Private James Deans

Private James Deans, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli, aged 19, on 12th July 1915 during the ” Charge ” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He had been born in Westruther and was the son of David Deans of Greenknowe, Gordon and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey. Before enlisting he had been employed at Chapel Farm, Lilliesleaf. That fateful day became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as only 70 unwounded men answered Roll Call that evening out of the 700 Officers and Other Ranks who had started the attack. The author’s Great Uncle Corporal Jim Murray from Coldstream was slightly wounded and spent 6 weeks in hospital in Alexandria before returning to Gallipoli or “the Pen” as he called it. The photo shows Achi Baba, the objective, 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.

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