November dawns with its fallen leaves interspersed by the crimson red poppies for Armistice 2025. 2025 saw the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of hostilities of World War 2. This article remembers erstwhile forgotten names of two Scottish lawyers who gave their lives in war.

From World War 2, George Robertson Nimmo MC (known as Geordie), was a solicitor in practice at Russel and Aitken, Falkirk, before World War 2.

He was aged 34 years old when he was killed on 15 May 1944 when he was then a Major in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, attached to the 2nd Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers.

On his grave, he was described as the son of Alexander and Eliza Brown Nimmo, commemorated with the motto: “Steadfast, he kept faith.”

His grave is at Imphal War Cemetery, India. Imphal lies on the border of India and upper Burma, lying near the main point of the defence of India against the Japanese where the army withstood enemy attacks in defending the lines of rail, road and river communication. There was severe fighting after Japan attacked India in spring 1944, when Major Nimmo was killed in the siege. 

When war broke out, he was in the Territorials. He was sent to the East, winning the Military Cross in 1944 for “personal courage and devotion to duty with complete disregard for his personal safety”.

Back home, the Nimmo family lived at Westbank. He was one of three sons from the family who were killed, with his younger brothers James, also killed in the fighting in the East on 15 February 1944, and Patrick, killed in December 1940 at Wavell North Africa, having trained at Sandhurst.

A fourth brother, William (Bill), survived, having fought too in the East, including guerrilla warfare against the Japanese. He returned to work with Russel and Aitken. He is remembered at Fettes College, Trinity College, Cambridge University and Edinburgh University where he graduated with his LLB.

From World War 1 comes Acting Captain John Prosser Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) 4th Battalion attached 8th Battalion, who was killed at Ypres aged 29 years on 28 September 1918.

This was day one of the start of the British offensive that saw end of the war merely six weeks later. He is buried at the White House Cemetery, Belgium which contains the graves of those from the units killed nearby.  

He came from illustrious Scottish legal family, being described as the son of Sir John Prosser and the late Mary Ann Prosser, 4 Bellevue Crescent Edinburgh. His grave is inscribed: “Till the day break and the shadows flee away.” His great-nephew was Lord William Prosser, who died in 2015.

John Prosser was educated at Edinburgh Academy, a member of the 1st XV in 1904-5, where over half of the 15 were killed during the war. He graduated with a MA 1910 and Edinburgh University with LLB (Distinction) in 1912. He was a Grierson Bursar, Thow, and Vans Dunlop Scholar. He was a Writer to the Signet working for the family firm of Morton Fraser & Milligan. 

He is remembered at Edinburgh University as well as – no doubt reflecting his interests – Murrayfield Golf Club. 

Remembrance imagery resonates with the poetry of Margaret Postgate Cole, who referred to The Falling Leaves by comparing fallen soldiers to those silent falling leaves: