Private William Hope

Private William Andrew Ferrier Hope, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in Gallipolli on 12th July 1915 during the “Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah, aged 18 and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipolli, Turkey.  He had been born in Coldingham and was the son of John and Mary Hope of Wedderburn, Duns. he had enlisted with the Territorial K.O.S.B. and was mobilised in August 1914 landing at Gallipoli in June 1915. 12th July became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as only 70 unwounded men answered roll call out of the over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who had begun the assault. Few Border towns and villages had not lost at least one of their sons that fateful day. Both Colonel McNeile from Bowden and his Adjutant Captain Lang from Newstead were posted missing presumed killed. The contemporary photograph shows Achi Baba, the ultimate objective of the attack, marked with a cross. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second photo shows the Borderers attacking at Gallipoli.