Private George Brown, 1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers. He was killed in action in France, aged 20, on the 3rd May 1917 during the Battle of Arras. He had been born in Abbey St. Bathans and was the son of Robert and Agnes Brown of Ecclaw farm, Cockburnspath. Before enlisting in August 1916 he had been working as a ploughman at Ecclaw. He was originally posted to the 7th/8th K.O.S.B. in France in November 1916 but a month later was transferred to the H.L.I. He fell in the 3rd Division attack on a 12 mile front from Arleux to Bullecourt which failed in the centre but succeeded on the flanks. 1st R.S.F. attacked behind an inadequate barrage and sustained enemy fire from the German positions on ” Infantry Hill”. The attack failed with 296 casualties including 6 Officers and 27 men killed and 3 Officers and 212 Other Ranks wounded. In addition 2 Officers and 57 Other Ranks were posted missing. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Arras, France. The photos show troops during the Battle.
