Captain W. Y. Darling,
Lieut.-Colonel P. A. V. Stewart,
Lieut.-Colonel T. C. Mudie,
Major W. Lumsden,
and to my wife for most valuable assistance both in the compilation of the narrative and in the correction of proofs.
J. Ewing.
Edinburgh,
October 1920.
Note.—The titles of infantry battalions are given in full in the Order of Battle, [Appendix I.], but to save space in the narrative the word “battalion” has been omitted, eg., the 11th Bn. The Royal Scots is referred to as the 11th Royal Scots.
With the exception of Loos all battles are described from right to left.
CONTENTS
| CHAPTER I | |
| ARMS AND THE MAN | |
| August 1914 to May 1915 | |
| PAGE | |
| The Outbreak of War—Lord Kitchener—“The First Hundred Thousand”—Composition of the Division—Training—The King’s Message, 10th May 1915 | [1] |
| CHAPTER II | |
| FIRST EXPERIENCES IN FRANCE | |
| May 1915 to September 1915 | |
| Move of Division to France, May 1915—Instruction in Trench Duties—Bombing and Bombs—Visit by Field-Marshal Sir J. D. P. French—Festubert—Training near Busnes—Vermelles—General reasons for Battle of Loos—The Plan of Battle—Importance of Gas—Task of the Ninth Division—Duties of the Staff—Major-General Landon’s Plan—Objectives—Preparations—Assembly Trenches—Communication Trenches—Artillery—Machine-Guns and Trench Mortars—Arrangements for Gas—Smoke—R.E. Pioneers, Tools—Medical Arrangements—Communications—Equipment of the Men | [12] |
| CHAPTER III | |
| BATTLE OF LOOS | |
| 25th to 28th September 1915 | |
| Terrain—Preliminary Bombardment, 21st to 24th Sept.—Action of 28th Brigade—Action of 6th K.O.S.B.—Action of 10th H.L.I.—Second Attack of 28th Brigade—Reasons for Failure of Attack—Action of 26th Brigade—Action of 7th Seaforths—Action of 5th Camerons—The Supporting Battalions—Situation east of Fosse 8—Position of 26th Brigade, 9 A.M., 25th Sept.—Action of 27th Brigade—Pekin Trench evacuated—Situation on evening of 25th Sept.—Relief of 26th Brigade—Withdrawal of 27th Brigade—Situation on morning of 26th Sept.— Loss of Fosse 8, 27th Sept.—Evacuation of Fosse Alley—Counter-Attack by 26th Brigade—Relief of the Division—Comments on the Battle | [32] |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| THE SALIENT AND “PLUG STREET” | |
| October 1915 to May 1916 | |
| Concentration of Division near Bethune—Major-General W. T. Furse and Esprit de Corps—New Commanders—Move to the Salient—Mud—The Reign of the Second Lieutenant—The Ninth Division School—The Trenches—Sappers and Infantry—Artillery Retaliation Tariff—Mining—A.S.C. and Transport—Formation of Machine-Gun Companies—Gas Attack, 19th Dec.—Rest and Training—Ploegsteert Wood—11th Royal Scots Raided—The G.O.C. and the Offensive Spirit—Sniping and Machine-Guns—Changes in Command—Artillery and Trench Mortars—Break-up of the 28th Brigade—Arrival of the South African Brigade—Relief of the Division | [61] |
| CHAPTER V | |
| THE CAPTURE OF BERNAFAY WOOD, AND THE BATTLES FOR TRONES WOOD | |
| July 1916 | |
| Rest and Training—Move to Somme Area—Traffic of the Hinterland—Summary of Events, 1915 to 1916—Reasons for Battle of the Somme—Nature of the Somme Battlefield—The Policy of Attrition—Attitude of Enemy—Movements and Preparations of the Division prior to the Battle—Work of the B.F.C.—Weather, Preliminary Bombardment, and Dispositions of XIII. Corps—Events of 1st July—27th Brigade Relieves 90th Brigade, 2nd to 3rd July—Capture of Bernafay Wood, 3rd July—The Fight for Trones Wood—Orders for the Attack on Longueval and Delville Wood—The Plans of General Furse—Brigade Arrangements—Artillery Arrangements | [84] |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| LONGUEVAL AND DELVILLE WOOD | |
| July 1916 | |
| The Assembly—Action of 26th Brigade, 14th July—Action of 27th Brigade, 14th July—News at D.H.Q.—The Fight for Longueval, 14th July—Attack on Waterlot Farm, 14th July—Situation on evening of 14th July—South Africans Capture Delville Wood, 15th July—The Fight for Longueval, 15th July—Attack on Waterlot Farm, 15th July—Situation on evening of 15th July—The Fight for Longueval, 16th July—Situation on evening of 16th July—The Fight for Longueval, 17th July—Waterlot Farm occupied, 17th July—Situation on evening of 17th July—Attack of 76th Brigade on Longueval, 18th July—Great German Counter-Attack, 18th July—Counter-Attack by 26th Brigade, 18th July—Situation after 6.15 P.M., 18th July—Events of 19th July—Relief of the Division—Work of the R.A.M.C.—Work of the Sappers and Pioneers—The A.S.C. and Transport—Comments on the Battle | [109] |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| THE BUTTE DE WARLENCOURT | |
