Private George Watson

Private George Watson, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action, aged 23, on 19th April 1917 during the Second Battle of Gaza in the attack on the Turkish redoubt on “Outpost Hill “. He had been born in Swinton and was the son of Alexander and Jane Watson of The Green, Swinton. He had seven other siblings three of whom, Andrew, William and James were serving.  As a Territorial he was mobilised with the Battalion in August 1914. The Redoubt was captured by an assault gallantly led by Major Wat Forrest of Kelso but with heavy casualties, enfilading machine gun fire and a shortage of ammunition it could not be held in the face of fierce counter attacks. Casualties were heavy with 6 Officers and 43 Other Ranks killed and 9 Officers and 155 Other Ranks wounded. ( In this action Captain David Elder of Melrose and Porteous Solicitors, Coldstream was wounded for the second time. )  He is buried in Gaza War Cemetery, Gaza, Palestine where his Headstone is inscribed ” Gone But Not Forgotten Never Shall His Memory Fade From Mother”. The photographs show the Borderers in Palestine in 1917. The three soldiers are Alec Lawrie, Willie Cockburn and Jim Murray all of whom played football for Coldstream F.C. Jim Murray went on to win a Scottish Amateur Cup Winners medal with Coldstream in 1925.