George Harper Ballock/h      Age 24

Regimental No. 94716           Gunner           Royal Field Artillery 

Bombardier but reverted to Gunner           1 July 1917

Killed in Action                                              11 November 1917 below Messines

Buried                                                             La Plus Douve Farm Cemetery, Belgium

 

Personal Background

George was born  in 1894, son of Archibald and Mary Jane, nee Harper.  His father, born in Dunbar in 1860, was lodging with his sister, Marion Hogg, and her husband at 8 Ettrick Road, Selkirk, in 1881.  The 1901 Census shows Archibald still in Selkirk with his growing family and working in the mills. 

There has been some difficulty in locating the family in the 1911 census, but the valuation rolls for St. Boswells in  1914/15 reveal an Archibald Balloch (not Ballock), fishmonger, occupying a property owned by Benjamin Hunter, grocer, of Moorfield (down the lane between the Church and Village Hall).  With such an uncommon name in the area, it seems reasonable to assume this was George's father, as his own father was a fish curer.  This is supported by the fact that,  in 1921, Archibald's death certificate gives his occupation as "fishmonger".  Whether Archibald was working for himself or for Mr Hunter is not clear, but this leads us to assume George was known in the village before joining up, hence his name on the memorial.

 Archibald's death was yet another tragedy for the family, as he took his own life and we know from George's will that his parents were back in Selkirk, at Park Cottage, Tait's Hill before then.  George's mother, Mary Jane, passed away towards the end of 1930, in Selkirk.

 

Military Background

George enlisted in Maidstone on 9 June 1915 and died on 11 November 1917.  It appears George was killed by a shell that burst over the dugout he was in on the night of 11 November 1917.  He had been three years on the Western Front  and as an artillery gunner, George would have spent much of the war in similar situations and seen bombardments at Ypres in 1915, on the Somme in 1916, at Arras in April 1917 and at 3rd Battle of Ypres in 1917.  The 46th Brigade RFA served with the 14th Division. 

He was awarded the British War and Victory Medals, plus the 14/15 Star and is buried at La Plus Douve Farm Cemetery in Hainault, Belgium. 

The Register of Soldiers' Effects shows that he was in credit to the tune of £13.4.4d which was paid to his nominated Executrix, Mrs Mary Ballock(sic) , his mother,  on 25 April 1918.  A subsequent War Gratuity of £14.10.0d was paid to her on 12 December 1919.

A newspaper memorial notice states that "He is deeply mourned by his Father, Mother, his sister, Mrs Mason, and brothers Archie, Tom and Jack".