Private Robert Lough

Private Robert Rae Lough, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in Palestine on 19th April 1917 during the Second Battle of Gaza, aged 24. He had been born in Eyemouth and was the son of George and Jane Lough of High Street, Ayton and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial. Before enlisting in November 1914 he had been working at the Bleachfield Paper Mill, Ayton. He fell in the ultimately unsuccessful  attack on the Turkish positions at ” Outpost Hill” which cost the Battalion 6 Officers and 44 Other Ranks killed with 9 Officers and 152 Other Ranks wounded. The attack was gallantly led by Major Forrest of Kelso who was mortally wounded on the enemy parapet. The position was captured but the Battalion had too few men left to hold it and with ammunition running short and in the face of fierce Turkish counter attacks retirement was inevitable. The photographs show the Borderers in Palestine in 1917. The three Soldiers are Alec Lawrie, Willie Cockburn and Jim Murray all of whom played football for Coldstream F.C.

Scroll to Top