Private John Hardy

Private John Hardy, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in Gallipoli on 12th July 1915 during the “Charge”  at Achi Baba Nullah and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. He was the son of Arthur Hardy of Eccles Newton, Eccles, Berwickshire. He had been born in Dorlaw, Roxburghshire and lived in Coldstream. That fateful day 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. Out of the twenty Officers  taking part eleven, including the Colonel and his Adjutant, were killed and a further six wounded. The first photo shows Achi Baba marked with a cross. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second shows the Borderers going into action.