Private John Lauder

Private John Lauder, ” C ” Coy., 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in Belgium on 23rd April 1915, aged 19, during the Second Battle of Ypres. He was the son of Mrs Rose Ann Lauder of 1 Big Jack’s Close, Canongate, Edinburgh and is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium. He was a native of Tweedmouth and had enlisted in Edinburgh. He fell in the attempt to shore up the lines where the German gas attacks had caused French Zouave troops to retreat precipitately. A splendid Canadian counter attack held the line but needed supports. Thus the Battalion with no proper reconnaissance or artillery support attacked  towards Pilckhem and “Mauser Ridge” in order to support the Canadians. This cost the Battalion 9 Officers and 240 Other Ranks. The   photograph shows Scottish troops trying on their rudimentary gas masks. ( The Germans had used poison gas for the first time on the Western Front on 22nd April ).