Private, John Patterson

Private John Patterson , 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action on 19th April 1917 in Palestine aged 24. He fell in the attack on ” Outpost Hill ” in Palestine during the Second Battle of Gaza. He had been born in Berwick-upon-Tweed and was the son of Thomas and Alice Patterson of Middlethird, Gordon and before enlisting he had been employed as a farm servant at Gordon East Mains. He landed at Gallipoli in June 1915 with his Battalion as part of the 52nd (Lowland) Division and served there and in Egypt and Palestine He is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial, Palestine. The Turkish redoubt on top of the hill was captured in the assault gallantly led by Major Wattie Forrest of Kelso and bravely held against enfilading machine gun fire and fierce Turkish counter attacks until heavy casualties and a shortage of ammunition forced a retirement. (Major Forrest M.C. was mortally wounded on the parapet of the redoubt). Casualties were 6 Officers and 44 Other Ranks killed and 9 Officers and 152 Other Ranks wounded. The photographs show the Borderers in Palestine in 1917.

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