Private Peter Blake

Private Peter Blake, 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in France, aged 23, on the 30th July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Thiepval, Somme, France. He had been born in West Calder in 1893 and was the son of Andrew and Barbara Blake of Denholm. He had been a joiner in Ayton Berwickshire before the family moved to Denholm. He enlisted in 1914 and joined the 1st K.O.S.B. at Gallipoli in June 1915 but was invallided home. Upon recovery he was posted to the 2nd Battalion in France. He fell in an attack on an orchard near Delville Wood which was only partially successful and suffered heavy casualties of 15 Officers and 244 Other Ranks.  The photos show Scottish troops during the Battle and the colour image shows part of the peaceful Somme landscape today with ” no gas no barbed wire no guns firing now”.