9th Battalion, Royal Scots

Last updated
9th Volunteer Battalion, Royal Scots
9th (Highlanders) Battalion, Royal Scots
Active1900–1921
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Branch Flag of the British Army.svg Territorial Force
RoleInfantry
SizeBattalion
Part of Lothian Brigade
Garrison/HQ Hepburn House, Edinburgh
Nickname(s)The Dandy Ninth
Engagements Second Boer War
Western Front
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Lt-Col James Ferguson
Lt-Col Alexander Blair
Lt-Col William Green

The 9th Battalion, Royal Scots was the highland (kilted) battalion of the Royal Scots. Formed in 1900 as a part-time Volunteer Force battalion in Edinburgh, in 1908, as part of the Haldane Reforms, it became a Territorial Force battalion. During the First World War it served on the Western Front. Post-war it was amalgamated with the 7th Battalion to form 7th/9th Royal Scots. Notable members of the battalion include James Pearson, Arthur Farrimond, Jimmy Broad, Robert Dudgeon, Major Archibald Alexander Gordon, Walter Lyon, FCB Cadell and William Geissler. [1]

Contents

Volunteer Force

Following British Army losses in December 1899, during the Black Week of the Second Boer War, there was widespread recruitment into the Volunteer Force. James Ferguson of Kinmundy (1857-1917), King's Counsel and Volunteer officer, applied to form a new Volunteer battalion in Edinburgh that would be a highland, kilted unit. He wrote that "It had long been felt to be unfortunate that the capital of Scotland, which drew to itself so many young men from the country north of the Forth and Clyde, forming the old Scottish kingdom of ancient Alban, possessed no Volunteer corps clothed in the garb of old Gaul, and providing special attractions for the Highlanders and the sons of Highlanders who had, in the conditions of modern life, come to push their fortunes in Edinburgh." [2] Originally part of the Queen's Rifle Volunteer Brigade, the battalion achieved independence as the 9th (Highlanders) Volunteer Battalion in July 1901 and established headquarters at 7 Wemyss Place, Edinburgh. [3]

Second Boer War

Forty-five volunteers from 9th VB served in South Africa in the Second Boer War, some in Volunteer Service Companies of the Royal Scots. [4] 2nd VSC served as 'M' (Volunteer) Company from May 1901 with 1st Royal Scots; and 3rd VSC as 'Q' Company from February 1902. [5] Among them, Lieutenant James C.C. Broun "had the interesting experience of being the last officer to take a flag of truce into the enemy's lines, and of spending the last night of the war at the Head Government Laager of the Transvaal". [6]

Territorial Force

9th Royal Scots, nicknamed The Dandy Ninth, were the only Volunteer battalion to retain their number upon the transition to the Territorial Force in April 1908. [7] In 1912 the battalion moved to Hepburn House (named after John Hepburn, founder of the Royal Scots), purpose-built headquarters at 89 East Claremont Street, Edinburgh. Half of the £7,000 cost was met by the Commanding Officer, James Clark. [8]

World War I

Mobilisation

9th Royal Scots at training near Edinburgh, 1915 9th Royal Scots Postcard 1915.jpg
9th Royal Scots at training near Edinburgh, 1915

The 9th Royal Scots returned from their summer camp at Stobs on Sunday, 2 August 1914 and two days later they were embodied when Britain declared war on Germany. [9] They served with Lothian Brigade, part of Scottish Coast Defences (Infantry). Among their duties they built and manned the Section No.3 defences of Edinburgh, provided guards at Redford Prisoner of War camp and also provided the machine-gun section for an armoured train. [10]

1/9th Royal Scots

The first-line 'Service' battalion 1/9th Royal Scots deployed to France on 24 February 1915 and joined 27th Division in the Ypres Salient. When chlorine gas was employed in the Second Battle of Ypres, 9th Royal Scots helped fill the gap on 23 April 1915. [11] In March 1916 they transferred to the 51st (Highland) Division and served with them at High Wood, Beaumont-Hamel, Arras, Third Ypres and Cambrai. [12] They were sent to strengthen the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division in February 1918 and faced the German spring offensives at St Quentin (Operation Michael) and at the Lys. [13] They moved again in June 1918, this time to the 15th (Scottish) Division, and served near Soissons, where the battalion suffered it's heaviest loss of the war at Villemontoire on 1 August 1918. In the Hundred Days Offensive, the 1/9th Royal Scots captured Vendin-le-Vieil on 12 October 1918, and advanced into Belgium. They were serving with the division when the Armistice was signed. [14]

