Lieutenant John William Forrest, 2nd Lieutenant of the 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders was born on 10th December 1893 in St Catherine’s, Canada. The title of his father, Sir William Charles Forrest of Coniston, 5th Baronet, died out after his son fell at Loos on 27th September 1915. He was just 21 years old.

Forrest studied at Trinity College of the University of Cambridge, and volunteered for service at the outbreak of World War I. He was deployed to France on 10th May 1915, and was killed during the attack on the Hohenzollern on 27th September – he was buried on the battlefield.

A fellow officer wrote of Forrest that “Everyone from, and including, the Commanding Officer down to No.1 platoon’s New Draft, loved ‘Wee John’”. Another wrote, “I feel that I must add a word to assure you that the bravery of your son under the appalling shell fire was the talk of all his men, and of those who saw him. He thought too little of his own safety and was continually thinking of his men”. The Coy. Quartermaster-Sergeant wrote, “We in the A. Coy loved him and always admired his excellent qualities, and his duty was done quite in harmony with the rest of his life”.

It is likely that his portrait was painted posthumously from his photograph in De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour. The eminent artist, Herbert James Draper, was an English Classicist painter who specialised in portraiture towards the end of his career.

This hand-drawn map shows the battle plans of the 1st Battalions’ positions during the Battle of Loos on the 25th of September 1915. The battle lasted until 8th of October, although tragically, Forrest lost his life after only two days of fighting.