Private Jacob Darling

Private Jacob Darling, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, 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 27. He had been born in Duns and was the son of the late William and Mrs Darling of the Cross Keys, Duns and before the war he had lived in Swinton, Berwickshire. He had served his apprenticeship as a law clerk in Duns before joining the Scottish Co.op. working in Leith and Paisley. He enlisted in December 1914. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. 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. ( 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 contemporary photograph shows Achi Baba marked with a cross. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second shows the Borderers going over the top and attacking at Gallipoli.