Personal Background

George was the second son of James Swinton, of Hiltons Hill, St. Boswells, and his wife, Margaret Lothian.  The family had previously lived at Edgerston (1901 Census) and at Eildon Bank (1911).  George married Mary Scott, who came from Clarilaw, St. Boswells, at Bowden Manse on 4 January 1918.  \It is probable he had been home on a brief spell of leave with his family for what was to be his last Christmas and New Year.  There is no indication of a posthumous child born to the couple. 

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​​Military Background

George enlisted on 5 August 1914, and it is tragic that after surviving so much fighting  he should die so close to the end of the War, leaving a young widow behind. 

The Germans had never shelled Portsmouth Camp, as it was under observation from Monchy and from Greenland Hill.  However, on 26 June, the Germans turned their guns on it and inflicted on the Battalion the loss of five men, who were killed outright or died of wounds, and 15 men wounded.  An officer wrote to George's widow, saying: "I saw him just after he was hit, and he was very brave and bore up splendidly when he was being attended to.  He will be much missed by his friends in the Battalion and especially by his fellow bandsmen, with whom he was very popular.  To you, his death must be a terrible blow, and the only consolation you can have is that he died a soldier's death, doing his bit for his King and Country and fighting for the greatest cause that any nation has ever fought."