Private James Davidson M.M.

Private James Davidson, M.M., 11th ( Service ) Battalion, Royal Scots. He was killed in action in France, aged 28, on the 9th April 1917 on the first day of the Battle of Arras. He had been born in Selkirk in 1889 and was thge son of the late Elizabeth and of John Davidson of Cannon Street, Selkirk. He is buried in Roclincourt Valley Cemetery, Arras, France. He was a noted footballer and played for Selkirk Football Club. He had enlisted in 1914 and joined his Battalion in June 1915. He was awarded the Military Medal in mid 1916. He fell in the general attack north of the Scarpe where all the first day objectives were capture with however over 100 casualties. The photographs show Allied troops during the Battle and the colour photo shows the impressive Memorial raised to the 9th ( Scottish ) Division of which the Battalion was part. It was raised near Pointe de Jour near the village of Athies but due to nearby heavy traffic was moved to the Pointe de jour British Military Cemetery nearby.