Lance Corporal John Douglas

Lance Corporal John Douglas, 6th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed by enemy action on 18th November 1940, aged 21, whilst on Active Service. He had been born in Melrose to Robert and Annie Douglas of 12 Chiefswood Road, Melrose and is buried in Wairds Cemetery, Melrose. He had been employed as a seedsman in Melrose before enlisting and had played rugby for Melrose Rugby Football Club. The Battalion had been billeted in a camp in Theydon Bois, Essex for security and other duties when the camp was hit by a German bomb. Thirty Borderers were killed and others injured by this one fateful strike.