Earlier this year, the family of Lance Corporal Brunton Smith, who was killed in action in 1918 while serving with the Royal Scots, approached Roslin branch about a new memorial commemorating him. This memorial has now gone on display at the Roslin club, alongside information on Brunton’s life and the history of the Royal Scots itself.

 

About Brunton

Brunton Smith was born on 13 July 1882 in Roslin, the youngest boy of 10 children. His first jobs were at the gunpowder mill in Roslin Glen and then the local coal mine, before going to New Zealand as a miner there. He returned home to marry Helen Webster Anderson, hoping they would start a life together in New Zealand. His first daughter was born in 1914, the second the following year, by which time Brunton had joined the Royal Scots.

Serving in the 8^th Battalion, C company, Brunton was sent to France and on 22 or 23 July 1916, sustained shrapnel wounds near the Somme. He was repatriated and underwent medical treatment in Glasgow.

In January 1917, he was ruled fit and was posted to Catterick to undergo signals training. He achieved a first-class pass and, after a short period of leave with his family, returned to France. On 24 March 1918, he was killed in action in Somme Valley. It was reported that he had died instantly from two machine gun bullets and his body was taken, along with 21 others, to a military cemetery to be placed in an unknown soldier grave.

 

Retracing the family roots

For the last 15 years or so, retired civil servant Andy Pugh worked with a colleague to research one of Andy’s own relatives who was killed at the same time and in the same place. Looking through historical and military records, Andy was able to find pieces of evidence – including Brunton’s own war diaries – that identified Brunton as one of the unknown soldiers.

Andy’s work was assisted by the Hunter and Clague families, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre. His evidence was accepted by the Ministry of Defence, and following a Covid-induced delay, Brunton Smith’s grave was rededicated in a ceremony attended by families and friends, the Pipes & Bugler of the Royal Scots, and Colonel Howard Wilkinson, British military attaché to Paris.

 

Bringing the memorial to Roslin

Following the ceremony, a flag presented to Brunton’s family by Colonel Wilkinson was combined with related documents and medals to create a memorial to the serviceman.

It was decided that this should be housed in Roslin’s Legion Scotland club, as it would be on display to all visitors. It was finally unveiled there on 10 November 2024.