Private William BLAIR (S/31135)
D Company, 5th (Service) Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders

Date of birth: 17th October 1898
Date of death: 31st October 1918

Died of wounds aged 20
Buried at Kezelburg Military Cemetery, Belgium Plot I Row B Grave 11
William Blair was born at Duthie, Carrbridge in Inverness shire on the 17th of October 1898 the second son of William Blair, a grocer and postmaster, and Elsie Blair later of "The Firs", Carron. He moved to Carron in June 1899 at the age of seven months.

He worked as a general merchant's assistant before he enlisted into the army at Nairn in April 1917. He was posted to the 40th Training Battalion as Private TR/1/9747, and, on completion of his training, he was posted to the 5th Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders.

On the 27th of October 1918 the battalion was at Harlebeke after being in nearly continuous action for a month. They were bombarded on the night of the 28th and on the 29th they moved to more desirable billets at Landelede, some ten kilometers farther to the north west. On the 30th of October they came under intensive night bombing from the air during which William Blair was wounded. He died the next day at 64 Casualty Clearing Station at Kezelburg. As a result of the bombing the battalion moved again on the 31st to Winkel St Eloi.

His brother, Lieutenant John W. Blair, 1/6th (Morayshire) Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, was captured on the 12th of December 1916 and was repatriated on the 17th of December 1918.
Carron

Back