Private Matthew Cockburn

Private Matthew Cockburn, ” D ” Coy., 27th ( Territorial ) Battalion ( 4th Tyneside Irish ), Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action in France on 11th April 1917, aged 23, during the Battle of Arras. He was the son of James and Annie Cockburn of 67 Middle Street, Spittal and is buried in Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Nr. Arras, France. Before enlisting he had been employed as a cooper with Mr Edminston , fish curer of Spittal and had originally joined the Northern Cyclists Battalion. His Headstone is inscribed ” Loved By All But Gone Before”. The photo shows British troops with a ” little friend” in a captured village near Arras.