Private James Sturgeon

Private James Sturgeon, 1st Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 26th April 1915 and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey. He had been born in Dalbeattie and had enlisted in Berwick. The battalion had landed at ” Y ” Beach on the 25th as part of the attempt to cut off the Turkish defenders opposing the main landings at Helles. After much fierce fighting on the clifftops and aided by the 11 inch guns of the pre dreadnought battleship H.M.S.” Goliath” the Battalion was ” apparently mistakenly ” withdrawn and sent further south to support the main landings at Cape Helles. 296 Officers and men were killed or wounded. The Battalion was part of the 87th Brigade of the 29th Division which included 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 1st Battalion, Border Regiment and 1st K.O.S.B. The first photograph shows ” Y ” Beach looking south to Cape Helles and the second H.M.S. “Goliath”.