Private Robert Denholm

Private Robert Denholm, 15th (Service) Battalion, (1st Edinburgh), Royal Scots. He was killed in action in France on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916 aged 31. He had been born in Coldingham and was the son of Robert and the late Dorothy Denholm, Cairncross, Reston and is commemorated on the Thiepval, Somme, France.  Before enlisting in December 1914 he had been a miller with his father at East Renton Mills, Coldingham. He fell in the successful attack on the “Heligoland ” strongpoint at La Boiselle despite a hail of machine gun fire which caused many casualties. There were not many successes on this fateful day. Casualties from 1st-3rd July were 18 Officers and 610 Other Ranks killed wounded and missing. The photo shows troops advancing at 7.30 a.m. over a wide no mans land with very little cover cover.