Private John Paterson

Private John Paterson, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli, aged 23, on the 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 Hugh and Elizabeth Paterson of Spottiswood, Westruther. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. Before enlisting he had been employed as an estate worker at Spottiswood. ( His brother Thomas also fell – see above ).That fateful day became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as out of the over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who had begun 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 day. The first photo shows Achi Baba, the objective of the attack. This” hill” dominated the battlefield and was never capture. The second shows the Borderers” going over the top” at Gallipoli and the third shows the battlefield in 1922.