Rifleman John Somervaille

Rifleman John Somervaille, 1st/5th ( City of London ) London Regiment ( London Rifle Brigade ) He was killed in action in France on 9th October 1916, aged 35, during the Battle of the Somme. He had been born in St Boswells and was the son of the late Robert and Jessie Davidson of Charlesfield, St Boswells and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Thiepval, Somme, France. He had been working in London as an accountant’s clerk when he enlisted. The autumnal rains had turned the ground into a glutinous quagmire which made any movement difficult as can be seen from the photographs. The colour image shows a peaceful Somme landscape today with ” no gas, no barbed wire, no guns firing now”.

Scroll to Top