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Lieutenant (Lt) James Grant Allan, 9th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders and Lance Corporal (LCpl) Gordon McPherson, 7th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders, were laid to rest alongside their comrades exactly 110 years after they were killed in action.

Lt Allan was buried with full military honours in a ceremony held by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) at Loos British Cemetery in France, near to where he died.

He was buried alongside Lance Corporal Gordon McPherson of the Cameron Highlanders, who was also killed on the same day; September 25th 1915.

The ceremony was attended by relatives of Lt Allan including his great-nephew, Nicholas Allan, who said he was moved by the ceremony.

“I feel very honoured by the work of the MOD that it is honouring this great-uncle of mine who I barely knew existed.” he said.

"I feel a profound sense that something has been completed. It speaks to me of all those whose bodies were never found.”

He added: “I feel we’re completing something for them too.”

James Grant Allan was born the second of four children in Melrose in 1894, before moving with his family first to Stockport then to Ayr.

He was studying Humanities at Edinburgh University when the war broke out. He abandoned his studies to sign up alongside his brother, Nimmo, and joined the Gordon Highlanders in 1914.

The following year he was sent to France and tragically, on the first day of the Battle of Loos died after being hit with two bullets to the chest.

His remains were found during construction work on a new hospital and he was identified after his family were traced and his DNA proving to be a match.

The service was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, whose Nicola Nash said: “

Nicola Nash, MOD War Detective said: “With half a million British servicemen still missing from the First World War, every identity we make is a huge achievement.

"It has been a real privilege to give closure to their families and lay these heroes to rest with honour.”