Introduction
Between 1914 and 1918, the relentless exodus of young men to the battlefields had a massive impact on the cities, towns and villages of the UK, and, indeed, the Commonwealth. There were economic, as well as social consequences. Those who remained at home had to work harder to support and sustain the war effort, and, in the case of women, take on jobs that would previously have been deemed utterly unsuitable. After conscription, military tribunal records show clearly the effect on small companies that were struggling to survive with hugely reduced staffing levels, and those who were self-employed and often the sole support of their families found themselves facing severe hardship or even the closure of their business. Farms strove to maintain food production and even though some leeway was granted to keep men at home who were fit enough to cope with the heavy manual work involved, decisions often depended on the attitude of the person chairing the tribunal.
But greater still was the impact on a personal level. Families thirsted for news that would reassure them their sons, brothers and fathers were still alive, at the same time dreading the arrival of a telegram or official letter that would bring word that they had been injured, were missing or dead. And while there can scarcely have been a family in the land that was unaffected by such awful news, these losses were perhaps more noticeable in small rural communities such as St. Boswells, where some families had lived for generations, everyone knew everyone else, and the closely woven social structure was torn apart by the deaths of so many young men of the Parish.
The population of St. Boswells Parish in 1911 was around 800, and the names of 31 men appear on our War Memorial. The youngest was 18, the oldest 38, but the majority were in their 20s. Only 6 were married, and of them 4 left young children. They were more than just names on a plaque; real people, with real lives, loves, careers and dreams, and it seems fitting to remember and honour that, as well as the enormity of their loss to their immediate families and friends, and to their community.
The following biographies have been researched as respectfully and carefully as possible, using publicly accessible resources and, in some instances, input from descendents. We have tried to avoid making assumptions, and where there are doubts about the identity of the soldier, we have said so. The loss of military records during the Blitz in WW2 means that there are gaps in available information, but even where details are sparse, War Diaries have been used to give some indication of the actions in which each man was involved, particularly around the time of his demise.
We hope that you will find these pages helpful, whether as descendents of the men or their families, or as someone with an interest in WW1 in general. This will always be a "work in progress" so should you find any errors or discrepancies, or, indeed, if you have further information that would enhance what has been provided, then please get in touch via our Contact page.