THE SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS

1st Battalion

The casualties among the pipers of this battalion have been very heavy. At Richebourg in November 1914, 2 pipers were killed and 6 wounded, and the pipe major, Matheson, was awarded the D.C.M. for great gallantry in carrying messages. In December 1914, and again at Neuve Chapelle in May 1915, 3 more were killed and 4 wounded. Some of them were employed as pipers, others as bearers and in the ranks. At Neuve Chapelle the companies were played into action in May 1915, and Piper Pratt was killed while playing.

The battalion went to Mesopotamia, and in the action at Sheikh Saad on 7th January, 1916, Pipe Major M'Kechnie played the regimental charge at a most crucial moment and continued until he fell wounded. In this and other subsequent engagements pipers played their companies into action. Some of them did excellent work bringing up ammunition, and 529 Piper Colin M'Kay was specially promoted for this. This duty was particularly dangerous as the Turkish barrage was generally late.

The casualties continued to be heavy. Altogether 11 pipers have been killed.

REG. NO. RANK.		NAME.	RECORD.
8391	Pipe Major	D. B. Mathieson, D.C.M.	D.C.M.; wounded "Port Arthur," 7/11/14.
10169	Lance Cpl.	J. Tulloch	Wounded in trenches, "Port Arthur," 6/11/14.
9158	Sergt.	J. MacLellan	Wounded, "Port Arthur," 9/5/15; subsequently killed, 21/4/17.
7900	Piper	W. F. Cowans	Killed, 7/11/14, "Port Arthur."
9291	"	J. Pratt	Died of wounds, Neuve Chapelle, 9/5/15.
479	"	D. Black	Killed, 3/11/14, "Port Arthur."
766	Lance Cpl.	Lance Sgt. J. Mackenzie	Wounded, "Port Arthur," 9/5/15.
216	Piper,	Actg. P.M. W. Paton	Wounded, Givenchy, 6/4/15.
10457	Lance Sgt.	J. Stewart	Transferred to 2nd Batt.; killed, 1917.
412	Piper	William Barry	Despatches.
311	Lance-Cpl.	Donald Campbell	Wounded, Givenchy, 4/11/14; killed, Mesopotamia, 1917.
9458	"	John Dunbar	Wounded, Mesopotamia, 7/1/16, while performing duties in attack.
9628	"	Alexander Hay	Transferred to R.E.
444	"	Robert Hill	Wounded, "Port Arthur," 9/5/15.
262	"	A. M'Donald
264	"	Alexander M'Gill
433	"	Andrew Mackay	Wounded, Mesopotamia, 21/4/17.
435	"	John M'Vean	Wounded, Mesopotamia, 7/1/16; invalided.
564	"	N. Morrison	Wounded, Givenchy, 4/12/14.
366	"	T. Muir	Wounded, "Port Arthur," invalided.
284	"	D. Murray	Wounded, Givenchy, 6/4/15; invalided.
768	"	Adam Ross	Wounded, Givenchy, 17/11/14.
9419	"	D. Skinner	Wounded, Givenchy, 20/12/14 invalided.
10183	Lance Cpl.	J. Heron
645	Piper	D. Smith	Killed in France.
661	"	J. Stein	Wounded in trenches; invalided.
788	"	T. Urquhart	Killed, Givenchy, 20/12/14.
	Corpl.	A. Vince	Wounded, Neuve Chapelle, 9/5/15; transferred to R.S.F.
9446	Corpl.	Actg. P.M. Neil M'Kechnie	Acting Pipe Major when battalion went to Mesopotamia; wounded, 7/1/15; mentioned in despatches, 25/8/15.
10056	Piper	John Shand	Wounded, Mesopotamia, 21/4/17; and again Palestine.
7214	Lance Cpl.	James Hardy
543	Piper	Neil Morrison
529	Sergt. Piper	Colin M'Kay	Died of wounds, Baghdad.
	Lance Cpl.	Alex. Robertson	Severely wounded, Sheikh Saad; pipes smashed, 7/1/16.
	Piper	James Robertson
7184	Lance Sgt.	James Duncan
	Lance Cpl.	Hearne	Died at home.
200300	Piper	William M'Donald
16360	"	J. Cuthill
9526	"	George Paterson
	"	William M'Lellan
	"	Allan
709	"	J. Wilkinson	Killed, France.
	"	Cook	Killed, Mesopotamia.
204786	"	A. Hart
8338	"	J. Wilson
7208	"	J. Knox
22602	"	Reid
8337	"	M. Johnstone

