Lieutenant Andrew Edgar, M.C.

Lieutenant Andrew Edgar, M.C., 6th (Service) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in France, aged 22, on the 7th July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He had been born in Galashiels and was the son of Thomas and Sarah Edgar of Portobello, Edinburgh and the husband of Georgina Edgar of 21 Dickson Street, Hawick.He had been employed as a railway wagon greaser before he enlisted as a Regular soldier in 1910. As a Sergeant he landed with the 2nd Battalion, K.O.S.B. in France as part of the B.E.F. in August 1914. By January 1916 he had been promoted to Company Sergeant Major in the 6th Battalion and was awarded his Military Cross in 1916 after he had been reportedly commissioned in the field although this was not confirmed before his death. The citation reads ” For continuous gallantry and devotion to duty over a long period. His coolness under fire is remarkable. He has done excellent work on trenches and with wiring parties”. On 7th July the Battalion were in trenches in and around Bernafay Wood and over the 6 days spent there they suffered casualties of 16 Officers and 300 Other Ranks due to the intense shelling of the wood. The photos show Scots troops on the Somme.