David Ballantine was born in Kinnoull, Perth, in 1880, to 37-year-old James Ballantine (Saddler) who was originally from Edinburgh and 39-year-old Mary Ballantine (nee Bell) from Fowlis Wester, Perthshire. 

Young David had three older brothers (James Jnr., Robert and William) and two younger brothers (George and Peter); the boys had four sisters (Isabella, Jane,  Mary Jnr. and Elizabeth). Also living with the family at 85, Main Street, Kinnoull in 1881 were David’s cousin (Minnia Ballantine) and David Drysdale (Saddler).  

In 1891 the family home was  28, Commercial Street, Kinnoull.

In 1901, David Ballantine was living with his brother-in-Law John Stewart, and his sister Isabella, at 15, Dunedin Street, Edinburgh - whilst being employed as a Draper’s Assistant.

David Ballantine enlisted in Edinburgh with the Royal Garrison Artillery (No. 4602), before transferring to the Scottish Rifles, shipping-out to France on the 3rd of October 1915.

The Battle of Delville Wood:

The battle that took place within Delville Wood was fierce in the extreme. By the time the fighting was over, not one single tree of the wood was left untouched and the whole immediate landscape was littered with splintered stumps of what had once been proud growths. It's little wonder that the soldiers who fought there referred to it as “Devil’s Wood.”

The attack on Delville Wood was just one element of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916 - part of Field Marshall Haig’s “Great Push” to end the war on the Western Front. The attack started on July the 15th and continued until September the 3rd.

David Ballantine lost his life at the very start of this action. He was 36 years old. On the 19th of August 1916, the Perthshire Advertiser reported:

“The City's Fallen Brave - Latest Casualties: Official intimation has been received by Mr. and Mrs. David Ballantine, George Street, Perth, of the death in action of their son, Private David Ballantine, Scottish Rifles. Thirty six years of age, Private Ballantine was a native of Perth and prior to enlistment was employed as a draper in Edinburgh. Another brother is serving with the Motor Transport Corps.”

Today, Private 18891, David Ballantine of the 9th Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) is commemorated on Pier and Face 4 D of the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy, France - often referred to as the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme...   

David Ballantine is also commemorated on the Wilson United Free Church War Memorial in Perth, Scotland.