2nd Battalion

The pipers were largely employed as runners, orderlies, etc., and suffered very heavy casualties. On several occasions during the open fighting they were employed in the attack as pipers. Of 23 pipers who went to France with the battalion 6 were killed and 10 wounded in the first year of the war. The opinion of the officers is that only the difficulty of reinforcements limits the employment of pipers in action.

REG. NO. RANK.		NAME.	RECORD.
6731	Pipe Major	John Haywood	Invalided, Dec. 1914.
577	"	James Mackenzie	Wounded, 25/1/17.
6171	Corpl.	Angus MacLean	Wounded, May 1915.
9106	Lance Cpl.	William Ross	Killed, June 1915.
9223	"	John Grant	Killed, October 1914.
283	"	Dougal MacMillan	Died of disease, Feb. 1915.
9454	"	James Rennie	Wounded, August 1914; killed, Loos, Oct. 1915.
70	Piper	Hugh Keil	Gassed, May 1915.
625	"	George Thomson	Wounded, March 1915.
	"	David Macrae	Killed, February 1915.
3	"	Robert Hall	Killed, July 1916.
	"	Alexander Thornton
570	"	Alexander Mackenzie	Wounded, February 1915.
	"	Ronald Mackenzie
711	"	James Urquhart	Invalided, Dec. 1914.
	Piper	Frederick Cook	Wounded, 13/10/14.
	"	Albert Hunter
	"	Alexander MacAngus
1096	"	Gregor Mackenzie	Gassed, 2/5/15.
	"	Kenneth Mackenzie	Killed, May 1915.
	"	Alexander Angus	Wounded, April 1915.
	"	Robert Rennie	Killed, May 1915.
	"	Alexander Clark,	Killed, May 1915.
10670	"	Alexander MacIntosh	Wounded, August 1914; prisoner of war.
10457	Lance Sgt.	James Stewart	Transferred from 1st Batt.; wounded, 1/7/16, Maillet (Somme); killed, 1917.
7635	Lance Cpl.	A. Ross
8666	Corpl.	W. Lowlands
7838	Piper	A. Calder
9132	"	N. Johnstone	Wounded, 25/4/15; killed, 26/1/17.
4255	"	J. Robertson	Wounded, Nov. 1916.
10169	"	J. Tulloch	Wounded, 20/11/14.
189	"	A. Stein
24729	"	J. Murdoch
	"	A. Milne
21630	"	D. Macleod
7366	"	D. Macleod
	"	N. Maclean
7126	"	W. Maclean
7603	"	J. Mackay
7206	Lance Cpl.	M. Maclean
2886	Piper	G. Bell	Gassed, April 1915.
8134	"	J. Grant	Wounded, April 1915 and August 1917.
204612	"	P. Lamont
9607	"	J. Macarthur	Wounded, April 1917.

4th Battalion

In the early part of the war pipers were employed as such, and in many other capacities. Casualties, however, were exceedingly heavy, and it was decided in the later stages to keep them out of action as much as possible. Five pipers were killed and sixteen wounded.

