The Book of Remembrance for Tweeddale LANDWARD PARISHES Broughton, Dolphinton, Drumelzier, Eddlestone, Innerleithen, Kailzie, Kirkurd, Lyne and Megget, Manor, Newlands, Overseas, Peebles (names omitted from Peebles volume), Skirling, Stobo, Traquair, Tweedsmuir, Walkerburn By Dr Gunn PREFACE This Volume contains Books IV and V of The Book of Remembrance for Tweeddale. Its predecessors were those for Peebles, in two volumes. and that for West Linton. The series is now complete; and everyone connected with the County who died for the Empire is commemorated either by record or portrait, or both. Stobo – The Mother Church of Tweeddale “For the Ashes of our Fathers and the Temples of our Gods” We give Thee thanks for our Heritage as the People of Scotland; For the Land of our Fathers, the Land we love; For the Races we represent, Celtic and Scottish; And for the special Gifts and Contribution of each to the whole; For the Story of Scotland, so deeply written upon our Hearts and History; For our Fathers and Brothers, the Men of Scotland; For their Fear of God, their Patriotism, their Battles for Freedom; For their Mothers, the Women of Scotland, silent, tender, strong, who made the Men. Captain Charles Carbould Walker Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 1914 - August 26 Of all the men connected with Tweeddale who fell in the war, the very first to fall was Captain Charles Carbould Walker, son-in-law of Mr M G Thornburn of Glenormiston. There were eighteen from the County who fell in 1914. Captain Walker was the eldest son of Mr W Eden Walker, Riftswood, Saltburn. He was born in 1875, and was educated at Eton and at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He entered the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in April 1900, and was promoted Lieutenant in March 1904, and Captain seven years later. He saw active service in South Africa from 1900 to 1902, participating in the operations in the Orange Free State and in the Transvaal, east and west of Pretoria. He held the Queen's Medal with three clasps, and the King's Medal with two clasps. He was appointed Adjutant to the 4th Battalion (Royal Renfrewshire Militia) Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders' Special Reserve, and was stationed at Paisley. In the Great War his fate was for a long time uncertain; but it was finally established that Captain Walker fell at Le Cateau on the 26th August, 1914. His principal recreation was the chase, being devoted to hunting, not missing a meet whenever possible. He left a widow, one girl, and a posthumous son. Germany had declared War upon France on the 3rd of August, 1914; on the same day Orders were prepared for Mobilisation of the British Army. On the 4th of August Great Britain protested in Berlin against the violation by Germany of Belgian neutrality; on that very morning the Germans had violated Gemmenich, and had burned Vise, and had attacked Liege. Germany then declared war on Belgium. British Mobilisation Orders were issued: Sir John Jellicoe took command of the British Fleet. The British sent an ultimatum to Germany, whose period expired at 11 p.m. on the night of Tuesday, August 4, 1914. Britain was now at war with Germany. British troops landed in France on Sunday, August 9, and their disembarkation was completed by August 16. The Battle of Charleroi was fought on August 21, and ended on the 23rd with the defeat of the French. The Battle of Mons began on this day, Sunday, August 23, and the retreat of the Allies began on the following day. On the 25th we had severe Battles at Landrecies and Maroilles; and on Wednesday, the 26th of August, when Captain Walker fell, the first Battle of Le Cateau began. O, valiant hearts who to your glory came Through dust of conflict and through battle flame: Tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved; Your memory hallowed in the land you loved. Proudly you gathered rank on rank to war, As who had heard God's message from afar. All you had hoped for, all you had you gave To save mankind - yourselves you scorned to save. Private John Scott Royal Scots Greys 1914 - September 10 An Eddleston man, Private John Scott, of The Royal Scots Greys, was the second man to fall. He formerly resided with his parents at Cottage Bank, Eddleston. This was one of those early cases in the beginning of the war, when our Intelligence Department was in a state of incompleteness, so that his relatives never received any definite information as to his fate. He fell in battle between the Marne and the Aisne on Thursday, the 10th September, 1914, and his body