With the Scottish Regiments at the FrontVivian, Evelyn Charles
History
With the Scottish Regiments at the Front
Vivian, Evelyn Charles
Great Britain. Army -- Scottish regiments; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Scotland
"An officer dressed as a French officer went up to some Coldstream
Guards and asked if Bulkley, the machine-gun officer, was in that
battalion. He then shot the officer he was talking to. Others dress up
as British staff officers, and drive about in motor cars, and when they
meet transports of convoys shout at them--'The Germans are advancing on
you from just ahead,' which causes a stampede. That happened to us, for
a long column of transport was ahead of us as we were retiring, and all
of a sudden a supposed French officer came galloping down the road the
reverse way, shouting 'Les Allemands, les Uhlans!' All the transport was
thrown into confusion, and some of the waggons came back at a gallop. We
were just behind, but mercifully the road was broad. There was a little
confusion at first, but they rallied splendidly when I shouted to them,
and we all advanced up the road with fixed bayonets, to find absolutely
nothing.
"The Germans actually dress themselves up in our men's great-coats to
disguise themselves, get close, and then shoot."
These accounts demonstrate the presence of the Highland Light Infantry
on the great retreat, and also at the battle of the Aisne. From the
latter position they may have gone on to Flanders--the more likely
alternative--or they may have remained as part of the thin defensive
line left along the Aisne positions.
* * * * *
The present "Cameronians" were formed from the old-time "26th
Cameronians," from whom the regiment takes its title, and from the "90th
Perthshire Light Infantry," the first of which regiments fought for
religious liberty against the King's troops at Bothwell Bridge in old
days. Until the revolution which placed William of Orange on the throne
they stuck to their principles, and then in one day there was enrolled
from among them a regiment to support the cause of "Dutch William," a
regiment which, under the Earl of Angus, held Dunkeld against a force
four times their own strength. They fought at Landen, and lost their
colonel, the Earl of Angus, at Steinkerk; they shared in the capture of
Namur, and then in Marlborough's battles they so fought as to be able to
emblazon the names of Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, and Malplaquet on
the regimental colours. They shared in the defence of Gibraltar in 1727,
fought and endured through the American War of Independence, and served
under Sir John Moore at Corunna. Meanwhile the 2nd battalion, formed by
Thomas Graham (subsequently Lord Lynedoch), served under Sir Ralph
Abercrombie in driving out Napoleon's "Invincible Army" from Egypt, and
captured a French eagle at Guadeloupe.
In the Chinese campaign of 1840 the Cameronians 1st battalion took a
share, being first to scale the walls of Amoy. The 2nd battalion saw
service against the Kaffirs of South Africa in 1846 and the following
year, and went on to the Crimean campaign, having among its officers a
certain Lieutenant Wolseley, who was destined for great things.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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