Private David Ritchie

Private David Ritchie, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action on 12th July 1915 on Gallipoli during the “Charge”  on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah, aged 19. He had been born in Eyemouth and was the son of Mr and Mrs David Ritchie of Bursar Court, Church Street, Eyemouth and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial,Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. Before enlisting he had been working on Gunsgreen farm for Mr Gibson. That fateful day 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. Both Colonel McNeile from Bowden and his Adjutant Captain Lang from Newstead were killed. Few Border towns and villages had not lost at least one of their sons that day. The first photo shows Achi Baba, the objective of the attack, marked with a cross. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second shows the Borderers going into the attack at Gallipoli.

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