Private James Turner

Private James Turner, 1st Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in France, aged 35, on 30th November, 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai on what became known as the ” St Andrew’s Day Battle ” and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval , France He had been born in Eckford and was the son of Andrew and the late Mary Turner of Hardies Mill and Sucklawridge, Kelso.  By the 30th the Germans were counter attacking the British gains made earlier in the Battle ant the Battalion was tasked to defend the village of Marcoing. They did this by attacking the advancing enemy. As the Regimental history states they ” did the attack in grim earnest”  for the first time since Gallipoli.  The attack succeeded and the Germans were pushed back over 2,000 yards and the situation saved. Casualties were 4 Officers and 11 Other Ranks were killed and 4 Officers and 79 Other Ranks were wounded. In addition 40 Other Ranks were posted missing presumed killed. The Battle of Cambrai saw tanks used for the first time en masse (437 ) and on good ground to successfully breach the German lines. The first photograph shows some of the tanks just before the Battle and the second shows one of the tanks in close up.

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