Private David Harper

Private David Harper, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli, aged 22, on 12th July 1915 during the “Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He had been born in Duns and was the son of David and Catherine Harper of 3 Market Square, Duns and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey.  He was a house painter with his father in Duns and had joined the Territorial 4th K.O.S.B. in 1912.  He was mobilised with the Battalion in August 1914 and landed on Gallipoli with the Battalion on the 15th June 1915. 12th July became known as the ” Black Day of the Borders” as only 70 unwounded men answered evening roll call 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 her sons that fateful day. The photograph shows Achi Baba, the objective of the attack, marked with a cross. This ” hill ” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second photo shows the Borderers attacking at Gallipoli.