Remembering those who fought in the Great War.

Cameron Highlanders

CAMERON HIGHLANDERS

1st Battalion

The 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was in Edinburgh when war broke out in August 1914. They proceeded to France with the British Expeditionary Force, landing at Le Havre on the 14th of August 1914. On the 5th of September they joined 1st Brigade in 1st Division and saw action at The Battle of Mons, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, the Actions on the Aisne heights and the First Battle of Ypres. They were involved in the winter actions leading into 1915 when they saw action at The Battle of Aubers and The Battle of Loos. In 1916 they fought in the Battles of the Somme, having been reinforced by troops from 1/4th Battalion which has been disbanded. In 1917 they took part in the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the Third Battle of Ypres. They were in action at the Battles of the Lys, the Second Battles of Arras, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line, The Battle of the Selle and The Battle of the Sambre in 1918. After the Armistice the 1st Division advanced into Germany and formed part of the Occupation Force at Bonn.

2nd Battalion

 

The 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was in Poona, India when war broke out in August 1914. They returned to England, landing Devonport on 16 November 1914, then moved to Winchester and joined 81st Brigade, 27th Division. They proceeded to France on the 20th of December 1914 landing at Le Havre. They were in action at St Eloi and The Second Battle of Ypres, but were ordered to Salonika, arriving on the 5th of December 1915. In 1916 they were involved in the capture of Karajakois, the capture of Yenikoi and the battle of Tumbitza Farm. They were in action in the capture of Homondos in 1917 and in 1918, the final offensive in Salonika, including the capture of the Roche Noir Salient, the passage of the Vardar river and the pursuit to the Strumica valley. After the Armistice with Bulgaria on the 30th of September, 27th Division continued to advance, but was ordered to halt on the on 2nd of November, soon after it had passed Krupnik. In December they embarked for operations on the Black Sea and reached Constantinople on the 19th and Tiflis in January 1919. The 27th Division was disbanded on the 24th of September 1919 at Batum.

3rd Battalion

 

The 3rd Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was based at Inverness when war broke out in August 1914, it moved on mobilisation to Cromarty and then Invergordon remaining a depot and training unit. In November 1917 it moved to Birr in Ireland and in March 1918 to Ballyvonare, Limerick in April and later returned to Ballyvonare.

4th Battalion

 

The 4th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders where at Inverness with the Seaforth & Cameron Brigade in the Highland Division. When war broke out in August 1914, they had just departed for annual camp and were at once recalled to home base, they mobilised for full time war service on the 5th of August 1914 and the Division concentrated at Bedford. They proceeded to France, leaving their Division, on the 20th of February 1915 landing at Le Havre, and joined 24th Brigade, 8th Division on the Western Front on the 23rd. They saw action at Neuve Chapelle and on the 8th of April 1915 they transferred to 21st Brigade, 7th Division. They took part in The Battle of Aubers, The Battle of Festubert, The second action of Givenchy and the Battle of Loos in 1915. On the 20th of December 1915 the Battalion transferred to 91st Brigade 7th Division, then on the 7th of January 1916 transferred to 154th Brigade, 51st (Highland) Division until the 28th of February when they left the Division, moved to base and the 4th Battalion was disbanded. Some 300 men were sent to join the 1st Entrenching Battalion (a forerunner to the Labour Corps) and in late 1916 the remainder joined the 1st Battalion in the field.

5th Battalion

 

The 5th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was raised at Inverness in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army, they joined 26th Brigade in 9th (Scottish) Division. The Battalion moved to Aldershot for training and in February 1915 went to Bordon. They porceeded to France and landed at Boulogne on the 10th of May 1915. They saw action in The Battle of Loos in 1915, the Battles of the Somme in 1916, the Arras Offensive, the Third Battle of Ypres and the last phase of the Cambrai operations in 1917. In 1918 the Battalion was in action on the Somme, the Battles of the Lys and The Final Advance in Flanders. The 9th (Scottish) Division was withdrawn for rest in late October and was in billets at the Armistice on the 11th of November. The Division then advanced to the Rhine as part of the occupation force and entered Germany on the 4th of December 1918, based in the Cologne bridgehead. In late February 1919, war units left and were demobilised, being replaced by regular troops.

6th Battalion

 

The 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was raised at Inverness in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army Joined 44th Brigade in 15th (Scottish) Division. The Battalion moved to Aldershot for training and went to Bramshott in November then to Basingstoke in February 1915 and Chisledon in April. They proceeded to France on the 10th of July 1915, landing at Boulogne. They saw action at the Battle of Loos in 1915, the Battles of the Somme in 1916, the Arras Offensive and the Third Battles of Ypres in 1917, on the Somme, in the Battles of the Marne and The Final Advance in Artois in 1918.

7th Battalion

 

The 7th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was raised at Inverness in September 1914 and moved to Aldershot for training in November, joining 44th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division on the 13th of January 1915. They moved into billets at Liphook in January 1915, then to Cirencester in February, Chisledon in April, then Tidworth in May. They proceeded to France on the 9th of July 1915 and landed at Boulogne. They saw action at the Battle of Loos in 1915, the Battles of the Somme in 1916, the Arras Offensive and the Third Battles of Ypres in 1917, on the Somme in early 1918. On the 10th of June 1918, the 7th Battalion was reduced to a cadre, with 400 troops being transferred to the 6th Battalion. The 7th Battalion was disbanded in France on the 14th of August 1918.

Service men and women of Cameron Highlanders