Private James Richardson

Private James Richardson, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli, on 12th July 1915, aged 21, during ” The Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah and is buried in Skew Bridge Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey. The Battalion was part of the 155th ( South Scottish ) Brigade in the 52nd ( Lowland ) Division. He was the son of Francis and Jane Richardson of Kelso. This 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. There were very few Border towns and villages who had not lost at least one of their sons. 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 “over the top” and into battle and the third shows the battlefield in 1922. ( A full description of the day can be found in Gavin Richardson’s book ” For King Country and the Scottish Borders ).