THE BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE FOR TWEEDDALE BURGH AND PARISH OF PEEBLES IN TWO BOOKS BOOK 2 June 1917 – July 1919 BY DR GUNN Peebles Printed and Published by Allan Smyth Neidpath Press MCMXXI The Battle of Messines In the month of June 1917 there passed away six men who had a connection with the burgh or parish of Peebles. These were Robert Walker, Alexander Gibb, James Marr, Alexander Bogle, John Caldwell, John S Maclauchlan. The battle of Arras was now drawing to a close. On Sunday, 3rd June, our outposts were attacked. On the 5th, we won the power station south of the Souchez river; on the 6th, we took a mile of the enemy position north of the Scarpe. On the evening of the 6th June, nineteen mines were waiting for zero hour. From Hill 60 in the north, to the edge of Messines, nineteen volcanoes suddenly leaped to heaven on the 7th June. Then every British gun opened on the enemy. Terrible fighting ensued with great gains to us, which we cleared up on the 8th. By the 14th of June the whole of the German positions north of the Lys had fallen into our hands. These operations, extending over many days, constituted the battle of Messines. On the 14th, we carried the enemy lines on the crest of Infantry Hill south-east of Arras. On the 15th. we took a sector of the Hindenburg line north-east of Bullecourt. On the 24th, the North Midland Division carried Hill 65, south-west of Lens. On the 26th, the Canadians took La Conlotte and on the morning of the 28th, were in the outskirts of Avion. We gained all our objectives. Private Robert D Walker Army Service Corps 1917 - June 2 Mrs Robert Walker, 41 Old Town, Peebles, received official notification from Woolwich, that her husband. Private Robert D Walker, Army Service Corps, Transport Section, had been posted as missing since 2nd June, and was supposed to be drowned. "With reference to your enquiry for news of Private R D Walker, who was reported missing, believed drowned, after the loss of HM Transport Cameronian, on 2nd June 1917, we deeply regret to say we have not been able to obtain any information about him, though we have made all possible enquiries through our offices abroad, as well as in hospitals in England. We understand that the Cameronian was torpedoed when nearly 150 miles from land, and that she sank about an hour later. The work of rescue was carried out under great difficulties, and some of the survivors were in a small boat for a considerable time. We fear there can be no doubt that those who are reported missing lost their lives on 2nd June. We are so sorry that our efforts to obtain personal details about Private Walker have not been successful, and we desire to offer our sincere sympathy with his family and friends." The deceased, who was 34 years of age, was survived by his wife and two children, a girl and boy, at that time 4 years and 2 years of age respectively. Previous to enlisting in May 1916, he was employed with William Weatherston & Son, Saddlers, Peebles. Private Walker went out to Salonica in January of 1917. He gave his life for his country's sake, As many a man has done; But he lived his life for Christ the King, And the crown of glory won. He waits with waiting ones on earth Till the last great trump shall blow; And the Lord descends with the saints above To meet the saints below. And there's many a soul that will meet him there Who will thank him face to face, For the life he lived and the word he spoke, While he ran his Heavenward race. He fought the fight and kept the faith, And the Master said "Well done', While He gave him the faithful warrior's crown And the prize of a race well run. Lieutenant Alexander Gibb Royal Field Artillery 1917 – June 5 Killed in action on 5th June 1917, Alexander Gibb, aged 20 years, Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery, attached Heavy Trench Mortar Battery, elder son of William H Gibb, 38 Drummond Place, Edinburgh, and grandson of the late James White, Newton Bank, Peebles, and Stagehall, Stow. Alexander Gibb was born on the 1st December 1896. He was educated at Edinburgh Institution, where he gained the Dux Prize (gold watch). He had begun his second session at Edinburgh University in the BSc course in pure chemistry, but on the 1st September 1914, within a month after the outbreak of war, he joined the Officers' Training Corps. He got his commission the same year and went to the 4th Northumbrian Howitzer Brigade in January 1915, being sent to France on 1st July 1916. Later he was attached to the V/63 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery and was killed instantaneously by an enemy shell in the early morning of 5th June 1917, near Oppy on returning from choosing new gun positions in what was then a very dangerous bit of the line. He was always so interested in his work and intensely loyal: he was never heard to criticise a brother officer. He was buried in Roclincourt Military Cemetery 3 miles north of Arras not far from the scene of his last big action. He had been in many parts of the line - the Somme, the Ancre and then around Arras. "Your son's death is a great blow to us all. He has done excellent work the whole time he has been with us. He was popular with all ranks and will be greatly missed, and our country can ill afford to lose so promising an officer." The Captain of the Battery also wrote giving particulars of Lieutenant Gibb's death and burial, and expressing the feeling of loss they had all sustained. Other brother officers wrote stating their feeling of personal loss. "He was one of the best and bravest. The most popular officer in any unit he went to. His old men were constantly asking after his welfare." His servant wrote, "I am writing this for the Battery. Mr Gibb was one of the bravest men in France. He was kind and thoughtful to the men, and he was also, for all he was so young, the 'brain' of this Battery, and we will all miss him in our next action. The men all express their sorrow for you in losing so brave and noble a son, and their personal grief at losing such a brave officer and gentleman." Pray for the dead? Nay! But for one departed And living now more surely than we may On earth who grope - blind, faltering, fickle-hearted – For him I still would pray. Tho' changed the scene, the strife endures forever! Still stand for him the imperishable laws; For death is life, and life is growth, and never Is ever any pause. He has but shattered thro' another fetter, Gained one more step in the eternal quest Along the high road leading on thro' better And onward still to best. And so, till the innumerable ages Wear to inanity's extremest end, And we at length have learned God's last of pages My prayers be with you, friend! Private James Marr Army Service Corps 1917 - June 5 Mrs James Marr, Musselburgh, received official notice that her husband. Private James Marr, Transport Section, had been killed in France. Two or three years previously he was chauffeur with W D Fraser, Cross Keys, Peebles, and was a much valued servant. He left Peebles, a town in which he had gained considerable popularity, for a more responsible situation. Spirits that float in the darkness when the star-shell and "Very" light Send out their questioning streamers to the blackening pall of night, Ghostly they move 'tween the armies like a mythical sylphid band, Spirits that come from Elysium in the Crosses of No Man's Land. Bringing from out of their Eden to this bellicose world of ours Peace to the dead of the nations. Bringing garlands and wreaths of flowers, Picked on the planes of Olympus by a phantom Empyrean hand, Spread by these shadowy spectres on the Crosses of No Man's Land. And the message they bring from their heaven to this cankerous world of unrest, Is a whisper of halcyon pleasures for the youth that has ''gone away west", Is the dawn of a new-world Valhalla, with the sun and the sea and sand, For the souls of the men that are resting 'neath the Crosses of No Man's Land. Private Alexander Bogle Seaforth Highlanders (Pioneers) 1917 - June 5 Private Alexander Bogle had been one of the workers in the large tweed mills of Messrs D Ballantyne & Company, at March Street, Peebles. When he enlisted, he was 18 years of age. He spent his last birthday at home in February 1917, and then proceeded to France, where he fell, making a gallant end. "Private Bogle was killed on the night of 5th June, in the course of an action just north of the River Scarpe, in front of the chemical works. The company was engaged in jumping a new front line trench at this point, and Private Bogle was in an exposed place. By great ill luck a shell dropped directly on top of him, killing him instantaneously. The men next him were untouched. I came up immediately afterwards, but nothing could be done, as he was dead. We were all much cut up about it, as he was a very promising soldier, and had been selected for the machine gun team for that reason.