Private John Neillans

Private John James Neillans, 9th ( Service ) Battalion, Black Watch. He was killed in action in France on 25th September 1915 on the opening day of the Battle of Loos, aged 23. He was the son of Robert and Isabella of Gateshaw, Morebattle, Kelso and is buried in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, Loos, France. His Headstone is inscribed ” Loved By All”.  He had lived and worked at Easter Wooden farm, Kelso. He fell in the attack on the Lens Road Redoubt where within 5 minutes the German first and support lines had been captured together with the village of Loos.  However the cost was appalling. 10 Officers and 360 Other Ranks were killed or missing with 11 Officers and 320 Other Ranks were wounded. A total of 701 all ranks out of the original 950 who had gone into action. The first image is a photograph of an actual attack with the troops advancing into a ghostly cloud of gas and smoke. The second shows the village of Loos after capture. The artist’s illustration depicts the Black Watch at Loos.