Private William Barnett

Private William Scott Barnett, 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 22. He was the son of Thomas and Jessie Barnett of New Buildings, Morebattle, Kelso. He had lived in Kelso and had enlisted in the Town. That fateful day became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as out of the over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who began the attack only 70 unwounded men answered evening roll call. Few Border Towns and Villages had not lost 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 shows the Borderers attacking at Gallipoli and the third shows the Battlefield in 1922.