Private Thomas Nisbet

Private Thomas Nisbet, 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots. He was killed in action in Belgium, aged 19, on the 26th September 1917 during the Battle of Third Ypres. He had been born in Selkirk and was the son of Thomas and Jane Nisbet of 59 Buccleuch Road, Selkirk. He had been employed as a mill worker before enlisting in the 53 Training Reserve Battalion in May 1916. In May 1917 he was posted to the Highland Light Infantry in France but was then transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots. He is commemorated on the Tyne cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Flanders, Belgium. He fell in an attack at ” Hill 40″ near the Zonnebeke Road which was only partially successful and resulted in very heavy casualties. 4 Officers and 45 Other Ranks were killed and 6 Officers and 278 Other Ranks were wounded. In addition 66 Other Ranks were posted missing. The photos show the atrocious battlefield conditions where the incessant shelling had destroyed the fragile Flanders drainage conditions.