Piper Daniel Laidlaw outside the British Trench playing "Blue Bonnets over the Border" to hearten his comrades to the Attack.
(From the picture by S. Begg. By permission of The Illustrated London News.)
Private George Peachment, 2nd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps.
Near Hulluch, on 25th September, Private Peachment saw his company commander lying wounded, and crawled out to assist him. He knelt in the open by the side of his officer, and while bandaging him was struck first by a fragment of a bomb, then by a bullet which found its billet. Private Peachment was one of the youngest men in his battalion.
Private Arthur Vickers, 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
During the advance on the first line of German trenches the Warwickshires found themselves held up by wire. Without waiting for orders, Private Vickers ran forward through very heavy shell, rifle, and machine-gun fire and cut the wire. It was broad daylight, and as he stood up to do the work, he was in full view of the enemy. Thanks to his fine pluck, a way was opened for the battalion to advance again.
Lieutenant-Colonel Angus Falconer Douglas-Hamilton, 6th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders.
You will remember that on Sunday, 26th September, the Germans flung their reserves upon our worn-out men, and the situation was desperate. On Hill 70, when the battalions to the right and left had retired, Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas-Hamilton rallied his men again and again and led them forward three times. There were now only about fifty of his brave lads left; nevertheless he cried, "Come on, men. We will show them how to charge." As they pressed forward he fell—"the bravest man the Camerons have lost."
Rifleman Kulbir Thapa, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles.