Rifleman James Yule

Rifleman James Yule, 1st/8th ( Territorial ) Battalion, London Regiment, (Post Office Rifles). He was killed in action in France on 7th October 1916 during the Battle of the Somme, aged 35. He fell during the successful assault by the 47th (London) Division on d’Eaucort- L’Abbaye and is buried in Warlencourt British Cemetery, France. His Headstone is inscribed ” Mizpah “. He had been born in Ledgerwood, Berwickshire and was the son of James and Annie Yule and husband of Mary McLeod Yule of 6 Eildon Terrace, Newtown St. Boswells, Roxburghshire.  He fell in a failed attack on the infamous Butte de Warlencourt. Intense machine gun fire stopped the attack in its tracks with heavy casualties.  out of the 650 attackers 66% became casualties, 40 killed, 160 wounded and 200 posted missing. In autumn when it rained the ground turned into a glutinous quagmire making movement for men an guns very difficult as can be seen from the photographs. The photo of the Butte was taken after the War. The colour image shows a peaceful Somme landscape today.