rest at a place called Behencourt. Reid died on 25/9/16 when the battalion was well away from the fighting and possibly succumbed to wounds received in the battle. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. Awarded the 1914-15 Star. |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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Robert John Spence Wilson
Wilson,29855, is named on the memorial as corporal but listed on CWGC as Private so it may have been an acting appointment. The 7/8th battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers were billeted in huts at Duisans at the beginning of April, 1917, but on the 6th they marched to Arras and occupied cellars in the Grande Place. A great assault was due to take place on the 9th after a three day bombardment and a release of gas, and the battalion pushed towards the village of Feuchy in the teeth of a snowstorm. The attack was a success and they captured twelve artillery pieces and three machine guns. Unfortunately, they suffered casualties of five officers and a hundred other ranks and among these was Corporal Wilson who is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.
On the 1911 census, he was aged 20, living in a bothy on Sunlaws Estate with two other men and employed as a gardener. |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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George Anderson
Private Anderson, 375616, 9th Royal Scots, died on 8/9/17, aged 33. The battalion was part of the 51st Highland Division who were engaged in the notorious 3rd Battle of Ypres perhaps better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.
He was a gamekeeper to Duke of Roxburghe and lived at Bailieknowe Farm. Son of James (shepherd at Sunlawshill) and Ann. The 1911 census has him aged 27 and boarding with Adam and Margaret Lothian, Kersmains Cottages. An "assistant gamekeeper on a nobleman's estate".
He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial near the Belgian village of Passchendaele. |
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IanA
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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Andrew Fortune
Lance corporal Fortune, 40060, 2nd Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers, was the son of James (farm steward at Roxburgh Mill) and Margaret.
Died 4/10/17 and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. He had enlisted in November, 1914 and was employed, along with his father, as a ploughman at Fairnington. His parents are buried in kirkyard. |
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