Private George Cairns

Private George Alexander Cairns, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 12th July 1915 during the ” Charge ” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah, aged 18. He had been born in Hownam, Roxburghshire and was the son of James and Catherine Cairns of  Whitton, Morebattle and Monklaw, Jedburgh and 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. Few Border towns and villages had not lost at least one of their sons that awful day. The contemporary photograph shows Achi Baba marked with a cross. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second photo shows the Borderers going over the top at Gallipoli.

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