Private George Purves

Private George Purves, “B” Company 1st/9th ( Highland ) Battalion, Royal Scots. He died of wounds, aged 22, suffered during the German Spring Offensives in the 10th General Hospital in Rouen on 7th April 1918 and is buried in St.Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen. He had been born in Earlston and was the son of William and Jeanie Purves of Clarilaw Mains, St. Boswells, Roxburghshire and husband of Gladys Florence Purves of Vent Houses, Bures Road, White Colne, Essex. His Headstone is inscribed ” The Lord’s Will Be Done “. He had originally enlisted in the 1st/8th Royal Scots but had at some point been transferred to the 1st/9th Battalion. The photographs show Allied troops during the fighting. The Battalion was part of the 51st ( Highland ) Division and the colour photograph shows the Memorial erected to the Division after the War. It stands in Newfoundland Park on the Somme overlooking “Y” Ravine which was taken when on 13th November 1916 the Division stormed and captured the very strong German positions at Beaumont Hamel in one of the last actions in the Battle of the Somme. ( For some reason he is not named on the War Memorial but is on the Bowden Church Memorial ).