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

Captain William Fulton Somervail, D.S.O.,M.C.,M.I.D. 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, France. He was the younger son of James Somervail of Hoselaw, Kelso.There is a plaque to his memory in Hoselaw Kirk and is pictured below. He had been educated at Loretto School, Musselburgh and had joined the Cameronians on 15th August 1914. On 10th March 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 had gone over the top. He thus commanded the Battalion for the next two days and was awarded the M.C. He and Sergeant Major Chalmers led the Battalion out of action two days later. Battalion casualties were about 450. John Baynes ( a former C.O. of the Regiment ) has written a splendid 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 on the Somme. He was awarded the D.S.O. in July 1917 and made temporary Lieutenant Colonel.  In January 1918 he became Brigade Major of the Third Infantry Brigade. On 4th October he and his Brigadier went out alone to reconnoitre the enemy positions and were found later both killed by a stray shell. The photographs show Allied troops advancing after the retreating German Army.

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