Private Hugh Roden

Private Hugh Roden, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli, aged 19, on the 12th July 1915 during the “Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He was born in Selkirk in 1896 and was the son of Philip and Janet Roden of Heatherlie Park, Selkirk. Whilst working at the St Mary’s Mill, Selkirk he had also been a member of the Territorial K.O.S/B. and he was mobilised with them in August 1914. He went to Gallipoli with the Battalion as part of the 52nd ( Lowland ) Division landing in June 1915 and he is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. 12th July 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 villagers had not lost at least one of their sons that fateful day. The first photo shows the Borderers going over the top at Gallipoli and the second shows Achi Baba, the objective of the attack. The third shows the battlefield in 1922.

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