Private Robert Clapham

Corporal Robert Clapham, 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 29. He had been born in Dunbar and was the son of James and Janet Liddel Clapham of High Street, Greenlaw and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, France. He was educated at the Berwickshire High School, Duns and is also commemorated on the Memorial Tablet placed in the new Berwickshire High School, Duns. Before being mobilised he had assisted his father in his rabbit catching business. As a member of the 4th Territorial K.O.S.B. he had been mobilised in August 1914 and went with his Battalion as part of the 52nd (Lowland) Division to Gallipoli in June 1915.  That fateful day became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as only 70 unwounded men answered the 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. Both Colonel McNeile from Bowden and his Adjutant Captain Lang from Newstead were posted missing presumed killed. The first photo shows Achi Baba, the attack objective, marked with a cross. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second shows the Borderers going into the attack.