| Queen's Edinburgh Rifles 4th/5th (Queen's Edinburgh Rifles) Battalion, Royal Scots 52nd (Queen's Edinburgh, Royal Scots) S/L Rgt, RA 130th (Queen's Edinburgh, Royal Scots) LAA Rgt, RA 587 (Queen's Edinburgh, Royal Scots) LAA Rgt, RA | |
|---|---|
| Active | 31 August 1859 – 1 May 1961 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Territorial Army |
| Role | Infantry Air Defence |
| Part of | 52nd (Lowland) Division 29th Division 32nd Division 65th (2nd Lowland) Division Anti-Aircraft Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Edinburgh |
| Colors | Hunting Stuart Tartan (Pipers, Royal Stewart) |
| March | I'm Ninety-Five |
| Engagements | Second Boer War World War I: |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | James, Lord Moncrieff John Macdonald, Lord Kingsburgh Sir Robert Cranston |
TheQueen's Edinburgh Rifles was a brigade ofRifle Volunteers raised in thecounty of city of Edinburgh in 1859. It later formed two battalions of theRoyal Scots, which fought inWorld War I atGallipoli, inPalestine and on theWestern Front. The two battalions combined between the world wars before being converted into an air defence regiment of theRoyal Artillery (RA). This served inAnti-Aircraft Command duringWorld War II and continued in the postwarTerritorial Army (TA) until 1961, when its successors were converted intoRoyal Engineers (RE).
The enthusiasm for theVolunteer movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs) composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the RegularBritish Army in time of need.[1][2][3] The1st City of Edinburgh RVC comprised 21 different companies raised in that city between 31 August 1859 and November 1860 under the command ofJames Moncrieff, MP for Edinburgh (later 1st Lord Moncrieff), asLieutenant-Colonel Commandant. Nine of these companies were professional by background (lawyers, accountants, civil servants, university men and merchants), four were drawn from miscellaneous interests (Freemasons,Total abstainers, theHighland Society of Edinburgh), two were citizens' companies, two were lower middle class (tailors and bankers' clerks) and four were artisan companies:[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]
The authorR. M. Ballantyne was appointedEnsign in No 13 (4th Artisans) Company, and then promoted to beCaptain of No 9 (2nd Artisans) Company in July 1860, resigning in July 1863. He rejoined the corps in 1867 as Captain of No 15 (1st Merchants) Company, but resigned again at the end of 1869. His brother John was one of the first officers appointed to the corps, being commissioned as ensign in No 2 (1st Citizens) Company and then selected as Captain of No 14 (2nd Citizens) Company on its formation, before resigning in June 1860.[13]
The first six companies were self-supporting, the members paying for their own uniforms, equipment and arms, while No 7 Company composed of bank clerks, No 15 (1st Merchants) and No 19, mainly tailors, received financial support from their employers. The other artisans paid for their uniforms by instalments and their company expenses were met by public subscriptions. The three Highland Companies came from the Highland Society of Edinburgh. Interest in No 12 Company, the Freemasons, soon fell away and by 1861 it had almost ceased to exist. The novelistCatherine Sinclair came forward with funds and No 12 Company was reorganised, recruited mainly from theWater of Leith district.[7][8]
In 1865 the unit received the title of1st Queen's Edinburgh Rifle Volunteer Brigade (1st QERVB). A 2nd City of Edinburgh RVC had been formed in 1862 as one company of Highlanders raised from W.D. Young's Ironworks atFountainbridge with William D. Young himself as captain. On 23 February 1867 this unit was increased to three companies, but simultaneously was included in the 1st QERVB as the 4th, 5th and 6th (Highland) Companies.[5][6][7][8][9][11]
No 16 Company had been formed by John Hope entirely from men who had 'signed the pledge' as total abstainers. Hope then decided to raise a complete corps of abstainers from Edinburgh and on 27 May 1867 the 3rd City of Edinburgh RVC of two companies was formed with Hope in command. Most of his recruits (and the cap badge) were taken from No 16 Company, and the 3rd RVC remained administratively attached to the 1st QERVB for several years. The unit, known locally as 'John Hope's Water Rats', grew to six companies by 1880, when it was renumbered as the 2nd Edinburgh RVC. It became the 4th Volunteer Battalion of the Royal Scots in 1888, and the6th Battalion, Royal Scots in 1908.[5][6][7][8][9][10][12][14][15][16]
