Private James Keddie

Private James Keddie, 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He died of wounds in France on 18th January 1917 aged 32. He had been born in Melrose the son of George and Susan Keddie of Abbotsbank, Gattonside and then St. Andrews and is buried in Brown’s Road Cemetery, Festubert, France. He had originally enlisted in the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry before being posted to the K.O.S.B. in France. After moving to St. Andrews he had married Margaret of Largo Street, St. Andrews and before enlisting he was manager of a drapers shop in the town.( The Regimental History notes that” a particularly promising batch of drafts were received from the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry which commenced training in the Middle of December” ). During January some casualties were suffered from gas shells and it may be that Private Keddie was one of them