Places > Book of remembrance for Tweeddale > Landward Parishes

48
County of Peebles Book of Remembrance.
loss is more keenly felt because ot his long
association with the battalion, combined
with his fine soldier-like qualities. He was
among the bravest, and never flinched in
the face of danger. Alas, I never see a
young promising life like his cut short at
the threshold of its promise without think-
ing of the greater and more lasting sorrow
of those at home. May the remembrance of
the Christian Hope help to sustain you in
the dark hour. Our sympathy goes out to
you in your irreparable loss of such a gal-
lant son. There is so little one can say save
the bare facts."
Another son, Willie, was missing on April
10th, 1918. There was also another son who
enlisted in September, 1914. He was in
France and then in Salonika, and was in the
fighting from start to finish ; he had nothing
worse than a slight wound, and won through
in the end. Of Tom, them is no photograph
to be had.
Lord, if there come the end,
Let me find space and breath, all the
dearest I prize
Into Thy haud.s to commend;
Then let me go, with my boy's laughing
eyes.
Smiling a word to a friend.
PRIVATE JOHN A. WALKER
(Mange)
7th SeAFOUTH HlGHLANDEHS.
1916. July 20.
" I take the liberty of writing to you to
inform you (in case you have not yet re-
ceived official notice) of the death of youi'
son John, who was killed in the advance on
Thursday, the 20th July, 1916. He was
struck in the head by a piece of shrapnel,
and died in about three minutes, as we
were taking shells to the guns. He had no
suffering. I may say that all in the battery
bend you their sincerest sympathy in your
trouble, as ho was very much liked and re-
spected by all. He was equally well liked
by all the officers and men who were with
liim on the gun, and I can assure you that
your sad loss is ours as well, especially as
to myself, having wrought beside him in
Forth, and I learned to like him very much.
He fell doing his duty courageously, and all
the battery feel his loss very much."
John Walker volunteered on the 11th Sep-
tember, 1914, and was thus one of those gal-
lant lads who came forward at the very begin-
ning. He attained the age of fourteen years
only on the 24th September of that year. He
enlisted in the Scots Greys, and after a year's
training at Knavesmyre, York, he transfer-
red to the 7th Seaforth Highlanders at the
end of June, 1915. He arrived " somewhere
in France " on the 12th of August, 1915. He
went through the dreadful Battle of Loos, and
imniediately after that battle he said that he
knew what it was to go over the top and face
the Germans. '" Of course he never told ns
anything, and the censor never required to
obliterate a single word. He joined the
trench mortar battery in the beginning of
November, 1915, on which he served until he
was killed by the bursting of a shell, when
going forward to a new position at Longueval,
Delville Wood. The date was not very cer-
tain, as you will see by the letters from his
officer and comrades. We received a field
card written on tlie morning of his death, at
least, it was dated one ot these dates. He
never wrote a letter home but he put in that
he was in the best of health and spirits, and
he never made any complaints. George
Hardy, who wrote one of these letters died of
wounds in hospital in England, about the be-
ginning of November of the same year, 1916."
I may mention that his brother, Adam, volun-
teered into the Cameron Highlanders on the
5th December, 1914, and was discharged
through bad knees in February, 1915. Then
he volunteered for the Motor Transport, but
was not accepted. He volunteered next for
the Red Cross Motor Transport, and was with
it in Fi-ance until February. He gave up a
good situation with the late Lord Dewar, and
is now out of employment.
Oh happy! Generations have lived and died
And only dreamed such things as we have
.seen and known !
Splendour of uicn, death laughed at, death
defied.
Round I he great world on the winds is
their tale blown;
Whatever pass, these ever shall abide:
In memory's Valhalla, an imperishable
throne.