Private Robert Simpson

Private Robert Simpson, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli , aged 36, on the 12th July 1915 during the ” Charge ” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He had been born in Selkirk in 1879 and was the son of the late George and Isabella Simpson of Selkirk. He was the husband of Isabella Simpson of Beech Bank, Selkirk and he is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey. Before enlisting he had been employed as a tailor at Heather Mills, Selkirk and he had landed with the Battalion and the rest of the 52nd ( Lowland ) Division on Gallipoli on 15th June 1915. 12th July became known as the ” Black Day of the Borders” as out of the over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who began 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. The first photograph shows the Borderers ” going over the top” at Gallipoli, the second shows Achi Baba, the objective of the attack. and the third shows the battlefield in 1922.

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