The 1st QERVB continued to grow, adding a 7th (Highland) Company on 27 December 1867 from natives ofCaithness living in Edinburgh. Nos 1 and 3 Companies were disbanded in 1868 but on 19 March 1869 a new No 20 Company was formed and the brigade divided into two battalions: 1st Battalion comprised Nos 2, 4, 5. 6, 7, 10, 18 and 1st to 7th Highland Companies; 2nd Battalion comprised Nos 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19 and 20 Companies. It was the largest RVC in the Volunteer Force. The unit established its Headquarters (HQ) atForrest Hill drill hall, Edinburgh, in 1872, and enlarged the building in 1905. In common with other Edinburgh Volunteer units, it used a rifle range at Hunters Bog inHolyrood Park.[7][8][9][10][12][17]
J.H.A. Macdonald, later Lord Kingsburgh,Lord Advocate of Scotland, was commissioned as a Lt-Col in the brigade in 1864 and became Lt-Col Commandant in 1882. He was one of the leading Volunteer advocates of drill reform, author ofOn the Best Detail Formation for the New Infantry Tactics (1873) andCommonsense on Parade or Drill without Strings (1886). In 1885 he organised a spectacular night assembly of the brigade, which resulted in 500 new recruits. In 1886 a Mounted Infantry detachment was formed and an affiliated cadet corps was formed at Merchiston Castle School.[7][8][10][18]
Under the 'Localisation of Forces' scheme introduced in 1872 by theCardwell Reforms, the 1st QERVB was grouped with the 1st Regiment of Foot (theRoyal Scots), the Edinburgh Light Infantry Militia and a number of RVCs from neighbouring counties into Brigade No 62.[16] When these were combined into a single regiment under theChilders Reforms, the 1st QERVB provided two Volunteer Battalions of the Royal Scots from 1 July 1881. The 2nd Battalion formed a Mounted Rifle company in March 1886. On 1 April the unit was designated theQueens Rifle Volunteer Brigade Royal Scots, when it was split into three battalions: 1st Battalion with A-I Companies (previously Nos 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 18 and 1–3 Highland); 2nd Battalion A–H Companies (previously Nos 8, 9, 11–16); 3rd Battalion A–H Companies (previously Nos 4, 17, 19, 20 and 4–7 Highland).[6][8][9][11][16][17][15]
TheStanhope Memorandum of December 1888 introduced a Mobilisation Scheme for Volunteer units, which would assemble in their own brigades at key points in case of war. In peacetime these brigades provided a structure for collective training.[19][20][21] Under this scheme the QRVB was included in theForth Brigade under the command of Col J.H.A. Macdonald, based at 51 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, later atSurgeons' Hall. In 1902 the Forth Brigade was split into the 1st and 2nd Lothian Brigades, with the QVRB in the 1st Brigade based at the QRVB Drill Hall in Forrest Road, later at 28 Rutland Street.[16]
A contingent from the brigade served in the Volunteer Service Companies of the Royal Scots alongside the Regulars in theSecond Boer War, and others with the Scottish Volunteer Cyclist Company and theCity of London Imperial Volunteers. In all, 245 members of the brigade served in the war, earning its firstBattle honour:South Africa 1900–02.[7][8][9][10][16][22]
In 1900, during the 2nd Boer War, the Government provided support (army pay and allowances, with separation allowances for families) for longer than usual summer training camps for the Volunteers. This allowed the Queen's Edinburgh Rifle Brigade to camp for 28 days instead of the usual week, and to concentrate on progressive training.[23] From 1902 to 1906 the brigade provided one battalion to the 32nd Brigade of the field army for 13 days' annual training, the remainder staying with 1st Lothian Bde.[7]
Recruitment soared during the Boer War and the brigade underwent further enlargement in 1900, with the addition of I Company (recruited fromColinton) for 3rd Battalion, and the expansion of the Mounted Infantry detachment to three sections. In 1875 the brigade's highland companies had been ordered to discontinue Highland dress, but in 1900 a complete new Highland Battalion of eightkilted companies was formed in Edinburgh. This was detached from the brigade the following year and became independent as9th (Highlanders) Volunteer Battalion, Royal Scots.[6][7][8][9][10][24]
In 1905,Sir Robert Cranston, as one of the lieutenant-colonels of the brigade (as well as itsHonorary Colonel,ex officio, asLord Provost of Edinburgh), participated in meetings withH. O. Arnold-Forster,Secretary of State for War, over the future of the Volunteer Force.[25]George Watson's Boys' College formed an affiliated cadet corps in 1905.[8]
When the Volunteers were subsumed into the newTerritorial Force (TF) under theHaldane Reforms of 1908,[26][27] the three battalions of the brigade were reorganised to form the 4th and 5th Battalions of the Royal Scots, both granted the subtitle 'Queen's Edinburgh Rifles' in March 1909. A Company of the brigade's 3rd Bn, the old No 4 (Edinburgh University) Company, became theEdinburgh University contingent of the Senior Division of theOfficers' Training Corps (OTC) and the Merchiston Castle and George Watson's Cadet Corps joined theJunior Division of the OTC.[6][8][9][10][11][16][17][15][28][29]
