The 2/1st (Lowland) Field Company were part of the 52nd (Lowland) Division from March 1915. David and the Division arrived in Gallipoli on the 26/06/1915. David was Killed in Action at the Battle of Achi Baba Nullah. The Battle (12th and 13th July 1915) : The order was given to charge the Turkish defences in the late afternoon of the 12th of July 1915. As was the case throughout the campaign, the fighting was conducted at close quarters, with some trenches almost within touching distance. The Battle proved to be an overwhelming disaster. On the 12th July, the 52nd (Lowland) Division suffered 2427 casualties, of which 1065 were killed. The Allies landed on the peninsula on the 25th - 26th April 1915 ; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the west coast, an area soon known as Anzac. On the 6th August, further landings were made at Suvla, just north of Anzac, and the climax of the campaign came in early August when simultaneous assaults were launched on all three fronts. However, the difficult terrain and stiff Turkish resistance soon led to the stalemate of trench warfare. From the end of August, no further serious action was fought and the lines remained unchanged. The peninsula was successfully evacuated in December and early January 1916. The Helles Memorial serves the dual function of Commonwealth Battle Memorial for the whole Gallipoli campaign and place of commemoration for many of those Commonwealth servicemen who died there and have no known grave. The United Kingdom and Indian forces named on the Memorial died in operations throughout the peninsula, the Australians at Helles. There are also panels for those who were lost at sea, in one of the troopships sunk off Gallipoli. Over 20,000 names are commemorated on this Memorial. David's name on the Helles Memorial kindly donated by Mick McCann at the British War Graves website who supply photos FREE OF CHARGE
here. He is also remembered on the Coatbridge Technical College Roll of Honour, Old Monkland Church Roll of Honour and Coatbridge High School Roll of Honour. He is also remembered in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour and at the Family Plot in Old Monkland Cemetery where David is mentioned along with his parents and siblings (see photos). See photos for David's Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, David's Pension Records x 2, his name on the Helles Memerial and the Royal Engineers Cap Badge. Finally, see photos x 12 for the 52nd (Lowland) Division Order of Battle (the Division he was serving with when he died), PHOTOS x 56 FOR THE 52nd (LOWLAND) DIVISION BOOK 2nd - 13th JULY 1915 and Newspaper clippings x 2 (Coatbridge Express x 1 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1).
