Private Richard Eckford

Private Richard Henrie Eckford, 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 21. He was the son of James and Elinor Eckford of 14 Hotspur Avenue, Whitley Bay and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. He had been born in Cornhill-on-Tweed and was the son of Ellinor and the stepson of James Eckford. He lived in Kelso where he was employed as a chaffeur by Sir A. J. Waldie Griffiths at Hendersyde near Ednam and had enlisted in September 1914.  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 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 and the third shows the Battlefield in 1922.

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