Private William Clelland

Private William John Gibson Clelland, 1st/4th (Border)( Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli, aged 21, on the 12th July 1915 during the “Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He had been born in Galashiels and was the son of William and Mary Clelland of 45 Wilderhaugh, Galashiels. That fateful day 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 indeed were the Border towns and villages who had not lost one of their sons that day. The author’s Great Uncle Corporal Jim Murray from Coldstream was wounded and spent 6 weeks in hospital in Alexandria before returning to the “Pen” as he called it. The first photo 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.