Lance Corporal William Ruthven

Lance Corporal William Ruthven, 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in France , aged 19, on the 14th October 1914. He had been born in Bowhill, Selkirk in 1894 and was the son of the late Robert Ruthven and Mary Ruthven and he is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, France. He had been employed as a kennelman when he enlisted as a Regular soldier in 1912. The Battalion landed in France on 15th August 1914 and he had been in action at the Battles of Mons, Le Cateau and the Marne. By October both sides were involved in the ” race to the sea” which was really attempts moving northwards to outflank each other forces. Between 12th and 14th October fierce actions were fought at La Bassee and Givenchy with German artillery fire very heavy and it was here Lance Corporal Ruthven fell. The photo shows British troops moving northwards.