| October 1916 | |
| Rest and Reorganisation—The Vimy Ridge—The Trenches, Aug. and Sept. 1916—Sniping and Raids—Concentration in III. Corps Area, Oct. 1916—Summary of events in the East during summer of 1916—Nature of the country near the Butte de Warlencourt—Plans for Operation, 12th Oct. 1916—Action of 7th Seaforths, 12th Oct.—Action of S.A. Brigade, 12th Oct.—Comments on the Action of the 12th Oct.—Capture of The Pimple, 15th Oct.—Plans for Operation, 18th Oct.—Action of 5th Camerons, 18th Oct.—Action of 1st S.A.I., 18th Oct.—Second Attack by S.A. Brigade, 18th Oct.—Events, 19th Oct.—Relief of 26th and S.A. Brigades by 27th Brigade, 19th to 20th Oct.—Events, 20th Oct.—Relief of Division, 25th Oct.—Difficulties of the R.A.M.C.—Comments on Action | [143] |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| ARRAS | |
| November 1916 to April 1917 | |
| Promotion of Brig.-General Scrase-Dickins, 21st Oct. 1916—Promotion of Brig.-General Ritchie, 4th Dec. 1916—General Furse appointed M.G.O., 1st Dec. 1916—General Lukin appointed G.O.C.—New C.Os.—The Bomb and the Rifle—Arras—The Trenches—Ninth Division School—Training and Pamphlets—Life in the Sector—Raid by the 9th Scottish Rifles, 14th Feb. 1917.—Other Raids—Changes in the Line—Plans of Allies for 1917—Preparations for the Offensive—Task of XVII. Corps—Task of Ninth Division—Artillery Arrangements—Brig.-General Tudor and Smoke—The Barrage—Our Air Supremacy Challenged—The Training of the Men—Daylight Reconnaissance by the 11th Royal Scots, 21st March 1917—Formations for Attack | [169] |
| CHAPTER IX | |
| THE BATTLES OF ARRAS | |
| The Actions of 9th April, 12th April, 3rd May, 5th June 1917 | |
| Preliminary Bombardment, 5th to 9th April 1917—The Attack on the Black Line, 9th April 1917—The Attack on the Blue Line, 9th April 1917—The Attack on the Brown Line, 9th April 1917—Comments on the Action of the 9th April—The Attack on Greenland Hill, 12th April 1917—Action of the South African Brigade, 12th April 1917—Action of the 27th Brigade, 12th April 1917—Comments on the Action of the 12th April—Action of the 3rd May 1917—Action of the 26th Brigade, 3rd May 1917—Action of the 27th Brigade, 3rd May 1917—Comments on the Action of the 3rd May—Action of the 5th June 1917—The Division leaves the Arras Sector, June 1917 | [193] |
| CHAPTER X | |
| PASSCHENDAELE, 1917 | |
| Actions of the 20th September and the 12th October | |
| Rest and Training—Move to the Somme, 25th July 1917—Description of Sector—Events of August 1917—A Suggested Attack—The Passchendaele Campaign—Von Armin’s System of Defence—The “Pill-boxes”—Description of country near Frezenberg, Sept. 1917—Objectives of the Division—Preparations for the Battle, Sept. 1917—Action of 27th Brigade, 20th Sept. 1917—Action of the South African Brigade, 20th Sept. 1917—Death of Brig.-General Maxwell, 21st Sept. 1917—Comments on the Action of the 20th Sept. 1917—Training—Objectives for the 12th October 1917—Action of the 12th Oct. 1917—Comments on the Action of the 12th Oct. 1917—Relief of the Division, 24th Oct. 1917 | [219] |
| CHAPTER XI | |
| PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE | |
| October 1917 to 21st March 1918 | |
| Rôle of the Division in 1917—Situation at close of 1917—Move to the Coast, Oct. to Nov.—Division Transferred to Somme Area, Dec.—Training, Feb. 1918—9th Machine-Gun Battalion Formed—General Lukin leaves the Division, March 1918—The Ninth’s Sector—The Forward Zone—The Battle Zone—The Rear Zone—The Scheme of Defence—The Enemy’s Intentions—Ludendorff’s Plan | [246] |
| CHAPTER XII | |
| GERMANY’S SUPREME EFFORT | |
| 21st to 29th March 1918 | |
| Hostile Bombardment, 21st March—Loss of Gauche Wood, 21st March—Loss of Chapel Hill, 21st March—South Africans Recapture Chapel Hill, 21st March—Retreat to the Battle Zone, 21st March—The 22nd March—Loss of Chapel Hill, 22nd March—Withdrawal to Brown and Green Lines, 22nd March—Retirement of the South African Brigade, 22nd March—Retirement of the Highland Brigade, 22nd March—The Boundary Question, 22nd March—Retreat to East of Moislains, 23rd March—Orders for Retreat to Ridge west of Bouchavesnes, 23rd March—The Retreat, 23rd March—Events, 23rd to 24th March—Retreat of the Lowland Brigade, 24th March—The Last Stand of the South Africans, 24th March—Retreat of the Highland Brigade, 24th March—Comments on the Fighting of the 24th March—VII. Corps Transferred to Third Army, 25th March—Events, 25th March—Events, 26th March—Events, 27th March—Relief of Division, 27th to 28th March—Work of the R.A.M.C.—Work of the A.S.C.—Comments on the Action of the Ninth—The Division “Mentioned” | [260] |
