Private John Walker

Private John Whittle Walker, 1st/9th ( Highland ) Battalion, Royal Scots ( The Dandy Ninth ). He died France, aged 27, on 25th March 1918 from wounds received in action during the German Spring Offensive. He had been born at Pease Mill, Cockburnspath and was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Walker of Penmanshiel Cottage, Grantshouse and is buried in Roye New British Cemetery, Somme, France where his Headstone is inscribed ” Asleep In Jesus”.  Before enlisting he had worked as a joiner in Leith and joined his Battalion in France in February 1915.  He had spent three years in France and had been wounded at St Julien in 1915. The photographs show troops in defensive positions ready to resist the advancing Germans. The Battalion was part of the 154th Brigade in the 51st ( Highland ) Division and after the War an impressive Memorial was raised in its commemoration. It was erected overlooking “Y” Ravine on the Somme where on the 13th November 1916 the Division had stormed the strong German  positions in Beaumont Hamel. A Plaque on the Memorial reads in both English and Gaelic ” Friends Are Good On the Day Of Battle”.