Private James Brunton

Private James Brunton, 13th ( Service ) Battalion, Royal Scots. He died from wounds, aged 30, in France on the 3rd October 1915. He had been born in Nenthorn, Roxburghshire and was the son of George and Isabella Brunton of Briar Cottage, Ettrickhaugh Road, Selkirk and the husband of Wilhelmina Brunton of Thirladean, Selkirk. Before enlisting he had been employed as a gardener at Shieldhall Castle near Biggar. He had been wounded during the Battle of Loos in late September and died in the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Wimereux. He is buried in Wimereux Communal Cemetery, France. The Battalion had been heavily involved on the 25th September on the first day of the Battle and also during the following days resulting in 15 Officers and 325 Other Ranks becoming casualties. (Private Dunsire of the Battalion won the Victoria Cross on the 26th for rescuing wounded men from between the lines under very heavy fire ). The artist’s nightmarish illustration depicts an attack at Loos with the troops wearing their gas hoods and using primitive hand grenades.