Private Thomas Arthur Dougall

Private Thomas Arthur Dougall, 1st/9th ( Highland) Battalion, Royal Scots ( The Dandy Ninth ). He died in France, aged 29, on 27th July 1916 in General Hospital, Rouen of wounds received during the heavy fighting for High Wood during the Battle of the Somme. He was born in Eyemouth and was the son of David and Jessie Dougall of Eye View, Eyemouth. He is buried in St Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France. He had been educated first at Eyemouth then Dunbar before joining the Commercial Bank of Scotland in Ayton. After four years he was transferred to a branch in London. Whilst in the Capital he had joined the London Scottish Regiment (A territorial force unit ) and had served for three years before returning home to join the Dandy Ninth. His photograph shows him wearing a Lance Corporal’s stripe. His Headstone is inscribed ” He Was Loving And Pleasant In Life And In Death Sweet Memories”. ( The Dandy Ninth was a “Pals” Battalion founded in Edinburgh by Sir George McCrae in 1914 and was originally made up of professional footballers and their supporters from Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Falkirk, Raith Rovers and Dunfermline ). The Battalion was part of the 154th Brigade in the 51st ( Highland ) Division and after the War an impressive Memorial was raised in commemoration. It was erected overlooking “Y” Ravine on the Somme where on the 13th November 1916 the Division stormed the very strong German positions in Beaumont Hamel. A Plaque on the Memorial reads in both English and Gaelic ” Friends Are Good On the Day Of Battle”. The other pictures show Scottish troops on the Somme. The photos show Scottish troops on the Somme.

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