The two battalions remained in the Lothian Brigade, which did not join any of the TF's new infantry divisions but continued independently in its coast defence role.[30][31][32]
On the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, the Lothian Brigade mobilised at Edinburgh as part of Scottish Coastal Defences.[30][31][32][33][34][35]
Almost immediately, TF units were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. On 15 August 1914, theWar Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form them into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix, and a 2nd Lothian Brigade was formed from these units. 3rd Line training units were formed in 1915. The only TF battalion of the Royal Scots that did not immediately form a 2nd line was the 6th Bn, which instead provided two companies of reinforcements to bring 1/4th Bn up to war establishment. 3rd Line or Reserve battalions were later added to provide drafts to the battalions overseas, but the number of recruits from Edinburgh began to dry up and drafts were often unavailable.[6][30][32][34][35][36][37] In preparation for theGallipoli Campaign, 1/5th Royal Scots left 1st Lothian Bde on 10 March 1915, and 1/4th Bn on 24 April, being replaced by their 2nd Line battalions.[33][32]
On leaving 1st Lothian Bde the 1/4th (QER) Bn Royal Scots (1/4th RS) joined theScottish Rifles Brigade in theLowland Division, which were shortly afterwards numbered as 156th Bde and 52nd Division. The division was atLarbert under orders to proceed to Gallipoli, and on 22 May the battalion entrained forLiverpool where it embarked on theEmpress of Britain. The battalion sailed on 24 May viaGibraltar andMalta, arriving on 3 June atAlexandria inEgypt where it went into camp.[30][38][39][40][41][42]
The battalion re-embarked on theEmpress of Britain on 8 June and reachedMudros Bay three days later. C Company was then sent aboard theCarron forCape Helles, followed by A and B Companies aboardHMSReindeer. The latter vessel was badly damaged in a collision withHMSImmingham and had to return, the men being transhipped to the FrenchMoulooya and then back to theEmpress of Britain. A and B Companies with HQ finally sailed again on 14 June aboardHMSBasilisk, accompanied by D Company aboardHMSGrasshopper. They landed at'W' Beach and moved about a mile inland to begin digging communication tenches under shellfire. The battalion moved up into the front line where it relieved the 1/5th (QER) Bn (see below) for a five-day spell of duty, during whichQuartermaster-Sergeant J. Dewar (1914 winner of theKing's Prize at theNational Rifle Association meeting atBisley Camp[43]) andCompany Sergeant-Major (CSM) D. Lowe distinguished themselves by picking offTurkish snipers.[30][36][41][44]
1/4th Battalion returned to the front line on 27 June to take part in the next day's attack on trenches H12A and H12 (theBattle of Gully Ravine) in which 156th Bde was attached to29th Division. After a bombardment by warships and the artillery ashore, 29th Division attacked at 11.00. 1/4th Royal Scots on 156th Bde's left had the task of assaulting trenches H12 and H12A on the eastern side of Gully Ravine. The battalion had a 12-manbombing party, but two-thirds of the improvisedJam tin grenades failed to go off. Each man had a tin rectangle on his back to reflect the sun and indicate their position to the artillery – but 156th Bde was allocated none of the available artillery support. Packed into inadequate jumping-off trenches, the brigade suffered heavily from retaliatory shellfire before it went 'over the top' at 11.02. C and D Companies advanced towards H12A, with A Company following up, all suffering heavy casualties fromenfilade fire, including most of the officers. Pipe-Major Andrew Buchan, rifle in hand, led forward one party until hit for the third time he died on the parapet of the trench. After a stiff bayonet fight, this trench was captured. B Company diverged half right and charged the enfilading trench, then a party under CSM Lowe moved on to establish a foothold in the second objective (H12) and prepare it for defence, joined by the battalion machine guns. The battalion's casualties were 15 officers killed or died of wounds (including the Commanding Officer (CO), Lt-Col S.R. Dunn,TD, who died on a hospital ship), 204 other ranks (ORs) killed or missing, seven officers and 141 ORs wounded.[36][41][45][46][47]
The battalion was relieved the following day and was then attached to88th Brigade in 29th Division alongside the 1/5th (QER) Bn. It formed X and Y Companies in a composite battalion with the 1/7th Bn (Z Company), which had started as a half battalion, having lost two companies in theQuintinshill rail disaster before embarkation, and had since also lost heavily at Gully Ravine.[30][40][41][45]