2/9th Royal Scots

The second-line 2/9th Battalion was raised in September 1914. They moved to Essex in February 1916 and then on to Ireland in January 1917, where they were disbanded and the headquarters were closed on 15 May 1918. [15] [16] [17]

3/9th Royal Scots

In June 1915 the third-line 3/9th Battalion was formed at Peebles to train new recruits. On 1 September 1916 it became part of the Lowland Reserve Brigade at Catterick Camp. All of the third-line battalions of the regiment were amalgamated to become 4th (Reserve) Battalion, The Royal Scots in July 1917 at Catterick. [18] [16] [19] [20]

Amalgamation

Edinburgh's Territorial battalions were reassigned, disbanded or amalgamated with the formation of the Territorial Army (TA) in 1921. 7th (Leith) and 9th (Highlanders) Royals Scots were amalgamated to create 7th/9th Royal Scots. They remained at Hepburn House, retained the kilt and were commanded by officers who had served with 9th Royal Scots. [21] In the Second World War the 7th/9th Royal Scots served as part of the Second BEF in 1940 and in North West Europe 1944-45. They played a notable part in Operation Infatuate, the capture of Walcheren in November 1944. [22]

Uniform

In Review Order, 1900, the uniform consisted of a glengarry of Royal Scots pattern, a scarlet doublet with royal blue facings and a kilt of Hunting Stewart tartan. Khaki Service Dress was introduced in 1902. [23]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Index of personnel
  2. ↑ Ferguson, p.1
  3. ↑ Ferguson, p.18
  4. ↑ Ferguson, pp.28-29
  5. ↑ Diary of Services of the First Battalion The Royal Scots
  6. ↑ Ferguson, p.27
  7. ↑ Gilhooley, p.27
  8. ↑ Gilhooley, p.30
  9. ↑ Gilhooley, p.35
  10. ↑ Gilhooley, pp.34-51
  11. ↑ Gilhooley, pp.72-85
  12. ↑ Bewsher
  13. ↑ Gilhooley, pp.234-255
  14. ↑ Stewart and Buchan
  15. ↑ Gilhooley, p.184
  16. 1 2 "Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)". Longlongtrail.co.uk. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  17. ↑ The Royal Scots website
  18. ↑ Gilhooley, p.179
  19. ↑ The Royal Scots website
  20. ↑ James, p. 42.
  21. ↑ Gilhooley, pp.289-291
  22. ↑ Blake
  23. ↑ Ferguson, facing p.26

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Watch</span> Infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland

The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd Regiment of Foot was amalgamated with the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot. It was known as The Black Watch from 1881 to 1931 and The Black Watch from 1931 to 2006. Part of the Scottish Division for administrative purposes from 1967, it was the senior Highland regiment. It has been part of the Scottish, Welsh and Irish Division for administrative purposes since 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Scots</span> Infantry regiment of the British Army from 1633 to 2006

The Royal Scots, once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest and most senior infantry regiment of the line of the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I. The regiment existed continuously until 2006, when it amalgamated with the King's Own Scottish Borderers to become the Royal Scots Borderers, which merged with the Royal Highland Fusiliers, the Black Watch, the Highlanders and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Own Scottish Borderers</span> Military unit

The King's Own Scottish Borderers (KOSBs) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division. On 28 March 2006 the regiment was amalgamated with the Royal Scots, the Royal Highland Fusiliers, the Black Watch, the Highlanders, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 52nd Lowland Regiment, and 51st Highland Regiment to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland. However, after just a few months the battalion merged with the Royal Scots Battalion to form the Royal Scots Borderers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders</span> Line infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 2006

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) is a light infantry company (designated as Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland) and was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed from 1881 until amalgamation into the Royal Regiment of Scotland on 28 March 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Scots Fusiliers</span> Military unit of the British Army

The Royal Scots Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed from 1678 until 1959 when it was amalgamated with the Highland Light Infantry to form the Royal Highland Fusiliers which was later itself merged with the Royal Scots, King's Own Scottish Borderers, the Black Watch, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the Highlanders to form a new large regiment, the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highland Light Infantry</span> Light infantry regiment of the British Arm

The Highland Light Infantry (HLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881. It took part in the First and Second World Wars, until it was amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1959 to form the Royal Highland Fusiliers which later merged with the Royal Scots Borderers, the Black Watch, the Highlanders and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland, becoming the 2nd Battalion of the new regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gordon Highlanders</span> Military unit in the British Army

