Private George McGregor

Private George McGregor, 1st Battalion, Scots Guards. He was killed in action in Belgium, aged 27, on 31st July 1917 on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium. He had been born in Mindrum, Northumberland and was the son of Thomas and Jane McGregor of East Kirknewton and late of Primside Mill, Yetholm. Before enlisting in December 1915 he had been employed as a rabbit catcher by Mr Davidson at Catch-A- Penny farm, Yetholm.  He fell in the attacks near Artillery Wood where the objectives were three lines of enemy trenches named Blue, Black and Green. All these positions were captured by 8 a.m. Hidden machine guns and snipers had caused casualties and 2 Officers and 55 Other Ranks were killed and 7 Officers and 207 Other Ranks were wounded. The Battalion was then withdrawn and sent back in reserve to Roussel Farm. The photos show troops during the early stages of the Battle.