Private Thomas Fairbairn M.M.

Private Thomas Fairbairn, M.M. 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in France on 3rd October 1918 during the ” Advance to Victory “, aged 29. He was the son of John and Elizabeth Fairbairn of High Street, Ayton and is buried in Anneux Cemetery, France where his Headstone is inscribed ” At Rest”. He fell in the attack on German positions at Faubourg de Paris where the Battalion suffered 150 casualties with 30 killed. He had seen service in Palestine before being transferred with the rest of the 52nd( Lowland) Division to France in April 1918 to help stem the German advance. Before enlisting he had been with the Newcastle City Police and had been a keen member of the United Free Church. (Gavin Richardson in his marvellous book ” After Gallipoli ” has his rank listed as Lance Corporal ). The photographs show the Allies advancing after the retreating German Army in the last 100 days of the War.