Private William Yule

Private William Yule, 1st Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in France on 30th November 1917, aged 34, during the Battle of Cambrai. He was the son of the late James and Janet Yule and had been born at Grantshouse, Berwickshire. He is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louveral, France.  He had been employed as a gardener at Minto House when he enlisted in the 9th Lancers in 1914 but in 1916 he was posted to the K.O.S.B. in France in 1916. On that day the Battalion was part of a counter attack to try and relieve the German pressure on the Marcoing sector of the Front. The attack was successful and the Germans were driven back.  The Battle became known as the ” St. Andrew’s Day Battle “.The Regimental History states that the casualties were ” not excessive” with 4 Officers and 11 Other Ranks killed and 4 Officers and 79 Other Ranks wounded. In addition 40 other Ranks were posted missing. ( Missing usually meant killed ). The photograph shows  a close up of an individual tank. His brother James had been killed with the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards in October 1914.