Private William Crozier

Private William Sinton Crozier, 6th ( Service ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in France, aged 20, on the 25th September 1915 on the first day of the Battle of Loos. He had been born in Jedburgh and was the son of Eliza and the late William Crozier of Canongate, Jedburgh. ( His brother George also fell- see above ). He is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Dud Corner, Loos, France. Before enlisting he had been employed as a gardener at Hartrigge. Jedburgh and had landed in France with his battalion in May 1915. He fell in the assault on the German trenches at ” Mad Point” which due to gas, heavy machine gun fire and strong wire defences failed with very heavy losses. 12 Officers and 189 Other Ranks were killed and 8 Officers and 261 Other Ranks were wounded. In addition a further 169 Other Ranks were posted missing. The first photo shows an actual attack at Loos with the troops disappearing into a ghostly cloud of gas and smoke. ( this was the first time the British Army had used gas ). The artist’s nightmarish illustration depicts an attack with the troops wearing their new gas hoods.