Private William Henderson

Private William Henderson, 1st/9th ( Highland) Battalion, Royal Scots. He was killed in action in France, aged 19, on the 12th April 1918 during the German Spring offensive on the River Lys. He had been born in Melrose and was the son of James and Isabella Henderson of 35 Croft Street, Galashiels. He had enlisted in a Training Reserve Battalion and was posted to the Highland Light Infantry in France before being transferred to the Royal Scots. He is buried in Merville Communal Cemetery, Extension, Nord, France. He fell during the fighting retreat to Calonne which with the help of the 8th Argylls stemmed the German advance enabling a new line to be consolidated. Battalion casualties for April were 18 Killed 142 wounded and 144 posted missing. ( Many of the missing were in fact P.O.W.s ). The photos show troops in defensive positions. Until July 1918 the Battalion had been part of the 51st(Highland) Division and after the War an impressive Memorial was raised in commemoration. It was erected overlooking “Y2 Ravine on the Somme which was captured when the division stormed the strong German positions in Beaumont Hamel on the 13th November 1916.

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