Private Arthur Sword

Private Arthur W. Sword, 1st/4th (Border) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli, aged 20, on 12th July 1915 during the ” Charge ” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He was the son of the late William and Agnes Sword and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey. He had been born at Midlem. Roxburgh and had enlisted at Galashiels. This day became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as out of the over 700 Officers and Men who had begun the attack only 70 unwounded men answered evening roll call. Few Border towns and villages had not lost one of their sons that fateful day. The first photo shows Achi Baba marked with a cross. This “hill” the objective of the attack, dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second shows the Borderers attacking at Gallipoli and thew third shows the battlefield taken in 1922.