Lance Corporal William Callander

Lance Corporal William Callander, 1st/4th ( Border ) Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action in Palestine on 19th April 1917, aged 26, during the second Battle of Gaza. He had been born in Forfar to Alexandra and Christina Callander of Stitchill Cottage and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial. He had lived in Greenlaw, Berwickshire and had enlisted in the Town. He had originally enlisted in the 3rd ( Reserve ) Battalion, K.O.S.B. in July 1915 but been posted to Egypt to the 1st/4th in 1916. He fell in the attack on “Outpost Hill” ,gallantly led by Major Forrest of Kelso, which was captured but with decreasing numbers of men and ammunition running low could not be held in the face of fierce Turkish counter attacks. Major Forrest was mortally wounded on the parapet of the Redoubt. Casualties were heavy with 6 Officers killed and 9 wounded. Other Ranks lost 44 killed and 152 wounded. ( The 3rd Battalion K.O.S.B was the Regimental Reserve Battalion which after training then sent men to the other Battalions in the Regiment ). The photos show the Borderers in Palestine in 1917. The three soldiers pictured are Alec Lawrie, Willie Cockburn and Jim Murray who all played football for Coldstream F.C. Jim Murray went on to win a Scottish Amateur Cup winners medal with Coldstream in 1925.