Private Thomas Polwarth

Private Thomas Leithead Polwarth, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 12th July 1915, aged 24, during the “Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He had been born at Kelloe Bastle, Edrom, Berwickshire to Margaret and the late Edward Polwarth and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. This fateful day became known as the ” Black Day of the Borders” as out of the over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who had begun 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 day. The first photograph shows Achi Baba, the objective, marked with a cross. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second shows Borderers going over the top at Gallipoli and the third shows the battlefield in 1922.

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