The Fifth Battalion Highland Light Infantry in the War 1914 1918

F >> F.L. Morrison >> The Fifth Battalion Highland Light Infantry in the War 1914 1918

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19

THE FIFTH BATTALION

HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY

IN THE WAR

1914-1918

[Illustration: COLONEL F.L. MORRISON, C.B., D.S.O., V.D.]

The Fifth Battalion

Highland Light Infantry
in the War
1914-1918

[Illustration]

Glasgow

Printed for Private Circulation by
MacLehose, Jackson and Co.

Publishers to the University

1921

TO THE MEMORY OF
THE OFFICERS, WARRANT OFFICERS,
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN OF
THE FIFTH BATTALION HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY
WHO FELL IN THE WAR 1914-1918

PREFACE

The 5th Highland Light Infantry was originally known as the 19th Lanark
Rifle Volunteers, one of the Volunteer units raised in 1859. In 1880, it
became the 5th Lanark Volunteers. The connection with the Highland Light
Infantry began in 1887, when it was named the 1st Volunteer Battalion
Highland Light Infantry, a detachment of which served in the South
African War. On the formation of the Territorial Force in 1909, the
present name was adopted. The old history of the unit is contained in
the Records of the Scottish Volunteer Force 1859-1908, by the late
Lieut.-General J.M. Grierson, C.V.O., C.B., C.M.G.

This book deals with our record of service in the war 1914-1918, and we
feel we need only say three things in the Preface:

1. The book is published privately for those who served with us and
others interested.

2. It has been written by officers of the Battalion who were with us
during the period of which they write.

3. It is written to the memory of our gallant comrades who fell and who
themselves did so much to make this History.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I. FROM MOBILISATION TO THE EAST 1

II. GALLIPOLI--TO 11TH JULY, 1915 7

III. GALLIPOLI (_contd._)--OPERATIONS 12TH-18TH JULY, 1915 19

IV. GALLIPOLI (_contd._) 33

V. GALLIPOLI (_concluded_) 60

VI. MUDROS, CAIRO, SUEZ CANAL AND HILL 70 LINE 73

VII. THE SINAI DESERT, MAHAMDIYA, ROMANI, KATIA 92

VIII. ACROSS THE SINAI DESERT TO EL ARISH 112

IX. EL ARISH AND FIRST BATTLE OF GAZA 130

X. SECOND BATTLE OF GAZA 143

XI. GAZA, 1ST MAY TO 7TH NOVEMBER, 1917 157

XII. ADVANCE BEYOND GAZA. WADI HESI, SAUSAGE RIDGE,
ESDUD, KUBEIBEH, NEBI SAMWIL, TAHTA 169

XIII. FROM TAHTA TO THE AUJA 185

XIV. LAST DAYS IN PALESTINE. NORTH OF JAFFA 194

XV. FRANCE 201

APPENDICES

I. LIST OF OFFICERS, SENIOR N.C.O.'S, ETC., WHO EMBARKED IN
MAY, 1915 237

II. ROLL OF OFFICERS, WARRANT OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED
OFFICERS AND MEN WHO DIED ON SERVICE 239

III. HONOURS AND AWARDS 243

IV. TURKISH ORDERS FOR ADVANCE ON ROMANI 246

ILLUSTRATIONS

COLONEL F.L. MORRISON, C.B., D.S.O., V.D. _Frontispiece._

OFFICERS OF THE BATTALION, JULY 1914 _To face p. 4_

CAPE HELLES, GALLIPOLI " 8

GULLY RAVINE, CAPE HELLES " 16

SUEZ CANAL AT BALLAH " 80

IN A REDOUBT, MAHAMDIYA " 96

WATER CAMELS, MAHAMDIYA " 104

SHEIKH'S TOMB, KATIA " 108

BIVOUACS, EL RABAH " 112

CAMEL LINES, EL ARISH " 120

BAGGAGE CAMELS ON SHORE NEAR EL ARISH " 128

MOUTH OF WADI EL ARISH " 132

BEDOUIN SHEIKHS, BELAH " 136

BEDOUINS, KHAN YUNIS " 140

TYPICAL SMALL NULLAH NEAR WADI GHUZZEE " 144

NATIVE GIRLS, BELAH " 148

INSIDE YAPTON POST " 160

SHEIKH ABBAS " 164

OBSERVATION POST IN FRONT OF YAPTON POST " 168

SAUSAGE RIDGE, DEIR SINEID " 172

ORANGE SELLERS, MEJDEL " 176

BERFYLIA " 180

JAFFA FROM THE SHORE " 192

IN SARONA " 200

MAPS

GALLIPOLI--BATTLE OF 12TH JULY, 1915 _To face p. 54_

SKETCH TO ILLUSTRATE POSITION ON NIGHT OF 19-20TH
DECEMBER, 1915 " 64

AREA OF OPERATIONS 7-8TH NOVEMBER, 1917 " 174

SKETCH SHOWING ROUTE TAKEN BY THE BATTALION BETWEEN
GAZA AND JAFFA, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1917 " 184

