Lance Corporal David Wylie

Lance Corporal David Wylie, 1st/6th ( Territorial ) Battalion, Black Watch. He was killed in action in France on 20th July 1918, aged 19. He was the son of Mr and Mrs Francis Wylie of 17 Trinity Street, Hawick and is commemorated on the Soissons Memorial, Champagne, France. Before enlisting he had worked on the farm of Mr James Elliott at Flex. He had originally enlisted in the 4th/5th Black Watch but in France he was transferred to the 6th Battalion. He fell in the successful capture of the Bois de Courton which contained several fortified German strongpoints. The period 20th-27th July cost the Battalion 6 Officers and 78 Other Ranks killed and 20 Officers and 350 Other Ranks wounded. The Battalion was reduced to 140 all ranks and moved back into reserve. The photograph shows the Memorial raised to the 51st ( Highland ) Division of which the Battalion was part. It was erected in Newfoundland Park on the Somme overlooking “Y” Ravine which was taken when the Division stormed and captured the very strong German positions in Beaumont Hamel. A plaque in Gaelic on the Memorial reads ” Friends Are Good On The Day Of Battle “.