On 12 July the battalion supported 1/4thRoyal Scots Fusiliers during the attack on Trenches E10 and F12 (the action atAchi Baba Nullah); its casualties were 27 ORs killed and missing, and 47 wounded.[41][48] The weakened battalion was engaged in fatigue duties at 'W' Beach until 11 August when 14 officers (including a new CO, Col A. Young,VD, a former officer of the QEVRB[16]) arrived as reinforcements and the temporary amalgamation with 1/7th Bn ended. 1/4th Battalion then began to take its turns in the firing line and in the reserve line, though at one point it held 120 yards (110 m) of trench for four days with an effective rifle strength of only 62 men. Sickness kept many men out of action: in October, of 12 officers and 330 ORs, the effective strength was only 181. On 4 November Col Young went to hospital and the 1/4th RS once again formed a composite battalion with the 1/7th Bn, under the command of Lt-Col W.C. Peebles of 1/7th. The combined battalion seized a Turkish trench on 15 November with few casualties and held it against a counter-attack, but was not involved in any of 52nd Division's other major actions before the decision was made to evacuate the Helles positions.[36][41][45][49]
Preparations for evacuation were made during early January while the force ashore was slimmed down. 4th/7th Royal Scots formed part of the rearguard, which made its way down to 'V' Beach after dark on 8 January. The battalion was evacuated bylighters and on 9 September sailed aboardHMSPrince George for Mudros. Of the battalion that had originally landed, only the medical officer and 148 ORs remained on the strength.[30][41][50][51]
After the evacuation of Helles the 52nd (L) Division moved back to Egypt. After reinforcement and concentration it went toEl Qantara and on 2 March 1916 it took over part of No 3 Section of theSuez Canal defences.[38] No 3 or Northern Section of the Canal defences had its outer flank anchored on theMediterranean. Running inland were a series ofredoubts manned by 1/4th RS and the rest of the infantry with machine guns and backed by artillery. On the night of 3/4 August a German and Turkish force attacked the position (theBattle of Romani), but 1/4th RS and saw little action. The attack was driven off by the British artillery. and theANZAC Mounted Division, then the defenders moved to the counter-attack, though the pursuit bogged down in the appalling desert conditions ofSinai.[38][51][52][53][54][55]
After months of preparation theEastern Expeditionary Force (EEF) crossed the Sinai Desert at the end of 1916 and prepared to invade Palestine, beginning theSinai and Palestine Campaign. 52nd (L) Division was held in reserve during the1st Battle of Gaza (26–27 March 1917) and was not committed.[38][56][57] There followed several weeks of preparation for the2nd Battle of Gaza. The first phase of the attack was carried out on 17 April, with 52nd (L) Division tasked with taking Ali Mansur and the adjoining hills. 156th Brigade was in reserve at Wadi Ghuzze, moving up during the night. On 19 April 156th Bde was ready to attack Mansura at 07.30 after a 2-hour bombardment, with 1/4th RS in the centre under the command of Lt-Col F.H. Goldthorpe. However,155th (South Scottish) Bde got held up and 156th was pinned down, lying in the open for 5–6 hours and suffering casualties from shellfire before falling back at the end of the day. The battle ended on 20 April with both sides digging in, the 1/4th RS having suffered casualties of 1 officers and 13 ORs killed, 6 officers and 110 ORs wounded, and 4 ORs missing.[38][54][58][59][60][61]
52nd (L) Division spent months digging defences, suffering a steady trickle of casualties from shellfire and in raids. 4th Royal Scots (the '1/' prefix was dropped now that the 2nd and 3rd Line battalions had been disbanded,see below) was now commanded by Lt-Col A.M. Mitchell. Several times the battalion sent patrols out intoNo man's land with a field telephone, then, having located the position of a Turkish standing patrol, called down artillery fire on it.[62] By the autumn of 1917 the EEF had been revitalised by the arrival ofSir Edmund Allenby as commander-in-chief, and the next operation (the3rd Battle of Gaza) was much better planned and successful.[63] While theDesert Mounted Corps swept round the Turkish flank, 52nd (L) Division down on the coast carried out a direct attack on the strong el Arish position to pin the Turks. 