Private James Anderson

Private James Anderson, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in Gallipoli, aged 18, on 12th July 1915 during the ” Charge ” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. Before the war he was a gardener at Thirlestane Castle, Lauder and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. He had been born in Crailing, Roxburgh and was the stepson of Andrew Anderson of Braidshawrig, Lauder That fateful day became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as only 70 unwounded men answered Roll Call that evening out of over 700 Officers and Other Ranks. who had begun the “Charge”.  The 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 going into action and the third shows the battlefield in 1922 with Achi Baba in the distance.

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