Private John Blackie

Private John Dougal Blackie, 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in France, aged 23, on 8th May 1917 during the Third Battle of the Scarpe, ( part of the Battle of Arras ) .He had been born in Eyemouth and was the son of George and Mary Blackie of 23 High Street, Ayton and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. At the time the Battalion were holding trenches in the Fresnoy sector when they were caught in a German bombardment causing 160 casualties of which 23 were fatal. Before enlisting in January 1917 he had been a fisherman and his late father had been a surfaceman with the North British Railway. The photos show troops during the Battle.