Private Hugh Ferguson

Private Hugh Ferguson, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He died in Egypt, aged 21, on 26th April 1917 of wounds received in action at the Second Battle of Gaza on 19th April 1917. He is buried in Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. He had been born in Yetholm and was the son of Michael and Jane Ferguson of Graden farm, Linton but had lived in Kelso. He was wounded in the attack on ” Outpost Hill” where the Battalion gallantly led by Major Forrest of Kelso captured the redoubt on the hill top. However heavy casualties, enfilading machine gun fire and a shortage of ammunition forced a retirement in the face of fierce Turkish counter attacks. Casualties were 6 Officers and 44 Other Ranks killed and 9 Officers and 152 Other Ranks wounded. ( Major Forrest was himself mortally wounded on the parapet of the redoubt. The photographs show the Borderers in Palestine in 1917.