Private Mark Purves

Private Mark Purves, 63rd Battalion, Machine gun Corps. attached to the 63rd ( Royal Naval ) Division. He was killed in action in France, aged 25, on the 27th August 1918 during the ” Advance to Victory”. He had been born in Earlston and was the son of William and Jane Purves of Thorn Street, Earlston and Carilaw Mains, Bowden.. ( His brothers Alexander and George also fell – see above ). He had originally enlisted in the Royal Scots but had been posted to the M.G.C. He is buried in Adanac Military Cemetery, Miraumont, Somme, France. The M.G.C. used the Vickers Mk. 2 water cooled gun in both defensive and offensive roles. The photos show Allied troops advancing after the retreating Germans during the final 100 days of the War.