Buried in Ettleton Old Cemetery, Roxburghshire,Scotland and Castleton Cemetery,Roxburghshire,Scotland lie 2 young lads from the King's Own Scottish Borderers who both died on the same day of 18/11/1940. So with a Google I have discovered that they both died along with another 30 lads from the KOSB's and another 30 injured from when a German plane dropped a parachute mine on Theydon Bois, Essex where they were billeted in the Retreat which took the blast of the bomb. Casualty Casualty If anyone can add anything else please to this incident please do so as I feel uncomfortable with using another forum for the information.. Here is the link to the forum I found the details from The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project :: View topic - Theydon Bois, KOSB WW2 Private David Davidson | War memorials | The Coldstream History Society Private James Proudfoot | War memorials | The Coldstream History Society Regards Mike
Just checked - All UK, WWII Civilian Deaths, 1939-1945 for that date and there were no civilians killed in Essex on that date. Pvt James Ker ( - 1940) - Find A Grave Memorial James Ker Birth: unknown Death: Nov. 18, 1940 Theydon Bois Epping Forest District Essex, England Casualty of WWII,James served with the 6th Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers Service No:3192796. He was 21 and the son of James C. Ker and Elizabeth Ker of Kelso. He was killed on active service by enemy action. TRAGEDY AT THEYDON BOIS On Monday 18th November 1940 sixty men of the Kings Own Scottish Borders were billeted at Yates Retreat, a huge pre-war tea room and playground in Coppice Row, Theydon Bois. A sentry on duty outside saw an object descending by parachute. He had heard an aircraft circling earlier, and assumed that it must be an airman who had been forced to bale out. The object was in fact a mine, one of two dropped. One landed in Piercing Hill, but the other brushed the roof of the Retreat before hitting the helter-skelter and exploding. The Retreat was completely blown apart, and twenty-six soldiers were killed. Over the next few days two more died of their wounds. All the deaths were recorded at Epping Registry Office. He and his 29 comrades are commemorated in St Mary’s church, Theydon Bois, Essex at OS Map Ref TQ 447 992. The memorial plaque in memory of the thirty who died was installed and consecrated 18 Nov 1998 IN VERITATE RELIGIONIS CONFIDO THIS PLAQUE IS ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF THIRTY MEN OF “A” COMPANY THE 6TH BATTALION THE KING’S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS KILLED BY AN ENEMY PARACHUTE MINE WHICH FELL ON THEYDON BOIS ON THE 18TH NOVEMBER 1940 R ATKINS T G BOYD W CLARK W H COLTMAN A CROZIER D S M DAVIDSON J B DICKSON A B DOBSON G D DOUGLAS J T DOUGLAS G GAY A GIBB P F GLANCY E J GOFF R HAY G R HEWITT J HUNTER T W JAMESON J KER M LANNIGAN S M McCREADIE J McGUIRE R T MURRAY J S PROUDFOOT J PURVIS S D REED J ROGERS D W SHANKS A SHEARER R H SKILTON NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA The Latin words are from the Regimental Insignia IN VERITATE RELIGIONIS CONFIDO (I trust in the truth of religion) NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA [Unless the Lord is with us, our labour is vain. Psalm 127] Literally, it just means 'if not the master, in vain;' Latin requires a lot of interpretation from context. "Without God, we labour in vain" Burial: Kelso Rosebank Cemetery Kelso Scottish Borders, Scotland Plot: Compt. B. Grave 240. TD Link added
Poor old KOSB s didn't have a lot of luck in the UK with the 30 lads killed in the glider crash in April 1944 as well
PrivateCLARK, WILLIAM Service Number 3189638 Died 18/11/1940 Aged 19 6th Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers Son of Sjt. William Clark, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt.) (killed in action in France, 16th May, 1940), and of Christina Clark, of Dundee, Angus; husband of Mary Clark, of Edinburgh. INSCRIPTION BELOVED SON OF SJT. W. CLARK THE BLACK WATCH KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE 16TH MAY 1940 AGE 38. R.I.P. SerjeantCLARK, WILLIAM Service Number 2745301 Died 16/05/1940 Aged 38 4th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) Son of William and Helen Clark, of Dundee; husband of Christina Clark, of Dundee. His son William also died on service. INSCRIPTION DEEP IN OUR HEARTS HIS MEMORY IS KEPT WE WILL REMEMBER WHEN OTHERS FORGET
This was my grans brother. She spoke of him all the time as I looked just like him. She died at 93 years old and his death devastated the family. She had mentioned that there was a few from kelso and the local area that died that day. I have just started looking into his death and came across this page.
Hi Lawman, you will need to apply for service record here for all the official details of training etc. Get a copy of military service records - GOV.UK Welcome to the forum. His birth cert from 1919 (Kelso) can be ordered via Scotlandspeople website. I notice a James Ker married a Jean Mae Cummings in 1937 at Kelso. But, there are two James Ker's in Kelso on the 1935 Valuation Rolls. One living at 11 Hillbank Terrace and the other at 14 Roxburgh Street. His entry at Scottish National War Memorial Roll Search | View details
It's little consolation, but he was with his mates when he died. Some didn't have company at their death. On a less morbid note, it seems there were several of these Retreats, similar to some seaside amusement parks built around Epping Forest, which drew the crowds out of London tenements to enjoy a bit of country air. See Resource Bank: Epping Forest District Museum Yates took over Riggs Retreat in 1916 and you can see the helter skelter in some of the photos.
There were 2 retreats in Theydon Bois. Riggs Retreat was on the right hand side as you go up Coppice Row and opposite it on the Left hand side was Gray's retreat ( bounded by Sidney Road ). Riggs was completely destroyed with a terrible loss of life & Gray's was reduced to a collection of ground floor buildings which were used as storage until 1966 when they were cleared to make way for new developments. Gray's Retreat was our family business on my late Mothers side. After the war my Grandfather purchased the Riggs site and divided it into building plots which he gave away to young couples from the village when they got married. My parents had one of the plots. My father kept a large box where we deposited all the rotting ammunition, rifle parts etc that came up as the house was built. I wonder whether anyone living up there now is aware of what happened ?
I've just found this thread and thought I should add the following. Jimmy Proudfoot was my dad's best friend, they grew up in Newcastleton. They were like each other's shadows my dad said. I don't think my dad ever got over Jimmy's loss, he always had a tear in his eye when he spoke of him. They were both in the KOSB, my dad became a sniper sergeant in HQ Company, 4th Batt, KOSB. Dad told me that he had to bury many of his friends that were killed in action, he lived to age 95 and died in 2016, I'm glad I was able to video him telling some of his wartime exploits. IanTS
Hi Mike, if you're interested, go to the following thread on Milsurps, there are some video clips of my dad in it. www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=48373&page=1 Best wishes, Ian.
Cheers for that Ian it was brilliant, I was enjoying reading and watching the thread I was late for work this morning whoops but what the heck when you get to listen to an old veteran who cares. Regards Mike