Lieutenant James Payne

Lieutenant  James Nelson Payne, M.I.D. ( Twice ) 8th Regiment, South African Infantry. He died from wounds at Narungombe in East Africa on 20th July 1917, aged 27, having been twice Mentioned in Despatches.  He had been born in Edinburgh and was the son of James and Margaret Payne of  26 Castle Street and16 Langtongate, Duns and is buried in Dar Es Salaam War Cemetery, Tanzania. He was educated at the Berwickshire High School, Duns and is also commemorated on a Memorial Tablet in the new Berwickshire High School. ( Most of the casualties in this Campaign were caused by disease rather than combat ). He had served his apprenticeship as a engineer at the Clockmill, Duns and was on his way to South Africa when War broke out. He enlisted in November 1915 when the Regiment was formed. being commissioned one year later. ( His brother John also fell – see above ).

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