4th Royal Scots was given the daunting task of crossing 900 yards (820 m) of No man's land and then storming the central and eastern portion of the formidable el Arish redoubt and the associated 'Little Devil' trench system. The troops practised this attack over trench models for days before the attack went in on 2 November. The first phase of the night attack on 'Umbrella Hill' had died down before 4th RS moved out in the dark to its jumping-off position 500 yards (460 m) from the redoubt. Followed by supporting and carrying companies of the8th Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), and preceded by two tanks (one of which immediately broke down), 4th RS launched its attack at 03.00 as the British artillery pounded the objective. The battalion advanced 'with magnificent steadiness' in four waves on a frontage of 300 yards (270 m) under Turkish artillery fire (the remaining tank was hit and burned out after it had crossed the first two lines of trenches). The infantry crossed four lines of trenches, the following waves 'mopping up' the defenders as they advanced, and then they steadily cleared the 'Little Devil' trenches anddugouts, despite losses fromlandmines. The objective was carried by 03.55, but counter-attacks had to be held off until daybreak. Daylight showed that the furthest trench was untenable, so the battalion moved back a little to the higher ground from which they could deny these trenches to the enemy. Further counter-attacks came in at the end of the day, but the position was held. When the battalion was relieved that night it had lost about 200 casualties, which had risen to 240 by the end of the battle on 7 November.[38][54][64][65][66]
The Turks withdrew to defend theWadi el Hesi, with 52nd (L) Division well up in pursuit. 156th Brigade was left marching in the rear as the rest of the division stormed the wadi and led the pursuit up the coast towards Junction Station.[38][67][68][69] 4th Royal Scots under Lt-Col Mitchell distinguished itself in a successful attack on a Turkish rearguard position at 'Brown Hill' near Burkah, 25 miles (40 km) NE ofGaza City on 11 November. The hill was strongly entrenched, but the battalion advanced 1 mile (1.6 km) underShrapnel shell fire with one company echeloned back to protect the flank. Rushing forward in small parties, the assault wave gathered in the shelter of a wadi at the foot of the hill, and then attacked under covering fire from artillery and machine guns. Having taken the position the Royal Scots discovered a second untouched Turkish line hidden on the reverse slope; they were counter-attacked from this line and pushed part-way back down the hill, but led the reinforcing 2/3rd Gurkha Rifles back up the hill to capture the position before the end of the day. The battalion, already weak, lost 3 officers and 49 ORs killed, 4 officers and 157 ORs wounded.[54][64][70]
The EEF now began its advance onJerusalem. 52nd (L) Division had to negotiate a poor road through the hills beyondBeit Liqya in heavy rain to join theBattle of Nebi Samwil. 156th Brigade filed along the track in full view of the Turks and under shellfire as they moved up to relieve theYeomanry Mounted Division. 4th Royal Scots under Lt-Col Mitchell was detached to move west ofEl Burj to extend 155th Bde's line to try to contact54th (East Anglian) Division. The two brigades were now strung out in a very thin line and it was too rocky to dig trenches. Lt-Col Mitchell reported that the gap to the 54th Division was 2 miles (3.2 km) wide, but El Burj was held against Turkish attacks during 28 and 29 November until 155th Bde was relieved by the3rd Australian Light Horse Bde and 4th Royal Scots could rejoin its own brigade. After breaking this counter-offensive, the EEFcaptured Jerusalem on 11 December.[38][54][71][72][73]
52nd (L) Division's next operation was the tricky passage of theNahr el Auja to launch theBattle of Jaffa. A patrol of 4th RS crossed on a tarpaulin boat built by the Royal Engineers to reconnoitre the position on the night of 13/14 December. The assault troops of the division then practised using similar canvas boats on a village pond, then at 22.30 on the evening of 20 December, in heavy rain, the first assaulting waves of 156th Bde went forward under cover of anartillery barrage and established a bridgehead. Bridging was made difficult by the flooded river, but theRoyal Engineers got the follow-up battalions including 4th Royal Scots across by raft. Accompanied by a section of the brigade machine gun company and aStokes mortar the battalion attacked 'Slag Heap Farm' and captured it without serious difficulty. By 06.00 the brigade was digging in on a strong line, ready for any counter-attack, but none came: the Turks had been completely surprised, and were in full retreat. The advance was renewed up the coast on the morning of 22 December, with fire support fromHMSGrafton and gunboats. 156th Brigade advancing in the centre came under shellfire, but casualties were few. Before nightfall, 52nd (L) Division reached the castle ofArsuf overlooking thePlain of Sharon, where it halted. TheOfficial History describes the passage of the Auja as 'one of the most remarkable feats of the Palestine Campaign'. 4th Royal Scots suffered only 5 ORs killed, 1 officer and 21 ORs wounded.[38][54][64][74][75][76]
