Second Lieutenant John Payne

Second Lieutenant John Robert Payne, 82nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery . He died on 4th November 1917 of wounds received in France aged 32. He had been born in Edinburgh and was the son of Mr and Mrs Payne of  Manderson Stables and 26 Castle Street, Duns and is buried in St Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France. His Headstone is inscribed ” A Loving Son & Brother Dear Called & Chosen & Faithful “. He was educated at the Berwickshire High School, Duns and is also commemorated on the Memorial Tablet placed in the new Berwickshire High School, Duns. He had worked in the Royal Bank of Scotland in Duns before transferring to the Bank in London.  Before moving South he had been a member of the Border Horse Yeomanry and in London he had joined the West Kent Yeomanry and served in Egypt and Palestine.  He was commissioned into the Artillery in January 1917. and joined his Brigade in France in February 1917. He was badly wounded in October 1917 and died in the 2nd Red Cross Hospital in Rouen. The R.F.A. normally used the 18 pounder field gun in an anti infantry role using both high explosive and shrapnel shells.