Private William Callander

Private William Callander, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in Palestine on 19th April 1917 during the Second Battle of Gaza and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial. He had been born in Forfar but had lived and enlisted in Greenlaw, Berwickshire.  ( His brother Frederick also fell ). He fell in the attack on the Turkish redoubt on “Outpost Hill ” ,gallantly led by Major Forrest of Kelso, which was captured but due to heavy casualties, enfilading machine gun fire and a shortage of ammunition could not be held in the face of fierce Turkish counter attacks. Casualties were heavy with 6 Officers and 44 Other Ranks killed and 9 Officers and 152 Other Ranks wounded. The photographs show 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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