Private James Andison

Private James Stewart Andison, 1st/4th (Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli, aged 24, on the 12th July 1915 during the “Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He is buried in Lancashire Landing Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey. He had been born in Galashiels and was the son of Thomas and Jane Andison of 230 Clifttonville, Belfast. Whilst the family had moved to Belfast he had returned to Gala to study at the Technical College and was living in Victoria Street. There he joined the Territorial K.O.S.B. and was mobilised with the Battalion in August 1914 going to Gallipoli as part of the 52nd (Lowland) Division in June 1915. 12th July became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as out of the over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who began the attack only 70 unwounded men answered evening roll call. Few Border towns and villages had not lost at least one of their sons that fateful day. The first phot shows Achi Baba the objective of the attack. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second shows the Borderers ” going over the top” at Gallipoli and the third shows the battlefield in 1922.