Private James Millar

Private James 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 1893 and was the son of William and Helen Dryden of 12 Green Terrace, Selkirk. He had been a Territorial K.O.S.B. was mobilised with his Battalion in August 1914 and landed on Gallipoli in June 1915 with the rest of the 52nd ( Lowland ) Division. 12th July became known as the ” Black Day of the Borders” as out of the over 700 Officers and men 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 fateful day. ( His brother Robert also died during the War- see above ). 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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