Private William Leitch, 1st Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 4th June 1915, aged 33. during the Battle of Gully Ravine. He was the son of James and Margaret Leitch of 23 Holland Street, Glasgow and the husband of Elizabeth Leitch of 35 West Street, Berwick. His wife and her sister both lived at the same address and they both received news of their husbands’ deaths on the same day. ( see under William McGregor). He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey. The action was part of the Third Battle of Krithia which was planned to cut the Peninsula in half. Despite a heavy bombardment from the pre Dreadnought battleships H.M.S. “Swiftsure “and H.M.S. “Vengeance ” ( pictured ). Turkish resistance, however, was too strong and only the nearest trenches were captured and held by the Battalion. The Battalion was a Regular Unit in the 29th Division , called the “Incomparables” which comprised Regular Battalions and as he had served 5 years as a Regular before leaving to work as a plumber with Grant and Evans he was recalled as a reservist. The photograph shows the Battalion going over the top that morning taken by somebody left out of the attack
We have recieved more information in the last few days. From Ian Leitch 4th March 2024.
The Battle of Gully Ravine was on the 28th June 1915, my Grandfather was killed on June 4th at the Third Battle of Krithia (now Alcitepe)
I have learned that he was positioned on Fir Tree Spur, the high ground to the East of Gully Ravine.
the first Batallion KOSB was part of the 88th Brigade, along with The Worcester Regiment, The Royal Fusiliers, and the Hampshire Regiment.
The Royal Scots & Essex Regiment were in reserve.
According to KOSB records, William either re-enlisted, or was called up as a reservist. I gained the name of the firm he was working for, in Berwick, from your entry, thank you.
He landed on the Gallipoli peninsula on March 9th 1915, as part of an advance party, presumably to help establish W beach for the main landings on April 25th.
