Private James Fox

Private James Fox, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli, aged 19, on the 12th July 1915 during the ” Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He had been born in Ayr and was the son of John and Mary Fox of 41 Wilderhaugh, Galashiels. He was employed as an apprentice painter and became a Member of the Territorial 4th K.O.S.B in November 1913. He was mobilised with the Battalion in August 1914 landing on Gallipoli in June 1915 as part of the 52nd (Lowland) Division. 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. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. 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.