AREA OF OPERATIONS 24-27TH AUGUST, 1918 " 216

MOEUVRES, SEPTEMBER, 1918 " 224

GALLIPOLI AND THE DARDANELLES, BIRD'S-EYE VIEW }
}
NORTHERN PORTION OF SINAI PENINSULA } _In pocket at end_
} _of book._
GAZA }

CHAPTER I

FROM MOBILISATION TO THE EAST.

The period from the date of mobilisation to the date on which we began
our active service experiences we propose to pass over quickly, as the
events which happened then seem now of small interest to those coming
later.

With orders prepared carefully in peace time, mobilisation went
smoothly. The Normal School, Glasgow, became a barracks and a place for
the busy public of the New City Road to gaze at with interest.

Within a week our Brigade found itself at Dunfermline, and a few days
later we were at Leven, with two companies on duty at the docks at
Methil. The Leven companies did uninterrupted training, the Methil
companies uninterrupted guards, and to the credit of the latter no one
was drowned on these inky nights in the docks. It was there one night a
small but gallant officer was going his rounds. One sentry was posted in
mid-air on a coal shute, and to challenge persons approaching his post
was one of his duties. On the approach of the officer there was no
challenge, so to find the reason of this the officer climbed up the
ladder and found the sentry, who explained he had seen something "right
enuff," but thought it was "one of them things they tie ships to"--in
other words a bollard.

The Army authorities had not then become prolific publishers of training
pamphlets; training therefore was in accordance with the Red Books
previously published, which meant that we trained for open warfare.
Bombs, Trench Mortars or Rifle Grenades we never saw, still the training
was invaluable and we became a very fit battalion.

All ranks have happy memories of the many kindnesses shown there by the
good people of Leven and Methil, but in spite of the pleasures of home
soldiering, being then enthusiasts, we thought we had been forgotten and
longed for orders to proceed overseas.

Early in May, 1915, we gathered that we would soon be going abroad. It
was then we heard that our Division would be known as the 52nd (Lowland)
Division, and our Brigade, consisting of ourselves, the 6th and 7th
H.L.I., and the 5th A. & S.H., as the 157th Infantry Brigade.
Anticipating our move, the G.O.C. Division, General Egerton, lectured
the officers at Markinch on warfare in France. He referred to us
embarking on the greatest adventure of our lives; to many attending the
lecture it was also their last. In spite of the lecture we found
ourselves bound for the East.

On May 19th, Major T.L. Jowitt, Captain J.D. Black and eight subalterns
with their trusty batmen left Leven for the South and they were lost to
us for a month. This was owing to limited boat accommodation. The
Battalion, under command of Colonel F.L. Morrison, moved from Leven on
May 24th, with, we think we can say, the best wishes of the inhabitants.
The next day found us at Plymouth boarding the _Transylvania_ for her
first voyage as a troopship. The transport section under Lieut. W.L.
Buchanan sailed by another steamer. In addition to ourselves the
_Transylvania_ carried the 6th and 7th H.L.I. and about 100 unattached
officers. It was a tight fit.

The ship was detained from sailing until our pith helmets arrived on the
26th, when, at 10 o'clock on a clear moonlight night, we steamed away
escorted by two T.B.Ds. The Bay was crossed in calm weather. Gibraltar
passed on the 30th and Malta reached on the 2nd June. Our clothing,
consisting of the ordinary drab khaki, now began to prove unsuitable for
a hot climate.

At Malta parties were allowed ashore while the ship coaled. The Maltese
methods of coaling are worth seeing. A goodly proportion of the coal is
dropped intentionally into the sea, as it is being carried from the
lighters to the bunkers. After coaling is finished, a fleet of rowing
boats with dragnets collect the ill-gotten coal from the bottom of the
sea. It was our introduction to the oriental mind.

