Captain William Somervail D.S.O., M.C. M.I.D.

Captain William Fulton Somervail, D.S.O., M.C.  Mentioned in Dispatches, 2nd Battalion, Cameronians ( Scottish Rifles ). He was killed in France on 4th October 1918, aged 26 during the ” Advance to Victory ” and is buried in Vadencourt British Cemetery Massiemy, Aisne, France. At the time he was Brigade Major of the 3rd Infantry Brigade. He had been born in Edrom and was the younger son of James and Isabella Somervail of Hoselaw, Kelso and had been educated at Loretto School before becoming a Regular Soldier. There is a plaque in his memory in Hoselaw Kirk. On March 10th 1915 he had taken part in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle and at the end of the day he was the only unwounded Officer left out of the 22 who went over the top. He and Sergeant Major Chalmers led the remnants out of action two days later. For his actions here he was awarded the Military Cross and the citation reads ” For conspicuous gallantry, marked ability and presence of mind at Neuve Chapelle from 10th to 14th March 1915 when he ably seconded the Commanding Officer and performed excellent work on his own initiative. On the evening of 12th March he collected men of his Battalion and conducted them over unknown ground to a position for attack with very good judgement. He brought his Battalion out of action on 14th March. Battalion casualties were in the region of 450. John Baynes ( a former C.O. of the Cameronians ) has written an excellent book about 2nd Scottish Rifles in the Battle called ” Morale  a Study of Men and Courage “. In June 1915 he was promoted Captain and fought at Loos and the Somme. He was awarded the D.S.O. in July 1917 and made temporary Lieutenant Colonel of his Battalion and in January 1918 he became Brigade Major of the Third Infantry Brigade. On 4th October 1918  he and his Brigadier went out alone and were both found later killed by a stray shell. The photographs show Allied troops advancing against the retreating German Army during the final 100 days of the War.