Private Frederick Callander

Private Frederick Kellor Callander, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action at Gallipoli, aged 19, on 12th July 1915 during ” The Charge ” on the Turkish trenches at Achi Baba Nullah and is commemorated with his Border comrades on the Helles Memorial, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey.  He had been born in Forfar to Jane Callander and before being mobilised in August 1914 with the rest of his fellow Territorials he had worked at Rumbletonlaw farm near Greenlaw. That fateful day became known as the “Black Day of The Borders” because out of over 700 Officers and Other Ranks who left the British trenches and captured two lines of Turkish trenches only 70 unwounded Men answered Roll Call that evening. Few Border towns and villages had not lost at least one of their sons that day. Both Colonel McNeile from Bowden and his Adjutant  Captain Lang from Newstead were posted missing presumed killed. The photograph taken at the time shows Achi Baba, the ultimate objective, marked with a cross. This insignificant looking “hill” however dominated the surrounding battlefield and was never captured. The second photo shows the Borderers attacking at Gallipoli and the third shows the battlefield inn 1922.