Private Alexander McCraw

Private Alexander McCraw, 141st Coy. Machine Gun Corps ( Infantry ). He was killed in action in France on 30th November 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai, aged 20. He was the son of Robert and Margaret McCraw, of Redden, Kelso and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, France. Before enlisting he had been employed as a ploughman at Redden farm, Sprouston.  The M.G.C used the Vickers Mk1 water cooled gun which could be used in both defensive and offensive roles. This was the first time that tanks had been used en masse ( 437 ) and on good ground to breach the German lines and the second photograph shows one of the tanks.