On the 5th June we entered the harbour of Alexandria, threading our way
through a fleet of transports and other vessels such as the place had
never known in peace time. Disembarking we entrained to Aboukir some ten
miles away on the Bay of that name. A camp was pitched near the sea,
where abounded scorpions, snakes, flies, beetles and mosquitos. Leave
was given to visit Alexandria, and this, to those visiting the East for
the first time, afforded endless interest. It was there we learned to
scatter the unfortunate natives with "imshi" or stronger, and what
"mafeesh" meant.

The officers were fortunate in securing for their mess the cool verandah
of a solitary house round which the camp was pitched. The house, which
was unoccupied, was said to be owned by a Frenchman in Cairo. He arrived
one day with a bride on his arm--he had just been married--not knowing
that the district was now crowded with troops. He had intended to spend
the honeymoon at his seaside residence. With all a French gentleman's
courtesy he made the officers welcome to his house and sought his
honeymoon elsewhere.

We found ourselves aboard the _Transylvania_ again on the 12th June, and
sailed at dusk. Our course was Northwards, so now, we thought, we were
in for the real thing. Gallipoli and the Turk would know us in a few
days time. To travel hopefully, reflected R.L. Stevenson, is better
than to arrive. Ere Crete was passed the ship put about and steamed for
Alexandria again. A wireless had been received recalling us to Egypt,
the reason for this _volte face_ being, we understand, congestion at
Mudros, the advanced base.

[Illustration: OFFICERS OF THE BATTALION. GAILES CAMP. JULY 1914.

2nd Lt. R.M. Miller, 2nd Lt. T.A. Fyfe, Lt. and Q.-M. T. Clark, Lt. A.B.
Currie, Lt. T.S.S. Wightman, Capt. D.E. Brand, 2nd Lt. E.M. Leith, Lt.
N.R. Campbell, Lt. K. Macfarlane, 2nd Lt. J.F. Moir, 2nd Lt. J.E. Milne,
Lt. R.H. Morrison.

Capt. J.B. Neilson, Capt. H.C. Macdonald, Major A.M. Downie, Major
D.A.C. Reid, C.F., Col. F.L. Morrison, V.D., Major T.L. Jowitt, Capt.
J.R. Simson, Capt. John MacDonald, Capt. George Morton, Jr.

2nd Lt. J.W. Main, 2nd Lt. Lewis MacLellan, 2nd Lt. J.W. Malcolm, 2nd
Lt. E.T. Townsend.]

Alexandria on our return was dimmed in the heat and choking in the sand
clouds of a khamsin. This wind blows off the desert and man is almost
prostrate in its scorching blast. We had met a particularly hot
one--Alexandria had not known its like for years. The move back to
Aboukir was therefore very trying. We were now rejoined by the Transport
Section, and Major Jowitt and his party also returned. They had gone
direct to Mudros in the _Mauretania_, where an attempt was made to post
them to the 29th Division. The compliment was declined on the ground
that their unit was in the offing. After transhipping to the Donaldson
liner _Saturnia_, which was nearly hit by bombs from an aeroplane, they
were sent to Alexandria by the _Minnetonka_.

About this time Colonel Morrison had the pleasure of dining with the
Sultan of Egypt at his Palace near Alexandria, his tartan slacks
attracting considerable notice.

On 28th June we again embarked for Gallipoli, this time on the
_Menominee_. The Transport Section were left behind at Aboukir as there
was no room for them in the small sector occupied by our troops in
Gallipoli. We were all aboard and ready to sail by 4 p.m. All aboard did
we say? Then where's the Padre? Last seen going through the town with
the intention of making a few final purchases, he was now nowhere to be
found. As the relentless ship cast off and moved down the harbour, his
tall and for once dismayed figure came in sight on the quay. Too late.
Too late. All ranks crowded to the side shouting advice and sympathetic
cheers.

But the Padre was not to be denied. With the resource of the hero in the
film play, he routed out a motor boat and came speeding after us. Down
the ship's side hung a rope ladder to which clung a couple of natives in
a small boat. Overtaking us in great style, the Padre leapt into this
and essayed the ladder, but his pith helmet got in the way and his cane
and parcel of purchases burdened his hands, so he threw the lot to one
of the natives and began the precarious ascent. Half way up a swing of
the ladder brought him under a shoot of water from the ship's side, and
at the same moment an extra burst of cheering from the decks drew his
attention to the native who, as the best way of carrying the helmet, had
good humouredly donned it. It was a trying situation for any man, but
the Padre did full justice to the occasion and was eventually hauled on
board amid wild enthusiasm.

