Private John Black

Private John Black, 8th ( Service ) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action in France, aged 30, on the 26th September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He had been born in Galashiels and was the son of the late Agnes and Robert Black of 4 Stirling Street, Galashiels. He had worked in the Victoria Foundry in Galashiels before moving to work in the Scremerston Colliery near Berwick-upon-Tweed. He enlisted in Newcastle and went with them to Gallipoli in October 1915. The Battalion moved to France from Egypt in July 1916. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. ( His brother James also fell – see below). The photos show British troops on the Somme.