Lance Sergeant Robert Millar

Lance Sergeant Robert Millar, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli, aged 22, on the 12th July 1915 during the “Charge ” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He had been born in Selkirk in 1894 and was the son of Robert and Jane Millar of 51 Buccleuch Street, Selkirk and the husband of Mary Millar of Overhaugh Street, Galashiels. He and many of his comrades who fell that day are commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. He had played football for Selkirk F.C. and was a Territorial with the 4th K.O.S.B. being mobilised in August 1914 and landing on Gallipoli with the rest of the 52nd ( Lowland ) Division in June 1915. 12th July became known as the ” Black Day of the Borders” as at evening roll call only 70 unwounded men answered out of the over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who had begun the attack. 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, marked with a cross. The second shows the Borderers ” going over the top” at Gallipoli and the third shows the battlefield in 1922.

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