REG. NO. RANK.		NAME.	RECORD.
	Pipe Major	Murdo Mackenzie	Discharged, 1918.
	"	John M'Kenzie	Wounded, Neuve Chapelle.
	Piper	D. M'Kenzie	Died of wounds in Germany.
	Piper	J. Kemp	Died of wounds at Neuve Chapelle, 1915.
	"	A. M'Aulay	Died of wounds at Valenciennes, 1918.
	"	J. M'Kenzie	Died of wounds at Neuve Chapelle, 1915.
	"	J. M'Donald	Wounded at Cambrai, 1917; discharged.
	"	A. J. M'Kenzie	Wounded at Neuve Chapelle, 1915; discharged.
201307	"	P. Stewart, M.M.	Wounded at Cambrai, 1917; discharged.
	"	J. Stewart	Wounded at Marne, 1918.
	"	W. M'Kenzie	Discharged, 1916.
	"	M. Sandison	Wounded at Cambrai, 1917.
	"	H. Forbes	Wounded and gassed at Arras, 1918.
	"	J. Urquhart	Wounded at Cambrai, 1918; discharged.
	"	W. Marshall	Wounded and gassed at Cambrai, 1917.
	"	D. M'Rae	Discharged.
	Lance-Sgt.	D. Thomson	Invalided home.
	"	F. Findlayson	Invalided home.
	Piper	J. M'Donald	Wounded at Aubers Ridge, 1915.
	"	A. M'Lennan	Killed at Neuve Chapelle, 1915.
	"	W. Ross	Transferred to Home Service.
	"	H. Ross	Transferred to Home Service.
	"	H. M'Lennan	Wounded at Aubers Ridge, 1915.
	"	D. Williamson	Wounded and gassed, Arras and Cambrai.
	"	W. M'Donald
	"	W. Corbet	Wounded at Aubers Ridge, 1915.
	"	W. M'Leod	Wounded at Neuve Chapelle, 1915, and discharged.
	"	H. R. M'Kenzie	Wounded.
	"	R. Higgins	Invalided, 1918.
	"	J. M'Donald	Discharged.
	"	J. M'Lennan
	"	N. Ross	Discharged.
	"	J. Ross	Wounded at Cambrai.
	"	E. Leaman	Wounded at Cambrai.
	L/C. Piper	W. Gray
	Piper	J. M'Kenzie
	"	J. Gumm
	"	M. Sandison
	Piper	W. Marshall
	"	J. A. Aird
	"	H. Forbes
	"	A. M'Leod
	"	J. Baird
	"	D. M'Millan
	"	W. Richardson

5th Battalion

Pipers in action were employed as orderlies, despatch runners, etc.

REG. NO. RANK.		NAME.	RECORD.
2026	Pipe Major	J. Sutherland
	"	A. Harley	Invalided.
97	"	W. Grant
422	"	G. Ross	Killed, 21/7/15, Fauquissart.
41186	Corporal	H. Gammack
450	Piper	A. M'Leod
214	"	W. Trussler
240082	"	R. M'Kay
240578	"	G. Stewart
379	"	R. M'Kenzie, M.M.	Wounded; Military Medal.
599	"	Donald Mackay	Killed, 13/11/16, Beaumont Hamel.
242179	"	D. Macinnes
144	"	H. Grant
240137	"	D. A. Matheson	Wounded.
426	"	C. Rae
8971	"	A. Mackay
560	"	R. Mackay
242212	"	G. Urquhart
2266	"	W. S. Coghill
3023	"	A. Keith
2392	"	R. Stephen
24227	"	J. MacDonald
2729	"	A. Taylor
251	"	R. Ross	Killed, 21/7/15, Fauquissart.
242094	"	D. Mackenzie
669	"	M. Murray	Wounded.
26	"	R. Trussler
25209	"	J. Munro
267336	"	Jas. Sutherland	Transferred to 6th Seaforths; killed, 19/4/17.
42195	"	D. Morrison
24284	"	J. Cullen

6th Battalion

At Festubert, June 1915, the pipers did magnificent service as bearers, working day and night, and bringing in 170 wounded men. They were largely employed in the ranks as machine gunners. The casualties among them were heavy—8 killed and 6 wounded.

