THE DISBANDMENT.[ToC]
Hogmanay—with the II. Corps—the blow—new army establishment—Hospital Camp—disbandment—the passing of the "17th."
For some time rumours had been flitting about that certain Battalions were going to be disbanded in accordance with a programme of reorganised military establishments. Every New Army unit in the B.E.F. had about this time qualms of fear that if rumours proved true the selection might fall on them. Esprit de corps was never stronger and the very thought of possible separations from brothers-in-arms, fell as a vague shadowy fear over the 17th because it looked very likely that the 17th, being the junior H.L.I. Battalion of the Division, would be the Divisional victim in any re-arrangement that might be carried out. But nothing definite was known, and the advent of New Year, 1918, brought with it a feeling of hope for the future.
The Battalion was still billeted in the peaceful villages of Landrethun and Yeuse. On the opening day of the year the ground was snow covered, rendering parades well nigh impossible, and so the men were at liberty. Preparations were eagerly pushed forward for a New Year Feast, and on the 3rd, in spite of provisioning difficulties, very complete arrangements had been successfully made considering the length of time available for providing the men with a seasonable repast on that evening. The Companies sat down to a feast of roast pork—which only a few hours before had been a live pig. There was soup, haggis, plum pudding, apple dumpling, cake, cigarettes, and copious supplies of beer. The Commanding Officer, accompanied by Major G.R.S. Paterson, and the Adjutant, visited each Company in turn to wish them the Compliments of the Season, and the night finished with song and story.
Work and training was resumed again in earnest the next day as far as the weather conditions would permit. On the 9th of January the Battalion moved off, embussing for the forward area to operate on the II. Corps Line. After a cold journey in a heavy snowstorm, they arrived at Murat Camp late at night and came under the command of the 35th Division. They found the camp in very bad order and set about putting it right, meanwhile working parties were carrying on under the C.R.E. of the Division. Splendid work was carried out by the Battalion during this period, despite snowstorms and blizzards, and high praise was given to the unit by the Corps Commander. All the Royal Engineer Officers connected with the work declared they had never had better nor keener infantry parties.
On the 16th Major Morton assumed command of the Battalion during the absence of Lieut.-Colonel Inglis on leave; and on the 18th Major Morton was ordered to hospital and Major Paterson took over.
The Battalion Intelligence News Sheet, inaugurated to keep all ranks fully informed of the principal events of the day as regards the war, was circulated, but it could not hope to oust The Outpost as the real news vehicle of the 17th.
On the 25th of January the Battalion left Murat Camp for a camp near Woeston and came under the command of the 1st Division, and on the 27th the Battalion relieved the 10th Gloucesters in reserve in the Het Sas Sector, and carried on improving the line until the 31st of January—when the blow fell and hopes were dashed to the ground. While in Brigade Support at Houthust Forest Sector, Major Paterson was sent for by Brigadier-General C.A. Blacklock, who informed him that the re-organisation of the Army necessitated the disbanding of an H.L.I. Battalion in the 32nd Division. The Battalion selected was the junior one, the 17th. General Blacklock expressed in very generous terms his admiration for the Battalion, and for all that it had done, and expressed his sorrow and regret that so fine a unit had to be broken up, and the officers, non-com. officers and men serving in it would be drafted to other H.L.I. Battalions, which would necessitate, in many cases, the breaking up of what had been very long friendships.
Early in January, 1918, it had been decided by the War Office to adopt the three Battalion per Brigade system throughout the British Army, and this resulted in the disbandment of many Battalions which had seen much service abroad, and had won a name for themselves in France. Perhaps the chief Battalion in the whole army to be disbanded was the 17th Service Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry, and the disbandment of this Battalion came as a bitter blow, not only to those who were serving in the Battalion at that time, but also to those who had served in it at some time or other in the past and possibly to those who were looking forward to serving with it in the future.