Private James Robertson

Private James Robertson, 1st/9th ( Highland ) Battalion Royal Scots ( The Dandy Ninth). He was killed in action on 1st August 1918, aged 21 during the advance of the 15th (Scottish) and 34th Divisions at Villemontiere. He is buried in Raperie British Cemetery, Villemontiere, Aisne, France where his Headstone is inscribed ” A Greatly Loved And Only Child”. He had been born in Melrose and was the son of Robert and Jessie Grieve Robertson of Baillie Memorial Hall, Newtown St. Boswells, Roxburghshire. He had been born in Melrose and had enlisted in St Boswells. The attack was supposed to have been supported by the French on the right but they never moved and the Royal Scots got no support to achieve the impossible. Again they attacked into a hell of shells and machine gun fire but no advance was possible. Almost 80% of the attackers became casualties 8 Officers and 123 Other Ranks were killed and 5 Officers and  300 Other Ranks were wounded. Only “A” and “B” Companies remained in the line and “C” and “D” Companies were relieved that night. The Battalion was part of the 51st ( Highland ) Division and the photograph shows the Divisional Memorial overlooking ” Y” Ravine on the Somme captured  during the successful storm and capture of Beaumont Hamel by the Division in November 1916.