Private James Telfer

Private James William Telfer, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 12th July 1915, aged 22, during the ” Charge ” on Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He had been born in Hownam and was the son of Jane and the late Gilbert Telfer of 15 High Street, Hawick and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey.  That day became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as out of the over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who began the attack only 70 unwounded men answered evening roll call.  Few Border towns and villages had not lost at least one of their sons that fateful day.  The author’s Great Uncle Corporal Jim Murray from Coldstream was wounded and spent  weeks in hospital in Alexandria before returning to Gallipoli or “the pen” as he called it. The first photo shows Achi Baba, the objective of the attack, 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.