1917 was a terrible year for Robert and Lizzie Boyes. (Robert was my great grandfather's brother). Two of their sons, Robert and James, were killed and a third son was still away at the front.  I thought of them today as we stood at the memorial in Dunscore. Their names had been written on poppies along with all the others from Dunscore killed in two world wars and placed at the front of the church. The minister's theme for this morning's service was "peace".


Robert Marchbank Boyes was born in 1893. Before joining the army, he was employed by a Mr Stobo of Hallidayhill. He enlisted on 16th September 1914 as Private 14810 and served on the Western Front with 2nd Bn KOSB from 19th January 1915. Twice wounded in France, he was invalided to the UK and treated in a hospital in St Albans in July 1916. He served overseas for a second time as Private 201791 in the 1st/5th Bn KOSB Machine Gun section in Palestine. He was killed in action on Tuesday 13th November 1917 at El Mughar at the age of 24. His grave is at Ramleh War Cemetery which is now in Israel.

James Joseph Boyes was born on 9th July 1895 and worked for Mssrs Glendinning & Rule, painters in Thornhill before joining up in July 1916 as Private 225681 in the 6th Bn KOSB. In October 2016 he was sent home from France with shrapnel wounds to his shoulder and face. He had also lost an eye. After treatment in a London hospital, he was sent back to France and was killed on Monday 9th April 1917 on the first day of the battle of Arras, aged 21. His grave is at Bailleul West Cemetery, St Laurent-Blancy, Pas de Calais.


A third brother, John Grierson Boyes, was wounded in 1918 but survived the war and later emigrated to Canada, where he died in 1988, aged 90.