Corporal Thomas Govenlock

Corporal Thomas Govenlock, 9th ( Service ) Battalion Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). He was killed in France on 24th October 1916, aged 26 during the Battle of the Somme and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France. He had been born at South Blainslie, Melrose and was the son of Thomas and Jane Govenlock of Lee Place, Stow. At that time the Battalion were holding trenches near Bresle on the Somme and whilst not engaged in actual fighting did suffer some casualties from shelling. The autumnal rains had turned the chalky soil of the Region into a glutinous quagmire making all movement difficult. The colour image shows a peaceful Somme landscape today with ” no gas, no barbed wire, no guns firing now”