Corporal John Borthwick

Corporal John Borthwick, 1st Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was a Regular Soldier and was killed in action at Gallipoli on 26th April 1915, aged 30. He was the son of Alexander and Agnes Borthwick of 58 Church Street, Berwick and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey. He had been born in Linlithgow where his father had been a shoemaker. The Battalion was landed at ” Y ” Beach  in order to divert Turkish forces away from the main landing further south at Cape Helles. After much fierce fighting and after help from the 11 inch guns of H.M.S. “Goliath” ( pictured below )anchored offshore the Turkish counter attacks were repulsed. The Battalion was then withdrawn and moved south to support the main landings at Cape Helles. Casualties amounted to 296 killed and wounded. 1st K.O.S.B. was part of the 29th Division which consisted of Regular Battalions. The second photograph shows ” Y ” Beach looking south to Cape Helles.