John Petrie was born in Perth, the son of George Pearson Petrie (Railway Signalman) and Darling Stewart Petrie. He was educated at Perth Academy, before being employed at Messrs Law & Son, Perth, and then at the Fife Coal Company.

He joined the R.A.M.C. in August 1914, before being transferred to the 3rd Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) at Lochgelly, Fife (Regimental No. 18723) in the early spring of 1915. The 3rd Cameronians were a Special Reserve Battalion involved in enlisting and training recruits.

John Petrie was posted to the 1st Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers (29th Division) in the late summer of 1915, and was issued with a new regimental number, 19142. He joined the Battalion on the Gallipoli Peninsula in early January 1916, and their next major engagement was on the Somme where they fought south of Beaumont Hamel on the 1st July 1916.

Faced with well-defended German positions (the preliminary artillery bombardment had failed to cut the wire in many places), the Battalion found themselves on open ground, pinned down by heavy and accurate German machine-gun fire. By the time they withdrew (at around 1600 hours) the Battalion had sustained casualties of 548 officers and men, including 11 officers and 83 other ranks killed.

The Battalion then moved north to the Ypres sector, where they spent the next two months relatively quietly in Brigade Reserve.

On the 7th October they entrained to Amiens, and began the march back to the Somme, relieving the Essex Regiment in the support line on the 20th, and taking over the front line from the South Wales Borderers the following day. The weather had taken a turn for the worse, heavy rain had turned the area into a quagmire, and the first frosts had arrived. There were no major attacks or counter-attacks, but casualties mounted (the Regimental history describes the tour in Grease Trench as ‘marked by general beastliness and steady casualties’).

By the 30th of the month, when the Battalion moved to Fricourt, they had lost over 90 other ranks and 5 officers. On the 3rd November, they entrained to Airaines, near Amiens, but 10 days later, they were back in Fricourt, holding the line between Lesboeufs and Le Transloy. They were 3 weeks in this sector.

On the 4th December, they moved to the Morval sector of the firing line, where they were engaged in working on the trenches.

On the 6th December, when Private Petrie was killed, the War Diary records that: “telephone connections with the front line were found to be broken. Work on front line continued. Carrying parties carrying up bombs, ammunition, rations and water at night. Casualties-1 man killed…” Although not mentioned by name it is almost certain that the casualty mentioned in the War Diary is John Petrie. He was 23 years old.