PRIVATE ARTHUR CAIRNS 29852 1 st Kings Own Scottish Borderers Arthur Cairns was born in Scone on 17 September 1897. His father, James, and mother, Agnes, had married in Scone in August 1892. At the time of the marriage James worked as Clerk with the General Post Office and Agnes was a hospital nurse. Their first son, John Henry, was born in 1893 but was killed in France on 25 September 1915 while serving with The Black Watch. Shortly after his birth Arthur and his family moved to 17 Muirhall Terrace, Perth. When Arthur was only one year old his father died from tuberculosis, aged just 36. Sadly, in 1905 Arthur s mother also died from tuberculosis. She was only 37 years old. The next official record, the 1911 census, shows the two boys were living with their aunt and uncle, Jessie and James Greig, in the St Michael s area of Dumfries. James was a boot maker. By this time John was 17 years old and working as a bookmaker's apprentice with his uncle. Arthur was aged 13 and attending school. In April 1915 Arthur Cairns enlisted as a private soldier with the K.O.S.B. At the time he was an apprentice engineer with the firm Arrol- Johnston Motor works at Heathhall, Dumfries. They were an early manufacturer of automobiles and operated between 1895 and 1931. The 1 st Bn K.O.S.B had initially been based in India but were recalled to England in November 1914. They saw action in Gallipoli and then moved to Alexandria. In March 1916 they mobilized to Marseilles, where they were involved in the theatre of war. In January 1917 Arthur was mobilised to France. His battalion was involved in various encounters, including the Battle of Cambrai. Here Pte Arthur Cairns would have experienced Life in the Trenches, which is where infantry soldiers spent much of their time during WW1. This could be described, at the very least, as an unpleasant experience. Arthur would have spent almost a year living in water-filled trenches, caked with mud and suffering from lack of sleep, with the horrors of bombardment and with the constant threat of sniper fire. These conditions will have taken a serious mental toll on many of the soldiers. Life in the Trenches
Extracts are from KOSB War Diaries November 1917 On November 16 th, the Battalion marched to Boisleux-au-Mont where they entrained (transported by train) for Peronne, arriving on the 18 th. They then marched to huts in the village of Haut Allaines. Later that same day, they marched to Fin and were accommodated in tents in Dessart Woods. They spent the day preparing for the Line and Battle Stores, tools and packs were issued. At 2 am on the 20 th November they marched to Gouzeacourt and at 6.20 am, the Barrage opened. They advanced through Viller Plovich to take part in the general attach on the Blue, Brown, and Red Lines. After the objective had been taken, the Battalion was ordered to advance on Arcing, proceeded by tanks. Little opposition was met. Casualties that day were 3 OR killed and 23 OR wounded. On 20 th November, they were in action again in conjunction with 2 nd South Wales Borderers and 9 tanks. The advance was met with heavy machine gun fire, which held up the advance On 22 nd, consolidation of position continued. Casualties were 1 OR killed, 3 wounded. On 23 rd the Battalion spent strengthening the trenches. Some enemy artillery activity and resulting casualties were 2 OR killed 4 wounded and 2 died of wounds. 24 th November, the Battalion moved and took over the right sector of the Brigade front from the 2 nd South Wales Borderers casualties were 2 OR killed, 3 wounded and 1 missing. On 25 th and 26 th they were still in Masinieres sector in the Line. Casualties were on 25 th 2 OR wounded On 27 th, the Battalion was relieved by the 2/Hants and went into Reserve in Marcooing village. Casualties were 1OR killed, 2 wounded, 2 sink evacuated. 28 th and 29 th, the Battalion was resting but there were enemy bombardment with gas shells. Casualties were 28 th 4OR sick, evacuated, 29 th were 2OR wounded and 3 sick evacuated. 30 th Battalion involved in further advance towards the Chapel of the Virgin but encountered rifle and machine gun fire, eventually they were able to occupy the Line by 2.30pm, consolidated by dusk. Casualties were 3 Officer Killed, 11 OR killed, 4 Officers wounded, 79 OR wounded missing 1 Officer and 40 OR missing. 1 st December 1917, the battalion was holding the defensive line on the Right Flank. Casualties were 1OR killed and 18 OR wounded. The Battalion withdrew on 5/6 th December to the main Hindenburg Support Line. Private Arthur Cairns and his battalion took an active part in the Battle of Cambrai. It is unclear on which day Arthur was wounded but he died from his wounds on 1 December 1917, aged 20yrs. He is buried in Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt ref VI. C. 20. Rocquigny and Equancourt are two villages, in the Department of the Somme, some 13 kilometres north of Peronne and 12 kilometres south-east of Bapaume. Rocquigny and Equancourt are approximately 8 kilometres apart and the Rocquigny-Equancourt British Cemetery lies about halfway between the two villages, on the north side of the road, just west of the crossing road from Etricourt to Ypres.
The cemetery was begun in 1917 and used until March 1918, mainly by the 21 st and 48 th Casualty Clearing Stations posted at Ypres, and to a small extent by the Germans, who knew it as "Etricourt Old English Cemetery". Burials were resumed by Commonwealth in September 1918 and servicemen from the 3 rd Canadian and 18 th Casualty Clearing Stations were buried there in October and November 1918. The cemetery contains 1,838 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 21 of the burials are unidentified and nine Commonwealth graves made by the Germans, which cannot now be found, are represented by special memorials. The cemetery also contains 198 German war burials and the graves of ten French civilians. Not only are Arthur and his brother, Henry, remembered on the War Memorial in Scone, their names also appear on the memorial plaque in St Michael s Church, Dumfries. Arthur and his brother, Henry, are remembered on the memorial in St Michael s Church, Dumfries
Arthur s effects returned to his Uncle Henry Details of The Victory and British War medals awarded to Arthur
The Graves Registration Report showing Arthur s plot In Rocquigny Road British Cemetery Authorisation of Arthur s headstone