Private William Darling

Private William Darling, 1st/4th ( Border) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action, aged 20, at Gallipoli on 12th July 1915 during the “Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He was the son of William and Betsy Darling of Scott Place, Melrose and the Ormiston Institute, Melrose.  He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. He had been as member of the 4th Territorial, K.O.S.B. and had been mobilised with the Battalion in August 1914 landing on Gallipoli in June 1915. That fateful day became known as the “Black Day of the Borders” as only 70 unwounded Men answered roll call that evening out of the over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who had commenced the attack. His brother David also fell ( see above). The first photo 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.