Private William Brockie

Private William Russell Brockie, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in Palestine, aged 22, on 19th April 1917 during the second Battle of Gaza and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial, Jerusalem, Israel. He had been born in Leith and was the son of Robert and the late Jemima Brockie of Galashiels. He had lived in Morebattle and had enlisted in Kelso in November 1914. The 52nd (Lowland Division) was tasked to capture the Turkish held Ali Muntar position. The Battalion attacked “Outpost Hill” which was captured in hand to hand fighting but had to be given up due to heavy casualties, enfilading machine gun fire and a shortage of ammunition. The Battalion had started the attack, gallantly led by Major Wattie Forrest of Kelso,  and suffered casualties of 6 Officers and 44 Other Ranks killed with 9 Officers wounded and 152 Other Ranks wounded. The action is well described in Gavin Richardson’s excellent book ” After Gallipoli”. The photographs show the Borderers in Palestine in 1917. The three soldiers are Alec Lawrie, Willie Cockburn and Jim Murray who all played football for Coldstream F.C.

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