Private James Black

Private James Black ,Royal Scots. 1st/9th ( Highland ) Battalion, Royal Scots. He died at home at Whitsome Laws, Whitsome  from T.B. on the 12th March 1919, aged 20. He had been born in Swinton and was the son of Elizabeth Black of Whitsome. He had been employed as a ploughman when he enlisted in the 1st/9th ( Highland ) Battalion, Royal Scots in June 1915 joining his Battalion in France in October of that year. In 1916 he was discovered to be underage and returned home in August.  He later re-joined the Regiment but contracted influenza in June 1918. He was evacuated to Oakbank War Hospital in Glasgow where he was diagnosed with T.B. and discharged from the Army in December 1918. He name has recently been added to the Commonwealth War Graves Register and he is commemorated in the United Kingdom Book of Remembrance. The 1st/9th Royal Scots were part of the 51st ( Highland) Division and after the War an impressive Memorial was raised in commemoration. It stands on the Somme overlooking “Y”Ravine which was taken when the Division stormed the strong German positions in Beaumont Hamel on the 13th November 1916 at the end of the Battle of the Somme.