Scougall, Robert

Private Robert Scougall

Seaforth Highlanders

1919 - February 17.

AT Morelands Hospital, Peebles, there died on 17th February 1919

Private ROBERT SCOUGALL, 3rd Seaforth Highlanders, aged 20 years, the third son of Mrs John Seougall, 57 North gate, Peebles.

During the whole course of the Great War, next to the boys and men themselves, none suffered more poignantly than the mothers during their long-drawn-out strain of anxiety and uncertainty. The mothers of Tweeddale bore their share bravely, proudly, and uncomplainingly, those to be pitied most being the widowed mothers, all of whose sons, in many cases, were at the Front, with no husband in the home to sustain and comfort. One such was Mrs Seougall, who, deprived many

years before of husband and breadwinner, had yet brought up her five boys in the unselfish and heroic manner characteristic of many brave Scots natures. But relentless war intervened: it claimed her boy Robert. She gave him up, as indeed she had become accustomed to give up everything. The training and exposure and severity were too much for his undeveloped youth. 'His spirit was as brave as that of all the other Peebles boys who fought for home and empire; but he was unable to rally, and succumbed on the 17th February 1919, after the war had ended. Great sympathy was felt for his bereaved mother.

Of Mrs Scougall's five sons, George was in the 8th Canadians; John was a despatch rider in the 46th Canadians, and received the Military Medal; Robert was in the 3rd Seaforths, and died as stated

above; Andrew was a wireless operator in the Mercantile Marine; and Walter was an apprentice butcher.

Even a father never knows

The ache in a mother's heart,

When she and the body her body bore

Are severed and torn apart.

The men wouldn't make these cursed wars

If they knew of a body's worth,

They wouldn't be blowing them all to bits

If they had the pains of birth.

But bless you, the men don't know they're born,

For they get away scotfree.

How can they know what their cruel wars,

Are costing the likes of me?

I was proud to give, I'd give again

If I knew the Cause was right,

For I wouldn't keep a son of mine

When his duty called to fight.

Source: The Book of Remembrance for Tweeddale – Peebles Book 2 - Page 330 and 331

Name: SCOUGALL, ROBERT 

Initials: R

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: Seaforth Highlanders

Unit Text: 3rd Bn. attd. 2nd/4th Bn.

Age: 20

Date of Death: 17/02/1919

Service No: 203949

Additional information: Son of John and Isabella Scougall, of 57, Northgate, Peebles.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: 1740.

Cemetery: PEEBLES CEMETERY