Private John Bain

Private John Bain, “B” Coy. 1st/5th ( Dumfries and Galloway ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in Palestine during the Second Battle of Gaza on 19th April 1917, aged 44, and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial. He had been born in West Hartlepool and was the son of George and Hannah Bain of 11 Chapel Street, Berwick. He had served in South Africa during the Second Anglo-Boer War where he had earned the King’s and Queen’s medals with clasps. ( His photograph shows him in his Boer War uniform ). During the campaign he became time expired and left the Army with the rank of Sergeant. As a Reservist he was recalled to the Colours and went to France with the 6th K.O.S.B and was wounded during the Battle of Loos. After recovery he was posted to his current Battalion. He fell in the assault on the Turkish positions on ” Outpost Hill “, gallantly led by Major Forrest of Kelso, where they did manage to capture it but had taken so many casualties they were forced to retire in the face of strong counter attacks. The Battalion suffered 344 casualties in killed and wounded. The photographs show the Borderers in Palestine in 1917.