Private George Dunse

Private George Dunse, 6th( Service ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers.  He was killed in action in France, aged 39, on 3rd May 1917 during the Battle of Arras and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Arras, France.  He had been born in Chirnside and was the son of David and Jemima Dunse of West End, Chirnside. Before enlisting in 1916 he had been employed at Chirnside paper mill. He fell in the abortive  night attack with no reconnaissance on “Greenland Hill”. The barrage was weak and ineffective leaving the strong enemy defences untouched and the two supporting Battalions on the left and right did not go forward. Thus the Germans were able to cut the troops off with flank attacks.  Of the three companies who went into the assault only 50 men returned through the fire zone under the cover of darkness 11 Officers were killed along with 251 Other Ranks with 152 being wounded. The photos show troops during the Battle. The colour photograph shows the Memorial to the 9th ( Scottish ) Division of which the 6th Battalion was part. Beside it are the remains of a German blockhouse which was captured by the Battalion during the Battle. Due to the heavy traffic nearby it was removed in 2006 to near the Pointe De Jour Military Cemetery where it now stands.

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