Private George Bunyan

Private George Lawson Bunyan, 1st Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in France, aged 19, on 30th November 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai. He was the son of George Bunyan of High Street, Melrose and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louveral, Nord, France. He fell in what was the first great battle in which tanks were used en masse to break through the German defences. By the 30th however the great breakthrough had stalled and the Germans had counterattacked. The Battalion was used on the 30th to counter attack with the bayonets the counter attackers at “Welsh Ridge” near Masnieres. They were successful and the Germans were driven back. The Regimental history states ” The casualties were not excessive – 8 Officers and 130 Other Ranks”. 4 Officers and 51 Other Ranks were killed and 4 Officers and 79 Other Ranks were wounded. ( The fighting was known as the ” St. Andrew’s Day Battle” ). Before enlisting he had been employed as a gardener at the Waverley Hydropathic Hotel in Melrose. The photograph a close up of one of the tanks.