My great uncle, Thomas McKechnie, served with the Royal Scots in the 52nd Division during the First World War. In 1917, they were stationed in the Middle East, tasked with defending the Suez Canal and pushing back Turkish forces. After being held in reserve for the 1st Battle of Gaza, they faced devastating losses in the 2nd Battle that April—over 1,300 casualties from their division alone. Tom was wounded in the head on 19 May 1917 and passed away a month later in hospital in Cairo. He now rests at Cairo War Memorial Cemetery.