Private Joseph Wilson

Private Joseph Wilson, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 12th July 1915, aged 22, during the ” Charge ” on the three lines of Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. He had been born in Carham, Northumberland and was the son of Joseph and Margaret Wilson. Before enlisting in November 1914 he had been employed as a cattleman at New Smailholm. The first photograph shows the Objective of Achi Baba which is marked with a cross. It looks very insignificant but it commanded the flat ground all around and was never captured. That fateful day became known as “The Black Day of the Borders” because at nightfall only 70 unwounded men answered roll call out of the 700 attackers. Few towns and villages had not lost at least one of their sons. Both Colonel McNeile from Bowden and his Adjutant Captain Lang from Newstead were posted missing presumed killed. The second photo shows the Borderers attacking at Gallipoli and the third shows the battlefield in 1922.

Transcription

This report is from Joseph Wilson Niece

Jo-an Renton (nee Wilson)

Wilson Joseph Private 7432 1/4 K.O.S.B. Died 12/07/1915 aged 23 years, of War Wounds received Gallipoli, Dardanelles, Turkey. Joseph was Born at Carham, Northumberland, England in 1892. He was the son of Mr Joseph & Mrs Margaret Wilson, New Smailholm, Kelso, Roxburghshire. Joseph is buried at Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. One of the 42 Soldiers from the Kelso area who lost their lives on 12 July 1915. He is commemorated on Smailholm, Kelso,and Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey.

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