Private Richard Handyside

Private Richard Handyside, 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 Hawick and was the son of Richard and Janet Handyside of Earle Street, Hawick. Before enlisting in September 1914 he had been a Police Constable in Galashiels living at 75 High Buckholmside. 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. The whole action is well documented in Gavin Richardson’s excellent book ” For King, Country and the Scottish Borders”. Few Border towns and villages had not lost at least one of their sons that fateful day. 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.