Lance Corporal John Brunton

Lance Corporal John Brunton 1st/5th ( Territorial ) Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. He was killed in action in France, aged 38, on the 28th July 1918 and is commemorated on the Soissons Memorial, Aisne, France. He had been born in Jedburgh and was the son of Betsy and the late Ormiston Brunton of The Bow and 18 Castlegate, Jedburgh. He had been employed as a stonemason before enlisting in September 1914. He had originally enlisted in the 10th Gordons and was wounded during the Battle of Loos in September 1915. After recovery he was posted to the 1st/5th Battalion which was part of the 44th Brigade in the 15th ( Scottish ) Division. He was killed during the attack on the Chateau de Buzancy which was captured and lost again when the French 87th Division failed to clear the flank of the attack allowing the Germans to attack from this quarter and force a retiral. ( His brother Walder also died during the War – see below ).