Private William Hunter

Private William Hunter, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 12th July 1915 during the “Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah, aged 19. He was the son of Isabella and the late John Hunter of 42 Easter Street, Duns and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey.  He had served his apprenticeship in Duns as a blacksmith and was a member of the Territorial K.O.S.B. going to Gallipoli in June 1915. 12th July became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as at evening roll call only 70 unwounded men answered out of the over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who had begun the attack. Few Border towns and villages had not lost at least one of their sons that fateful day. The contemporary photograph shows Achi Baba Nullah marked with a cross. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured.  The second photo shows the Borderers attacking at Gallipoli. ( The author’s great uncle Corporal Jim Murray from Coldstream was slightly wounded during the action and spent six weeks in hospital in Alexandria before returning to the “Pen” as he called it).