The story of the London Scottish, the first territorial regiment to be sent to the front, can be
seen in an exhibition in the display cabinets by the Senior Common Room. It is an heroic
story, playing their part in defending the Belgian town of Ypres in November 1914 and
thereby, in the long run, helping to win the war.
Yesterday, the School received a letter from the nephew of Private James Johnston, paying
tribute to his Uncle’s sacrifice. In his last letter home, Private Johnston, known to his family
as Jimmy, told of the conditions he endured in the Battle of Ypres in November 1914. In his
last letter home, he wrote:
“We eventually got to a hedge and lay there the whole afternoon until dark in very heavy
fire. The man behind me got hit, and I got through because I had a shovel which I had been
carrying the whole day. Bullets hit the shovel on and off, the whole afternoon. Dusk came
and we got onto the other side of the hedge and started digging trenches”
Sadly, he lost his life whilst fetching water for his comrades on the 13th November when
he was hit by a sniper’s bullet. Although he was buried, the next four years of war around
Ypres led to his body being lost. Instead, he is commemorated on the Menin Gate, dedicated
to those in the Ypres Salient with no known grave. In all, of the 310 names on the Roll of
Honour, 78 have no known grave – a reflection of the Great War.
Private James Johnston
Private James Johnston’s family dealt with their loss through poetry, their words a mixture of pride, grief and an exhortation to peace.
The following poem was sent to us by Jimmy’s nephew, Hamish Johnston, after it had been found among the family albums.
The poem is entitled, “Jimmy” and the sheet of paper is headed with the following words:
Klein Zillebeke Woods, Near Ypres
Friday November 13th 1914
AT REST
JIMMY
So young, so full of life, eager for Duty’s call,
One of the first to volunteer, for England to stand and fall.
He heard the call of Country, hastened to serve his King,
His regiment’s glorious bayonet charge made the whole of England ring.
Then there was anxious waiting, many a tearful prayer,
For many a name was missing, of those who in it had share;
The prayer for ‘Jimmy’ was answered, anxiety turned to joy
By a letter, telling of safety, straight from the hand of the boy.
He carried a wounded comrade for about three miles or more,
And thus unharmed, he wrote his first experience of war;
But when called again to action, a Higher Call was given,
‘Twas a call from the ‘Great Commander’ calling him Home-to-Heaven.
With a thrill of pride, but tear-dimmed eyes, we murmur, ‘Thy will be done,’
Pride for the help he nobly gave to our Empire – second to none,
And tears will come, tho’ we choke them back, and pray that all wars may cease,
And ‘Jimmy’ we leave, O God, with Thee, in Heaven’s Perfect Peace.
08
Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
November 14 2014