Private James Docherty

Private James Docherty, 1st/4th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action, aged 19 at Gallipoli during the “Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nulllah on 12th July 1915 and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. This action became known as “The Black Day of the Borders” as out of over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who had begun the attack only 70 unwounded men answered the evening Roll Call. Nearly every Border town and village had lost at least one of their sons that day. His name was usually spelt Doherty and before enlisting he had worked as a ploughman at Primside farm, Morebattle. He was the son of William and Margaret Doherty of Mossilee farm, Caddonfoot, Galashiels and had been born in Newstead, Melrose in 1895. The first photo shows Achi Baba, the objective, marked with a cross. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The second shows the Borderers attacking at Gallipoli and the third shows the battlefield in 1922.