REG. NO. RANK.		NAME.	RECORD.
	Pipe Major	G. Milton
	Sergt.	W. MacLeod	Killed, May 1916, Labyrinth.
	"	C. D. Macdonald	Killed, Beaumont Hamel, 13/11/16.
	"	H. Mackie	Killed, Beaumont Hamel, 13/11/16.
	"	J. Brown, M.M.	Killed, Arras, May 1917.
	"	G. Gilbert, D.C.M.	Wounded, Beaumont Hamel, 13/11/16.
	Corpl.	W. Urquhart
	Piper	J. Alexander	Killed, La Bassée, April 1918.
	"	J. Bowie
	"	L. Cumming
	"	G. Fraser
	"	J. Gibb
	"	J. Grant
	"	G. M. Grant
	"	D. Grant
	"	D. Geddie	Invalided.
	"	J. Logie
265172	"	W. Logie	Wounded, 9/4/17, Roclincourt.
	"	J. Lumsden, M.M.	Wounded, High Wood, July 1916.
	"	A. Jenkins	Invalided.
	"	A. Mitchell
	"	W. D. Mill
	"	A. Mackay	Killed, 9/4/17, Roclincourt.
	"	W. Mackay	Wounded, Cambrai, Nov. 1917.
	"	H. Mackenzie
	"	W. Macdonald
	"	J. Macdonald	Wounded, 9/4/17, Roclincourt.
	"	W. Mackay	Invalided.
	"	A. Paterson	Invalided.
	"	J. Robertson	Killed, July 1915.
	"	G. Rose	Wounded, Beaumont Hamel, 13/11/16.
	"	W. Shervan
	"	W. Sutherland	Killed, 9/4/17, Roclincourt.
	"	A. Thomson

PIPE-MAJOR HOWARTH, D.C.M., 6th GORDON HIGHLANDERS
At Neuve Chapelle
From the Painting by J. Prinsep Beadle

7th Battalion

At Loos the battalion was played to the attack, and had 5 pipers killed and 3 wounded. At one time, when the position was very serious, a piper rallied the men with "Cabar Feidh," and produced a tremendous effect. On the Somme, in 1916, a piper was always on duty with the battalion. At Arras, in 1917, the pipers acted as bearers, but in later operations they were kept out of the front line as far as possible.

REG. NO. RANK.		NAME.	RECORD.
5111	Pipe Major	W. Taylor	Awarded Croix de Guerre and Meritorious Service Medal.
1536	"	A. Harley	Invalided.
1689	Sergt.	W. Fraser, M.M.	Military Medal.
7765	"	W. Gordon	Wounded, Loos, 25/9/15.
8822	Corpl.	T. Johnston	Received Commission in Camerons.
711	Lance Cpl.	A. Urquhart
40417	"	O'Kain Maclennan	Killed, 11/4/17.
6876	"	M. M'Lean
8134	"	J. Grant	Wounded, 12/10/17.
13385	Piper	P. Calder
6892	"	W. Cooper
8535	"	D. Davidson, D.C.M., M.M.	D.C.M. and Military Medal; promoted Sergt. in his Coy.
21629	"	T. Eaton
1456	"	D. Fraser	Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
40177	"	R. Fraser
4272	"	W. Galbraith	Wounded, Loos, and again Arras, 9/4/17.
4181	"	R. Galbraith	Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
9070	"	G. Grant	Died in hospital.
2177	"	B. Halliday	Died of wounds received at Loos.
4661	"	B. Hamilton	Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
9859	"	J. Hinton
10859	"	A. J. Mackay
9488	"	J. Mackay
570	"	A. Mackenzie	Wounded, 10/4/15, Messines; gassed, 23/6/18.
1487	"	R. Mackenzie, M.M.	Wounded, 12/3/18; Military Medal.
7366	"	D. Macleod	Invalided.
201819	"	M. Montgomery
12597	"	M. Murray
201991	"	R. Murray
825	"	G. Thomson	Wounded, Messines, 10/4/15.
3843	"	K. Thyne	Killed, Somme, 14/7/16.