| CHAPTER XIII | |
| THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE IN FLANDERS | |
| April 1918 | |
| Failure of German thrust against Amiens—General Tudor Appointed G.O.C., 28th March—Division in Line near Wytschaete, April—Nature of the Defences—German Attack, 10th April—Counter-Attack of the South Africans at Messines, 10th April—German Attack, 11th April—Events, 12th to 15th April—Retreat to the Corps Line, 15th to 16th April—Germans Capture Wytschaete, 16th April—Counter-Attack of Seaforths at Wytschaete, 16th April—Events, 17th to 24th April—German Attack, 25th April—Action of the 12th Royal Scots and 6th K.O.S.B., 25th April—Work of the Machine-Gunners, 25th April—Action of Seaforths and Camerons, 25th April—Relief of Division, 26th April—Comments on the Fighting | [292] |
| CHAPTER XIV | |
| METEREN AND HOEGENACKER RIDGE | |
| May to September 1918 | |
| Moral of the Troops—The Press—Review of Situation at end of April, 1918—The Division at Meteren, May—Nature of the country and the Defences—Events, 25th May to 19th July—Preparations for an Attack on Meteren—A Series of Mishaps—Action of South African Brigade, 19th July—Action of Highland Brigade, 19th July—Remarks on the Operation—Brig.-General Kennedy leaves the Division, 27th July—Events, 25th July to 18th August—Plans for Capture of Hoegenacker Ridge—Capture of Hoegenacker Ridge, 18th August—Relief of Division, 25th August—South Africans leave the Division, 13th Sept.—Newfoundlanders join the Division—Failure of German designs in France—The “Turn of the Tide”—Preparations for Attack on 28th Sept.—Objectives of the Division | [317] |
| CHAPTER XV | |
| FROM YPRES TO LEDEGHEM | |
| 28th September to 14th October 1918 | |
| Passchendaele Ridge carried, 28th Sept.—Capture of Becelaere—Situation at close of 28th Sept.—Orders for Advance on 29th Sept.—Action of the 28th Brigade, 29th Sept.—The Camerons join in, 29th Sept.—Action of the 27th Brigade, 29th Sept.—Situation at close of 29th Sept.—Events, 30th Sept.—Orders for Advance on 1st Oct.—The Capture of Ledeghem and Rolleghem Cappelle, 1st Oct.—The German Counter-Stroke, 1st Oct.—The Work of the Gunners, 1st Oct.—Remarks on Action of 1st Oct.—Summary of German defeats in other parts of the Line, Sept. to Oct.—Objectives for 14th Oct., 1918—Obstacles to our Advance—The Assembly, 13th to 14th | [339] |
| CHAPTER XVI | |
| FROM LEDEGHEM TO THE SCHELDT | |
| 14th October to 27th October 1918 | |
| Action of the 14th Oct.—Fine work of the Gunners, 14th Oct.—Plans for Renewal of Advance, 15th Oct.—Action of 27th Brigade, 15th Oct.—Plans for crossing the Lys, 16th Oct.—K.O.S.B. cross the Lys, 16th to 17th Oct.—Events, 17th Oct.—Result of the Operations in Flanders—Objectives for 20th Oct.—Preparation for crossing the Lys—The crossing of the Lys, 19th to 20th Oct.—Action of the 20th Oct.—Events, 21st Oct.—Action of the 22nd Oct.—Capture of Ooteghem-Ingoyghem Ridge, 25th Oct.—Relief of Division, 27th Oct.—Comments on Operations since 28th Sept. | [359] |
| CHAPTER XVII | |
| CONCLUSION | |
| 28th October 1918 to 15th March 1919 | |
| Events leading up to the Armistice, 11th Nov. 1918—The March to the Bridgehead—The Division in Germany—End of the Ninth Division, 15th March 1919—Value of the Administrative and Supply Services—The Work of “Q” Branch—The Ordnance Department—The Padres—The Co-operative Spirit | [382] |
| APPENDICES | ||
| I. | Table showing Order of Battle of the Ninth (Scottish) Division | [397] |
| II. | Table showing the Periods spent in the Line | [400] |
| III. | List of Commanders and Staff | [402] |
| IV. | Casualties of the Ninth Division | [409] |
| V. | Victoria Cross Awards | [410] |
| VI. | Summary of Work done by Sappers and Pioneers in Preparation for the Battle of Arras | [413] |
| VII. | List showing Material Issued and Salved by the Ordnance Department | [415] |
| VIII. | Divisional Institutes and Canteens | [416] |
| Index | [419] | |
| Maps | [437] | |