Private Robert Wilson

Private Robert John Spence Wilson, 7th/8th (Service) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in France, aged 26, on the 9th April 1917 on the first day of the Battle of Arras. He had been born at Fairnington, Roxburgh and was the son of Robert and Elizabeth Wilson of Springwells, Eccles, Berwickshire. He had been employed as a gardener at Sunlawes House, Kelso for 9 years before enlisting in the K.O.S.B. Reserves in December 1914. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Arras, France. The Battalion achieved all its objectives that day at the cost of 5 Officers and 120 Other Rank casualties. Many prisoners and 16 Artillery pieces were captured. The photos show troops during the Battle. The artillery piece pictured was captured by the Battalion and after the War it was put on display outside Hawick Museum.

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