Private William Nairn

Private William Murray Nairn, “D” Company, 1st/4th Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action on Gallipoli on 12th July 1915 during the” Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah, aged 22. He was the son of Margaret and the late John Nairn, Bogan, Coldingham and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. ( D Coy was based in Duns with detachments at Greenlaw, Lauder and Earlston ). That fateful day became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as at evening roll call only 70 unwounded men answered out of the over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who had begun the attack. Few Border Towns and Villages had not lost at least one of their sons that day. ( The author’s Great Uncle Corporal James Murray was wounded and spent six weeks in hospital in Alexandria before returning to his comrades on Gallipoli ). The first photo shows Achi Baba marked with a cross. This “hill” ,which was the objective of the attack, dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second shows the Borderers going into the attack.