The Territorial Divisions, 1914-1918Stirling, John
History
The Territorial Divisions, 1914-1918
Stirling, John
World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
The despatch of 15th June, 1915 (as to the Second Battle of Ypres,
now “The Battles of Ypres, 1915,” which commenced with the great
gas attack on 22nd April and lasted till 25th May), paragraph 4,
shows that the 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and 1st East
Lancashire Regiment (10th Brigade) made a successful counter-attack
on 8th May; for their good work two officers and three N.C.O.’s
and men of the Argylls were mentioned. On the 10th the 9th Royal
Scots, afterwards in the 51st, with other troops, repulsed with
heavy loss to the enemy an attack made under cover of gas. On the
11th “the Germans attacked in force and gained a footing in part of
the trenches, but were promptly ejected by a supporting company of
the 9th Royal Scots.” Unofficial writers have paid tribute to the
splendid fighting spirit of these two battalions, the 7th Argylls and
9th Royal Scots, but the price had to be paid. Sir A. Conan Doyle
remarks that on 24th May, 1915, towards the close of the battle, of
the 7th Argylls there remained only two officers and 76 other ranks.
On 24th May at 2.45 a.m. the 9th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
and other troops were “overcome with gas,” and pressed back, “in a
most determined attack.”
In the same despatch, paragraph 5, as to the advance near Neuve
Chapelle and Festubert, Sir John French remarked that on 17th May
he gave orders “for the 51st (Highland) Division to move into the
neighbourhood of Estaires to be ready to support the operations of
the First Army,” and that on the 19th the 2nd Division was relieved
by the 51st Division. On the 22nd the Division was “attached to the
Indian Corps.” Between the 18th May and the beginning of June the
Division worked hard at consolidating the ground recently gained.
On 15th June the 51st along with the Canadians and 7th Division took
part in an attack near Givenchy which met with little success. The
casualties of the Division could not be called slight.
In July 1915 the Division was ordered to join the X. Corps, Third
Army, and on the last days of the month took over from a French
Division a section about Hamel near the Ancre.
About this time the Division seems to have gained the confidence
of G.H.Q., as in August and later various New Army Divisions were
attached to it for instruction, including the 18th, 22nd, 32nd, etc.
In January 1916 the Lancashire Brigade left to join their own
Division and the 51st received the 9th Royal Scots, 4th Seaforths,
4th Gordon Highlanders and 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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