Private John Boyd

Private John Boyd, 1st/4th ( Ross Highland )Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. He died of wounds on 24th July 1918, aged 20  He was the son of Mr and Mrs Philip Boyd of 5 Rogers Place, Earlston and is buried in St Imoges Churchyard  Marne, France.  Most of the burials here are from the 51st Highland Division of which 1st/4th Seaforths were part. He had enlisted in 1914 aged 16 and before that he had been apprenticed to Messrs. R. Dodds & Sons, Grocers, Earlston. His brother was serving in the Royal Air Force.  The photographs show Scottish troops on the Somme. The colour photo shows the very impressive Memorial raised to the 5ist ( Highland ) Division. It was erected in Newfoundland Park on the Somme battlefield overlooking ” Y ” Ravine which was captured when the Division stormed and captured the very strong positions i at Beaumont Hamel on November 13th 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. A plaque affixed to the front of the Memorial reads in both English and Gaelic ” Friends Are Good On The Day Of Battle “