Private James Clerk

Private James Small Clerk, 6th ( Service), Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in France, aged 26, during the Battle of Arras. He had been born in Galashiels and was the son of James and Janet Clerk of Roxburgh Street, Galashiels. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Arras, France. He fell in the disastrous attack on “Greenland Hill”. It was a night attack on on unreconnoitred strong German positions. Three companies of the Battalion penetrated deep into German territory but were cut off as the flanking battalions had not managed the depth of penetration of the K.O.S.B. Only some 50 men managed to return to British lines through the fire zone and Other Rank casualties amounted to 403