I had the honour to command the 15th (Scottish) Division from October, 1917, to March, 1918. During the first year of that period this Battalion, or perhaps I should say these Battalions, for the 6th, the 7th and the 6/7th Cameron Highlanders are almost inseparable in my mind, were most severely tried on many occasions in battle, most notably in front of Arras in March, 1918, and South of Soissons in July, 1918.
The authors state that the battle of the 28th March, 1918, was probably the heaviest fighting in which the 7th Battalion ever took part. Lieut.-General Sir Charles Fergusson, Commanding the XVII. Corps, when the great German attack was foreseen, had warned the 15th Division that it was in a "Post of Honour," adding: "I am glad that it is in the hands of a Scottish Division, who I know will never let the enemy pass." Again on the 29th March, after the great attack, General Fergusson wired: "I knew you could be relied on to stick it out to the end. There are fresh troops in support of you now, but I want the honour of holding Arras to be yours alone."
General Ludendorff, in his Memoirs, practically attributes the turning point of his hopes of success to the failure of the 17th German Army to capture the heights East and North of Arras, this "in spite of employing a vast amount of artillery and ammunition." I am sure all comrades of the 15th (Scottish) Division will agree that no unit of ours deserved more credit for stopping the Germans in front of Arras than the 7th Cameron Highlanders.
During the period, December, 1918, to March, 1919, the troops were tried in a different way. A time of absolute inactivity prevailed in Belgium, with many temptations for all ranks to be slack and to allow discipline to deteriorate. A natural reaction after the strain of war. There was also a feeling, rightly or wrongly, that in the system of demobilisation length of service at the front was not always considered. During this difficult time the 6/7th Cameron Highlanders retained their splendid discipline and still upheld their claim to the nickname "The Shiny Seventh."
The authors refer to their firm belief in the advantages of the kilt as a service dress. Opinions may differ on this point, but there is no question as to the prestige and confidence which the kilt carries with it.
When we moved suddenly to join the Xth French Army in July, 1918, the British troops were, for some reason, temporarily out of favour in that area, but the sight of the Highlanders, and the sound of the bagpipes, changed this feeling at once, and nothing could have exceeded the enthusiasm with which the 15th Division was received in billets during this period of operations.
Again, on the coldest of days in January, 1919, when troops of three Divisions marched past His Majesty, the King of the Belgians, in Brussels, there was a sudden roar of applause from the half-frozen crowd as the kilted pipers leading the 45th Infantry Brigade, which represented the infantry of the 15th Division, approached. The 6/7th Cameron Highlanders swung past; His Majesty turned to me and said: "Truly magnificent soldiers." Those who read this narrative will agree that this splendid tribute was deserved.
H. L. REED,
Major-General.
2/4/22.