Private Peter Fairbairn

Private Peter Fairbairn, 16th ( 2nd Edinburgh), Service Battalion, Royal Scots. He died on Active Service in France, aged 40, on the 16th July 1917 and is buried in Tincourt new British Cemetery, Somme, France. he had been born in Galashiels and was the son of the late John and Margaret Fairbairn formerly of Magdala Crescent, Galashiels and the husband of Margaret Fairbairn of 212 Halliburton Place, Galashiels. He died from disease in the 55th Casualty Clearing Station at Tincourt and his Headstone is inscribed ” Until The Day Break And The Shadows Flee Away”. 16th Royal Scots was known as “McRae’s battalion after Sir George McRae instituted its formation in November 1914. It originally comprised of professional footballers from Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Falkirk, Dunfermline and Falkirk along with friends and supporters. By 1917 not many of the originals were left as the Battalion had sufered many casualties during the Battle of the Somme in 1916.