Lance Corporal Peter Finney

Lance Corporal Peter Finney, 6th ( Service ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in France on the 3rd May 1917, aged 45, during the Battle of Arras. He had been born in Galashiels in 1872 and was cthe son of the late Mary and Robert Finney of Dunsdalehaugh, Selkirk. In 1895 he had married Agnes of 21 Halliburton St., Galashiels and he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Arras, France. He had been a National Reservist and was mobilised in September 1914 joining the 2nd K.O.S.B. in December 1914. In early 1915 he was invalided home suffering from “trench feet” and upon recovery he was posted to the 6th Battalion. He fell during the disastrous attack on the strong German positions on ” Greenland Hill” The Battalion was rushed into an unreconnoitred night attack which went badly wrong. The Battalion penetrated well into the German lines but the flanking attacks failed with the result the attackers were cut off. Only some 50 men managed to return to Allied lines. Total casualties were 10 Officers and 51 Other Ranks were killed and 3 Officers and 152 Other Ranks were wounded. In addition some 200 Other Ranks were reported missing although some of these may have been captured. The photos show troops during the Battle.