Private Andrew Kelly

Private Andrew Purves Kelly, 1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers. He was killed in action on 13th November 1916, aged 26, during the failed attack on Serre which was the end of the wider Battle of the Somme which had begun on 1st July. He had been born in Lauder and was the son of Andrew and Christina Kelly of Cleekhimin, Lauder and is buried in Serre No. 1 Cemetery, Somme, France. His Headstone is inscribed ” Until The Day Break And The Shadows Flee Away “. Before enlisting he had been employed as an assistant grocer in Edinburgh. The Battalion reached the German second line but were checked there by uncut wire. It was foggy and as there was a danger of being cut off there was a retirement back to the British front line. This attack cost the Battalion 5 Officers and 197 Other Ranks in killed wounded and missing. The autumnal rains had turned the ground into a glutinous quagmire making all movement very difficult as can be seen from the photographs.