Places > Book of remembrance for Tweeddale > Landward Parishes

County of Peebles Book of Remembrance.
46
left with his battalion in May, 1915, for Galli-
poli. He was reported missing after the
great charge of the K.O.S.B. on the 12th July,
1916. He was employed with Gibson & Lum-
gair at Selkirk. He was a very talented vocal-
ist, and his services were in much demand,
both in Selkirk and also in the place of his
nativity.
The long continued Battle of the Somme
was raging yet. On this day the British com-
pleted the capture of Mametz Wood.
Sleep soft, dead! sweet dreamless quiet
enfolding i
Let not our sorrow on yoxir slumber
break.
We shall keep vigil, still in honour holding
This land, made holier to us, for your
sake.
LCE.-CPL. C. LUNN
(Walkeebtirn)
12th Royal Scots.
1916. Friday, Jtjly 14.
Lance-Corporal G. Lunn was killed in ac+uion
in France at the Battle of the Somme on July
14, 1916. He was 28 years of age, and enlisted
very early in the war, and went to Franrie in
May, 1915. He was home on leave for a week
in February, 1916. He was a tuner in Tweed-
holm Mill, but for a few weeks thereafter he
was employed in the N.B. Station at Edinburgh.
His body was buried in Caterpillar Valley be-
tween Montauban and Longueval.
It was on July 14 that the British attacked
the German second line of defences between the
Somme and the Ancre. The British broke
through on a front of four miles. Four men
from Walkerburn and Traquair fell on the fatal
14th in this dreadful battle.
Whoever sinned in this, it was not he.
While warriors of the tongue defiled our name,
His was no casual service, nor shall be
A casual fame.
To-day let all philosophies be dumb,
And every ardour pause a moment thus,
To say of him, who back from deatli will come,
" He died for us."
Not lonely, and unnamed, battalioned deep
With you are gliostly multitudes, who tell
Nothing, nor claim. Together to your sleep
Pass, and farewell !
SERGEANT GEORGE BERTRAM
(Manob and Traquaib)
Royal Scots.
1916. July 14.
Mr and Mrs Bertram, who resided on the
estate of Hallyards, in the beautiful valley of
Manor, sent forth to the war five gallant sons —
Robert, William, John, Harry, and George;
also a son-in-law. Of this heroic band Sergeant
George Bertram was the first tO' give his life
for King and country. His employment was
that of his father, he being employed as a gar-
dener at the Glen at Traquair. He enlisted
shortly after the outbreak of war, and rose to
the rank of sergeant. He was killed in action
on Friday, the 14th July, 1916, aged 23, at
Longueval.
On that day the Britisih attack on the second
line of the German system of defences began at
dawn between the Somme and the Ancre. By
ten o'clock Sir Douglas Haig was able to send
the excellent news that our troops had broken
into the hostile positions on a front of four
miles, and had captured several strongly forti-
fied positions. The furious fighting continued
all day, as a result of which we steadily in-
creased our gains, and at night were in possies-
sion of the enemy's second position from
Bazentin-le-Petit village to Longueval and the
whole of Trones Wood. On the following day
we penetrated at one point into the enemy's
third line, and had also captured Delville
Wood. It was in this prolonged and furious
fighting that Sergeant George Bertram fell.
Sergeant-Major Robert Bertram, the eldest
son, of the 11th Battalion Argyll and Suther-
land Highlanders, was in June awarded the
Distinguished Conduct Medal for general brav-
ery in the field. Before that he was Ctolour-
Sergeant in Stirling Castle. He gained two
medals for the South African War, and also
obtained the Coronation Medal and Good Con-
duct awards. Of the other brothers, William
was in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders,
and wag the next of the gallant family t-o fall ;
he was then in the Black watch. John was in
the Royal Flying Corps; Harry was a Govern-
ment farrier at Bo'ne&s; and a son-in-law
(Smith) was in the Mechanical Transport of the