By Trevor Mills and Fiona Mills
Published by the Borders Family History Society in 2006, 77 pages. A4 size spiral bound booklet (N7774)
Melrose is a small town in the Scottish Borders, and this booklet provides a fascinating and detailed record of men from the town (and surrounding villages) who served in the First and Second World Wars. The booklet is made up of entries detailing the information known about each of the men, and a couple of the entires are listed below to provide an idea of what's included:
Private Edward William Riddell No 29399, 2nd Bn., KOSB "Has died from wounds in action on the 91411917 at the Canadian Field Hospital on 13/4/1917. He was the youngest of 3 sons (all in the army) aged 22, of William (dairyman,) and Margaret Riddell of East Port, Melrose. As a member of the Melrose Territorials, Private Riddell was for a time at home as a result of illness contracted while on service. Edward was killed a few months before his eldest brother Robert" (see above) In the Census of 1901 the family are found living in The Ship Inn, Eastport, Melrose. Father William aged 44 is a carter and dairyman (working for himself) born in Melrose. Mother Margaret is 43, born in Findhom, Morayshire. The children, all born in Melrose, are Christina (dairymaid) aged 15 Robert S, (Grocer's Assistant) aged 14, Hugh also 14 (Dairy Servant) and Edward 6 (scholar). Also at home is Christina Ridde 11 a cousin of the children. Edward is recorded as having enlisted in Berwick, Northumberland and living in Melrose. He is buried in the Quatre-Vents Military Cemetery, Estree -Cauchy, Pas de Calis. France.
Private James Notman No S/18499,1 st/5th Bn., Cameron Highlanders, 26th Brigade, 9th Division. Also on Gattonside War Memorial "Officially reported killed in France on 27/11/1915. Previous to the war he was employed as a farm servant at Kittyfield, near Melrose. He joined the army in May when he was 19. He lived with his Grandmother and Aunt at Graigsford, Earlston. He had enlisted in June at Galashiels and is recorded as being resident in Melrose. James was one of 7 men killed on 21 November by a direct hit on the front line trench by an enemy high explosive shell. He is buried in Railway Dugouts Burial Ground in the locality ofIeper (Ypres) West Vlaanderen, Belgium.
The condition of the booklet is generally very good. The covers are clean and bright, the spiral spine is tight and intact and all pages are clean, intact, unblemished and tightly bound.