Private Thomas Newton

Private Thomas Newton, 1st/4th ( Territorial ) Battalion, Royal Scots. He was killed in action on 21st September 1918 during the ” Advance to Victory” and is commemorated on the Vis-En-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais France. He had been born in Edinburgh and was the son of Roberet and Margaret Newton of Bathgate and the husband of Agnes Newton of Christison’s Brae, Coldingham and of Cairncross. He had been employed as a miner at the Hopetoun Colliery, Bathgate when he enlisted in the 16th ( Service ) Battalion, Royal Scots in December 1914.  In early 1917 he fell ill and was no longer judged fit for active service.  He was then transferred to the Reserves in August 1917 and returned to the Colliery. In April 1918 he was recalled from the Reserves as now fit and was posted to the 1st/4th Royal Scots in France. He fell when the Germans attacked the Battalion outposts near Moeuvres ( Lieutenant William Rutherford from Coldstream was reported missing during this action but was discovered with his men sheltering in some shell holes in No Mans land later in the day when the attack rolled forward again. All were fit and well. ) The picture shows Lt. Rutherford and is shown here by kind permission of Coldstream Museum and Mrs Jean Rutherford. The photographs show Allied troops advancing during the final 100 days of the War.