Private Robert Weir

Private Robert Weir, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli, aged 25, on the 12th July 1915 during the ” Charge” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah. He was born in 1890 in Galashiels and was the son of George and Janet Weir of Galapark Road, Galashiels. He was employed as a textile designer with Gibson and Lumgair at the St Mary’s Mill, Selkirk and was living in Ashybank in Selkirk when he had joined the Territorial 4th K.O.S.B. in June 1913. He was mobilised with the Battalion in August 1914 and landed on Gallipoli on the 15th June 1915. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, 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 villages had not lost at least one of their sons that fateful day. ( the day’s events can be read about in Gavin Richardson’s excellent book ” For King, Country and the Scottish Borderers” ). The photo shows Borderers ” going over the top” at Gallipoli and the objective of the attack Achi Baba marked with a cross. This “hill” dominated the battlefield and was never captured. The third shows the battlefield in 1922.