was buried in Gandeleau Cemetery. No other details ever came to hand. The first Battle of the Marne ended on this day, the Germans retreating on the west and centre, evacuating Pont-a-Mousson. This happened on a Thursday, the victory of the Allies being complete. The Allies began to advance rapidly. The British crossed the Ourcq on the following day. The Battle of Nancy, which had begun on August 22, ended in complete failure for the Germans. On Sunday, September 13, the Battle of the Aisne began, the British forcing the passage of the river. Not in low graves forgotten do they lie, In vast unwept oblivion's slumber deep, Who for high holy honour freely die, Heaven's gift of freedom stainless still to keep. Nay - let their blood-stained dust be scattered far - Each freeman's heart becomes their living grave; Their memory shineth ever, like a star, Above the Empire which they die to save. Private John Maguire 1st Cameron Highlanders 1914 - September 26 A native of Traquair, and residing with his sister and brother in Innerleithen, Private John Maguire was the third man of Tweeddale to fall. He was born on the 11th December, 1878, and enlisted in 1900. He was drafted in turn to Gibraltar, Crete, Malta, South Africa, and China. In 1908 he was discharged from the Army. He returned as a Reservist at the beginning of the war in August, 1914. As a member of the First Expeditionary Force, which was fatuously styled by the German Emperor General French's contemptible army, Private Maguire went to France in the beginning. He was reported missing during the retreat from Mons on Saturday, the 26th September, 1914, and was presumed killed on that date. The Battle of the Aisne had begun on September 13 and continued until September 28. A battle at Albert had been raging for two days, and yet continued, fierce fighting taking place from Oise to Somme St Mihiel. On the dim tombs of time I see The names of men who strove in vain To lift the load, to break the chain: Then why a better grave for me? O Thou the First, and Last, the Whole, Thou Who from toil and tears of man Dost shape on earth Thy mighty plan And build while all the ages roll. Enough it is for me to know That all the travail of the years, The gleams of hope, the clouds of tears, Add something to Thy work below. Trooper Edward Egan 9th Queen's Royal Lancers 1914 - October 21 Official information was received to the effect that Trooper Edward Egan had been killed in action on the 21st October, 1914. He was aged 29. Originally he was holding a clerical post in London about the year 1905, when he enlisted in the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers. After serving three years in South Africa with the Lancers, he returned to his home in 1912. Previous to the outbreak of the war, Edward Egan was in employment at the Post Office of Walkerburn, where meanwhile he was also studying for the Civil Service. As a Reservist he was called up in 1914, and was one of the very first soldiers to land on French soil. He was in the thick of the fighting from the very beginning, and was one of those gallant heroes at the silencing of the guns when the late Captain Grenfell won the first Victoria Cross in the war. He came safely through the retreat, but was killed shortly thereafter at Messines Wood, where his body was buried. The first Battle of Ypres had begun on October 19. The fighting was raging around Arras. The 21st (Wednesday), when Egan fell, was a critical day on the Yser, when Dixmude and Arras were heavily bombarded and assaulted. None shall find death so good as theirs henceforth. Music and ere, great monuments, in vain Shall seek to rival them. As things unworthy, Carelessly as a sower scatters grain, They hurled their starry souls countless to heaven. Leading Seaman William George Scott Royal Navy, HMS Viknor 1915 - January 13 On the 19th January, 1915, there was found on the west side of the island of Jura the body of a man, near to which lay a rubber life-collar and disc attached. The collar and disc were taken possession of by the competent naval authority of the district, and it is supposed that they were part of the equipment of William George Scott, a seaman of the ill-fated HMS Viknor, which was sunk by a mine some time previously. Scott was a member of the Edinburgh Fire Brigade, and the Firemaster thereof was of opinion that the body answered to that of Scott. Apparently Scott was the only member of the Edinburgh Fire Brigade who was a Naval Reservist, and the fact that the man was wearing a jersey belonging to the Brigade practically established his identity.