Private John Henderson Gilholm

Private John Henderson Gilholm, 1st/4th King’s Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 12th July 1915, aged 21, during the “Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba nullah. He had been born in Melrose and was the son of Mrs. Ellen Gilholm of Eildon Terrace, Newtown St. Boswells, Roxburghshire and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. He had been a Territorial in the K.O.S.B. and was mobilised with the Battalion in August 1914 landing on Gallipoli in June 1915.  Over 700 troops took part in the assault and at evening roll call only 70 unwounded men answered their names. That fateful day became known as ” The Black Day of the Borders” as almost all Border towns and villages had lost at least one of their sons. The first photo shows Achi Baba marked with a cross. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second shows the Borderers going into the attack and the third shows the battlefield in 1922.  ( His brother Andrew also fell – see above ).