8th Battalion

There were heavy casualties at Loos, September 1915, when 5 pipers were killed and 5 were wounded; on this occasion the gallantry of these men won the wholehearted admiration of all ranks. The companies were played into action by the pipers.

REG. NO. RANK.		NAME.	RECORD.
8112	Pipe Major	Alex. Mackenzie, D.C.M.	D.C.M.
	"	John Haywood
8119	Sergt.	George Gordon	Transferred 9th Seaforths as Pipe Major; Belgian Croix de Guerre.
8172	Lance Cpl.	John Munro
3161	Piper	Andrew Hamilton	Wounded, Loos, 25/9/15.
5721	"	Charles Anderson	Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
6368	"	Robert Clark	Wounded, Loos, 25/9/15, and taken prisoner.
	"	Andrew Clark	Killed, Loos, 28/9/18.
7519	"	John Matheson
6567	"	George Spence	Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
3503	"	James Cairns	Wounded, Loos, 25/9/15.
2897	"	Robert Robertson	Wounded, Loos, 25/9/15, and taken prisoner.
2583	"	James Morton
	"	Alexander Mackay	Wounded, Ypres, 31/7/17.
6400	"	William Mackay	Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
	"	Robert Beaton
6546	Lance Cpl.	Duncan MacGregor	Killed, Loos, 25/9/15.
3307	Piper	Donald Valantine	Wounded, Loos, 25/9/15.
	"	Hugh Sutherland	Died of disease, 1917.
	Corpl.	R. Currant
	Piper	James Harvey	Wounded, Arras, 21/2/18.
	"	Alexander MacAulay
25812	"	Alexander MacDonald
25825	"	Alexander MacDonald
	"	Malcolm Mackenzie
	"	Robert Mackenzie
	"	Donald MacLeod
	"	George Macmillan
	"	James Matheson
	"	James Morton
	"	Robert Robertson
	"	Alexander Simpson
	"	George Spence
	Piper	P. Stewart
	"	Henry Sutherland
	"	J. Tait
	Lieut.	Hector Ross	Formerly Piper 6th S.H.; killed, 23/4/17.

9th Battalion

Pipers were frequently employed as despatch runners. In the advance of the 26th Brigade at Longueval on 14th July, 1916, the battalion was played into action under very heavy fire. When attacking the village they met with a stout resistance and came under heavy machine gun fire from a flank as well as from the front. The pipers rallied the men who were thrown momentarily into confusion, and, at their head, charged down the street and over the wires into the German trenches.

The casualties were heavy throughout, 4 killed and 15 wounded.

REG. NO. RANK.		NAME.	RECORD.
8119	Pipe Major	G. Gordon	Belgian Croix de Guerre.
4422	Lance Sgt.	D. M'Niven
5745	Lance Cpl.	C. M'Lellan, M.M.	Military Medal, Loos, 1915.
261949	Piper	James Lumsden, M.M.	Wounded, Somme, 1916; Military Medal.
240018	"	Robert Ross	Killed, 11/4/18.
267336	"	James Sutherland	Killed, 19/4/17.
4394	"	M. Ross	Wounded.
8264	"	D. Mackenzie	Wounded.
4858	"	J. Macdonald	Wounded.
5011	"	A. Cheyne
3949	"	H. Arnott	Wounded.
9394	"	W. M'Mahon	Killed.
4657	"	W. Gray	Wounded.
5693	"	D. Hunter	Wounded.
40497	"	A. Mackenzie
40502	"	R. Watt	Wounded.
40547	"	G. Davidson
267049	"	J. MacLeod
13286	"	J. Aitken	Wounded.
23879	"	W. Duncan	Killed.
23889	"	J. M'Lellan	Wounded.
26416	"	P. Macdonald
26426	"	D. M'Kinnon	Wounded.
5943	Piper	R. Lawson	Wounded and gassed.
24518	"	A. Buchanan
261313	"	A. Mackenzie
5570	"	J. Barclay	Wounded three times.