Private John Veitch, 2nd New Zealand Entrenching Battalion. He died from wounds in Belgium, aged 32, on the 8th May 1918 during the German Spring offensives. He had been born in Jedburgh and was the son of John and Mary Ann Veitch of 65 Castlegate, Jedburgh and Roslyn, Dunedin, New Zealand. Before the family emigrated to New Zealand in 1913 he had been employed by the Jedburgh Aerated Water Company. In New Zealand he worked as a gardener before enlisting in December 1915 in the Otago Regiment. He was twice wounded in France and was in hospital in Oxford with his brother James who was wounded in the same action in September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. In March 1918 he was transferred to the Entrenching Battalion. He was fatally wounded when his Battalion together with the Otago Regiment faced the German attacks near Meteren. Heavy casualties were inflicted on the Germans before the Battalion was forced to withdraw after suffering 2 Officers and 40 Other Ranks wounded and 9 Officers and 139 Other Ranks wounded. He is buried in Perth Cemetery ( China Wall ) Flanders, Belgium. His brother Archibald also fell- see above. The photos show Allied troops in defensive positions awaiting the German onslaught.
