Private Edward Riddell

Private Edward William Riddell, 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He died in France on 9th April 1917 of wounds suffered during the beginning of the Battle of Arras aged 22. He had been born in Melrose to William and Margaret Riddell of East Port, Melrose and is buried in Quatre-Vents Military Cemetery, Estree-Cauchy, Arras, France. He had been an apprentice baker and had enlisted in the 1st/4th, Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers before being posted to the 1st/5th K.O.S.B. He had fallen ill in Gallipoli and had been sent home and discharged from the Army. He had then re-enlisted in the 2nd Battalion K.O.S.B before being sent to France. His Headstone is inscribed ” Even Though He Were Dead Yet Shall He Live”. He was wounded in the successful advance at Vimy Ridge in support of the Canadians where all the Battalion objectives were taken. Casualties were 1 Officer and 21 Other Ranks was killed and 1 Officer and 137 Other Ranks were wounded. The photograph shows troops with a tank in a captured village near Arras. His brother Robert also fell – see above )