The Gordon Highlanders was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed for 113 years, from 1881 until 1994, when it was amalgamated with The Queen's Own Highlanders to form The Highlanders. Although the 'Gordon Highlanders' had existed as the 92nd Regiment of Foot since 1794, the actual 'Gordon Highlanders Regiment' was formed in 1881 by amalgamation of the 75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot and 92nd Regiment of Foot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">51st Highland Volunteers</span> British Army battalion

The 51st Highland Volunteers is a battalion in the British Army's Army Reserve or reserve force in the Scottish Highlands, forming the 7th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, also known as 7 SCOTS. It is one of two Reserve battalions in the Royal Regiment of Scotland, along with 52nd Lowland, a similar unit located in the Scottish Lowlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seaforth Highlanders</span> British military unit

The Seaforth Highlanders was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, mainly associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The regiment existed from 1881 to 1961, and saw service in World War I and World War II, along with many smaller conflicts. In 1961 the regiment was amalgamated with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders, which merged, in 1994, with the Gordon Highlanders to form the Highlanders. This later joined the Royal Scots Borderers, the Black Watch, the Royal Highland Fusiliers and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to create the present Royal Regiment of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish regiment</span>

A Scottish regiment is any regiment that at some time in its history has or had a name that referred to Scotland or some part thereof, and adopted items of Scottish dress. These regiments were created after the Acts of Union in 1707 between England and Scotland, either directly serving Britain during its various wars, or as part of the military establishments of Commonwealth countries. Their "Scottishness" is no longer necessarily due to recruitment in Scotland nor any proportion of members of Scottish ancestry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glasgow Highlanders</span> Military unit

The Glasgow Highlanders was a former infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Territorial Force, later renamed the Territorial Army. The regiment eventually became a Volunteer Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry in 1881. The regiment saw active service in both World War I and World War II. In 1959 the Highland Light Infantry was amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers to form the Royal Highland Fusiliers. The Glasgow Highlanders was later amalgamated into the 52nd Lowland Volunteers in 1967.

The 26th Infantry Brigade was the name of two British Army formations during the First World War and Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">152nd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)</span> Military unit

152nd Infantry Brigade was a formation of Britain's Territorial Force/Territorial Army that was part of 51st (Highland) Division in both World Wars. From its origins in the 19th Century Volunteer Force it was based in Inverness and was composed of Highland battalions. It served on the Western Front in World War I, and after it was captured at Saint-Valery-en-Caux early in World War II it was reformed from its 2nd Line and saw action in North Africa, Sicily and North West Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">153rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)</span> Military unit

153rd Infantry Brigade was a formation of Britain's Territorial Force/Territorial Army that was part of 51st (Highland) Division in both World Wars. From its origins in the 19th Century Volunteer Force it was based in Aberdeen and was composed of Highland battalions. It served on the Western Front in World War I, and after it was captured at Saint-Valery-en-Caux early in World War II it was reformed from its 2nd Line and saw action in North Africa, Sicily and North West Europe. It continued serving postwar until the reduction of the Territorial Army in the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">154th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)</span> Military unit

154th Infantry Brigade was a formation of Britain's Territorial Force/Territorial Army that was part of 51st (Highland) Division in both World Wars. From its origins in the 19th Century Volunteer Force it was based in Stirling and was composed of Highland battalions. It served on the Western Front in World War I, and after it escaped from France early in World War II it was reformed from its 2nd Line and saw action in North Africa, Sicily and North West Europe. It continued serving postwar until the reduction of the Territorial Army in the 1960s.

The Lowland Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland is a military band in the Territorial Army and one of three military bands in the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The band is based at the East Claremont Street drill hall in Edinburgh and is administered by 52nd Lowland, 6th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland. The other two bands in the Regiment are the regular Regimental Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, which is based at Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh and is administered by the Royal Corps of Army Music, and the other is the territorial Highland Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, which is based at Queen's Barracks in Perth and administered by 51st Highland, 7th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The 155th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service in both the First and the Second World Wars. Assigned to the 52nd (Lowland) Division, the brigade saw active service in the Middle East and on the Western Front during the First World War. During the Second World War, now the 155th Infantry Brigade, it continued to serve with the 52nd Division in Operation Dynamo, and later in North-western Europe from late 1944 until May 1945.

The 157th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army. The brigade fought in both the First and the Second World Wars, assigned to 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division.

221st Mixed Brigade was a Scottish Home Service formation of the British Army that served under various titles throughout World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hepburn House</span>

Hepburn House, also known as East Claremont Street Drill Hall, is a military installation in Edinburgh.

References

External sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.