In spite of submarine scares the voyage up the Aegean Sea was a pleasant
one. By day the succession of rocky islands (among these Patmos, where
St. John was inspired to write his Revelation) shining in the sea like
jewels in an azure setting, marked our progress and recalled their
ancient story.

In the evening impromptu concerts were held, at one of which, on the
fo'c'sle decks the pipers played "The 5th H.L.I.'s Farewell to Aboukir,"
composed by Pipe Major Thomson. Can its plaintive harmonies still be
heard, or did they perish with him when he fell just ten days later?

At dawn on the 1st July we sighted Lemnos island. Soon we were lying in
Mudros Bay among over 120 ships, British and French of all sizes and
types, from battleships to submarines, and from great ocean liners to
trawlers, all safely at anchor in this wonderful natural harbour. Now
picks, shovels, rations and extra ammunition were issued, and in the
afternoon of the next day the destroyer _Racoon_ took off Brigade and
Regimental Headquarters with A and B companies, followed by the sweeper
_Whitby Abbey_, with C and D companies under Major Jowitt. Singing and
cheering we passed down the long line of shipping to the harbour mouth,
then into darkness and silence, bound at last to meet the enemy.

CHAPTER II

GALLIPOLI--TO 11TH JULY, 1915.

The main objects the Allies had in view in their operations at Gallipoli
may be briefly stated:

1. To relieve the pressure on the Russians in the Caucasus by forcing
the Turks to withdraw troops to the new front.

2. To open the Black Sea to allied shipping by forcing the passage of
the Dardanelles.

3. By striking a blow towards Constantinople to compel the Turks to
abandon their attacks on Egypt.

In Southern Russia there were immense stocks of wheat of which Western
Europe was in need. If the operations were successful this wheat could
be shipped from Odessa, and in exchange the Russians would receive
munitions for the heroic fight they were putting up against Germany and
Austria between the Baltic and the Carpathians.

Those of us who served at Gallipoli had not always these great issues
before us. We were content to know that we were fighting the Turk who
had basely sold himself to the Central Powers, and were upholding the
Cross, like Crusaders of old, in its long struggle with the Crescent.

The evening of 2nd July was fine, with a fresh easterly breeze, and
though the troops on the deck of the _Racoon_ were packed like sardines
the passage was a pleasant one. As we neared our destination artillery
were at work on Achi Baba, and the flashes of the explosion followed
by the dull boom of the guns were--to most of us--our first glimpse of
actual warfare.

[Illustration: CAPE HELLES, GALLIPOLI.]

Arriving off Cape Helles in semi-darkness about 8 p.m., the _Racoon_
slowed down and felt her way cautiously to the landing place at
Sedd-el-Bahr, better known as "V" Beach, where she brought up alongside
the _River Clyde_. The pontoons connecting that historic hulk with the
shore had been much damaged the previous day by the enemy's big shells
from Asia.

In disembarking we had to clamber up an accommodation ladder to the
_River Clyde_, follow a devious path through her battered interior,
descend a gangway from the bow, and pick our way ashore over a
miscellaneous assortment of half-sunken pontoons, boats and planks--no
easy task in the dark for a man laden with rifle, pick or shovel, pack,
blanket, ground-sheet, and 150 rounds of ammunition.

About 9.30 p.m. as the first men were quitting the _Racoon_, a message
was passed back that the O.C. troops was urgently wanted on shore. When
he had triumphed over the difficulties of the obstacle course and
reached the roadway at the pier-head, the C.O. found an officer of the
Divisional Staff awaiting him.

The S.O. was a little excited and the instructions he gave were not so
clear as one could have desired. The patch on which we were forming up
was a favourite target for the enemy's shells from Asia. They were in
the habit of devoting special attention to it on nights when they
thought troops were being landed. We were to proceed to No. 1
area--wherever that might be. A guide would accompany each party and an
officer of the Divisional Staff would be with the first party. We must
move in absolute silence; no lights or smoking. We would be exposed to
shell-fire whenever we passed the crest of the rise from the beach,
where we ought to adopt an extended formation. At our destination we
would find some trenches, but not sufficient to accommodate the whole
Battalion, and it was up to us to lose no time in digging ourselves in.

The C.O. was hustled off with two platoons of "A" Company before these
were properly landed. Where we were bound for and exactly what we were
to do when we got there, none of us knew, except presumably the Staff
Officer who accompanied us and perhaps the N.C.O. who acted as guide.
But subsequent happenings proved that they were almost as ignorant on
these points as ourselves.

