Lance Corporal John Rae

Lance Corporal John MacDougall Rae, 12th ( Service ) Battalion, Royal Scots. He was killed in action in Belgium on 25th April 1918, aged 18 during the German Offensive on the River Lys. He had been born in St. Boswells and was the son of James and Margaret MacDougall of Temple, St Boswells and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Flanders, Belgium.  He had been employed as a law Clerk before enlisting in March 1917 into the 55th Training Reserve Battalion. He was posted to the 4th Reserve Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers and from there to the Royal Scots. He fell in the fighting near at White Chateau, Kemmel where the Battalion was cut off by the advancing Germans and fought to the last, only a few men managing to cut their way through to the British lines. Casualties were over 580 Officers and Other Ranks. ( The C.W.G.C. site gives his rank as Private ). The photos show Allied troops in defensive positions.