Private John Wait

Private John Scott Wait, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed on 12th July 1915 on Gallipoli during the “Charge”  on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah, aged 20. He had been born at Southdean, Roxburghshire and was the son of James and Agnes Wait of 60 High Street, Eyemouth and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. He had been a member of the 4th Territorial, K.O.S.B. and was mobilised with the Battalion in August 1914 landing on Gallipoli in June 1915 with the rest of the 52nd ( Lowland ) Division. That fateful day became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as at evening Roll Call only 70 unwounded men answered out of over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who had begun the “Charge”. Few Border towns and villages had not lost at least one of their sons that day. The photograph shows Achi Baba, the objective of the attack, marked with a cross. This “Hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second shows the Borderers going “over the top” into attack.