Private John Richardson

Private John Richardson, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 12th July 1915, aged 21, during the assault on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He was the son of Francis and Jane Richardson of Kelso and is buried in Skew Bridge Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey. That day became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as only 70 unwounded men answered roll call that evening 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 day. The first contemporary photograph shows Achi Baba, the objective, marked with a cross. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second photo shows the Borderers attacking at Gallipoli and the third shows the Battlefield in 1922.

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