Winding up a steepish rise through a region which seemed crowded with
dug-outs and piles of stores, we gained the crest where we had been
urged to extend. It was pitch dark, with a steadily increasing drizzle
of rain and an occasional rumble of thunder. In front there were as yet
no indications of shell-fire, only an intermittent crackle of distant
musketry.

So far as we could judge we were moving on a fairly defined road or
path, of uncertain surface, much cut up by traffic, and at many places
pitted with shell craters. To estimate the distance traversed was
impossible, but we must have been descending the gradual slope for over
half an hour when our guides began to exhibit symptoms of indecision.
The truth was soon out--they did not know where they were.

We ought before this to have struck the trenches allotted to us:
possibly we had passed them in the dark. It transpired that neither
Staff Officer nor N.C.O. had even been near the spot except in daylight,
but both still professed confidence in their ability to locate the
trenches. It was explained to us that these lay between the Pink Farm
Road on which we had been moving, and the Krithia Road, which was some
distance to our right. So we turned off the road towards the right and
commenced our search.

After wandering in the rain for half an hour, we came upon what appeared
to be a wide ditch sheltered by some straggling trees. Our guides
decided that this must be a section of the elusive trenches, and at
their suggestion Major Downie and his half-company were bestowed in it
temporarily while the rest of us continued our quest for the remaining
trenches.

Our progress was frequently interrupted by flares sent up from the
trenches somewhere in front. To our inexperienced eyes it seemed that
the lights were very near us, for they showed up vividly the whole
ground over which we were moving, every little clump of scrub standing
out sharp and distinct as in the glare of a powerful searchlight. From
repeated study of _Notes on Trench Warfare in France_, we had become
permeated with the theory that where one's presence is revealed by a
flare, safety from rifle or machine gun fire is only to be attained by
lying down and remaining perfectly motionless. So to the first few
flares we made profound obeisances, grovelling on the wet ground or
behind the nearest patch of scrub as long as the stars illuminated the
landscape. But familiarity breeds contempt, and as we gradually realised
that the flares were much further to our front than we had thought, the
necessity for this uncomfortable performance became less and less
obvious until we discarded it altogether.

After ages of fruitless wandering we stumbled against a landmark which
our guides recognised as within a hundred yards of the long sought
trenches--a large tree marking the sight of an Artillery Ammunition Dump
known, inappropriately enough, as Trafalgar Square. Here were one or two
dug-outs in which the party in charge of the Dump slumbered peacefully.
After we had circled the tree several times without result, the gunner
N.C.O. in charge of the station was roused and questioned. Yes, he knew
where the trenches were--quite close at hand.

With great good nature he rolled out of his blankets, and clambered out
of his subterranean shelter to find them for us. The prospect brightened
considerably, but only to become darker than ever when after a quarter
of an hour's further walking he, too, proved at fault. Then suddenly it
occurred to him that he had turned to the left on leaving his dug-out
instead of to the right, and had been leading us away from our goal.

Wearily we retraced our steps, and then finally we found the trenches.
The manner of the discovery was simplicity itself. As a matter of fact
the C.O. fell into one of them, getting rather wet and clayey in the
process.

In the meantime the second half of "A" Company had arrived on the scene,
but we now found ourselves faced by another problem--the locating of the
trench (or ditch) in which we had left Major Downie with his
half-company. This threatened to prove as hard a task as that which we
had just accomplished, and the C.O. remarked he would keep an eye on the
trench he had found lest it should attempt to disappear again, and a
party was sent off to find Major Downie.

And, after all, Major Downie found himself for us. His arrival was
almost dramatic. He, too, fell into the trench. He had heard the search
party calling for him and had come out to meet them. Missing them in the
dark he had chanced upon the trench from the front and tripped over the
parapet. With his assistance it did not take long to retrieve the
missing half-company.

Instalments of "B" Company began to arrive. Casting about to the front,
rear and flanks of our original discovery, traces of other less finished
trenches were found, and parties were set to work to complete and extend
them with the object of having some apology for cover ready for the
whole Battalion, before daylight could reveal our presence to the
enemy.

As the night wore on additional parties joined up from the beach.

The _Whitby Abbey_ had now arrived and was disembarking the left
half-Battalion. The first party of "C" Company reached the trenches
about 5 a.m. The enemy must have spotted us soon after daylight, for
they saluted us with a few rounds of shrapnel at irregular intervals.
These did little damage, but served to stimulate the flagging energies
of the digging parties, encouraging them to special effort to get the
trenches completed.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19