Private George Douglas

Private George Douglas,  1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion ,Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action against the Turks in Palestine on 19th April 1917, aged 24. He fell during the Second Battle of Gaza and is buried in Gaza War Cemetery Gaza. He had been born in Mordington, Berwickshire in 1892 and was the son of Robert and Alison Douglas of Printonan farm, Leitholm His father worked on the farm as a labourer and Private Douglas was working there as a ploughman on the outbreak of War. He fell in the attack gallantly led by Major Wattie Forrest of Kelso on the strong Turkish Redoubt on the top of ” Outpost Hill “. The Battalion managed to capture the Redoubt with help from the 1st/5th K.O.S.B and the 1st/5th Royal Scots Fusiliers but heavy casualties and low ammunition stocks forced a retirement in the face of fierce Turkish counter attacks. ( On the way back the survivors met reinforcements with ammunitions and Lewis guns on the way up but it was too late ). The Battle cost 6 Officers and 44 Other Ranks killed with 9 Officers and 152 Other Ranks wounded. The photographs show the Borderers in Palestine in 1917 the first photo showing three well known Coldstream footballers, Alec Lawrie, Willie Cockburn and Jim Murray.