In the early part of 1918 the 52nd (L) Division remained in the lines near Arsuf. Then on 24 March it was warned for a transfer to theBritish Expeditionary Force (BEF) on theWestern Front. The division's units sailed from Alexandria between 4 and 11 April, and landed atMarseille by 17 April. The division was concentrated nearAbbeville on 23 April. On 29 April it moved toAire and continued training. On 6 May it moved to theVimy area and took over front line trenches. On 31 July it moved up toArras to join in theHundred Days Offensive.[30][38][77][78]
On 22 August, 156th Bde was ordered to attack the following morning (theSecond Battle of the Somme). Only half the promised number of lorries arrived, and some companies of 4th RS had to march through the night to their jumping-off point south ofMercatel, and there was no time for reconnaissance. The battalion marched straight into action, behind a heavyartillery barrage but without the three tanks that were supposed to accompany them. The attack was a surprise, and the battalion advanced through the wrecked villages, taking all their objectives by 06.45. The tanks then caught up and went out to exploit the ground in front, followed by a company of 4th RS, after which the position was consolidated.[38][79][80]
TheBattle of the Scarpe began on 26 August. 4th Royal Scots attacked north of the Cojeul River and advanced steadily until they reached the outer defences of theHindenburg Line.[38][81][82] On 2 September (theBattle of Drocourt-Quéant Line)4th Royal Scots moved against the tremendously strong defences at the Quéant end of the Drocourt-Quéant Switch Line and took their objectives with amazing ease. The left of the battalion captured the Moulin Sans Souci windmill, and Lt-Col Mitchell pushed his reserve company into the gap to work along the Hindenburg Line trenches. From 22 to 26 August 4th RS lost 27 ORs killed and 10 missing, 3 officers and 114 ORs wounded, and 3 officers and 98 ORs gassed as the Germans deployed large quantities ofMustard Gas. The battalion was then rested until late September.[38][81][83]
It was brought back into the line on 20 September facing a well-fortified section of the Hindenburg Line on theCanal du Nord. The British held Moeuvres, and the Germans had been counter-attacking the village. They made another attack against 7th RS on 21 September, but at the end of the day four platoons of 4th RS rushed and captured the Germans' strongpoint at E14 Central. Fighting continued around these positions after 4th RS had been relieved.[84]
156th Brigade's role in the greatBattle of the Canal du Nord was to attack across the canal, then turn to its right and clear the trenches to the south-east. The British barrage came down at 05.00 on 27 September and the German guns immediately replied on the forming-up trenches. Nevertheless, 4th RS under Lt-Col Mitchell led 156th Bde off at 05.30 as the barrage began to move forwards. They had no tanks because the banks of the dry canal were an obstacle, and on reaching the canal realised that a frontal assault would be very costly, so the battalion reorganised to work round the left flank.Corporal Foggo dashed forwards and threw twoMills bombs into apillbox that held them up, and the men scrambled down into and across the canal. By 09.55 the battalion had reached their objective. The battalion's losses in defending Moeuvres were 6 officers and 81 ORs, and in forcing the Canal du Nord lost another 11 officers and 96 ORs.[38][85][86][87]
52nd (L) Division took part in the pursuit after the Canal du Nord, before 4th RS were rested from 7 to 27 October. Then on 28 October the battalion went back into the line north east ofSt Amand for the Final Advance in Artois. The division had closed up to theMons–Condé Canal by 8 November, when it became known that the Germans had abandoned the water defences. The code word 'Hunt' was issued, and 156th Bde crossed in canvas boats to begin the pursuit. By 10 November the brigade was clearing German rearguards fromHerchies, near Mons. When theArmistice with Germany came into effect at 11.00 on 11 November the division had reached theNimy–Jurbise road.[38][88]
After the Armistice the troops were employed in training and clearing up the area.Demobilisation proceeded and between the end of January and end of May 1919 the division's units were reduced tocadres and returned to the UK.[38] The 1/4th Bn was officially disembodied on 24 May 1919.[6]
The 1/5th (QER) Battalion, Royal Scots, joined88th Bde in29th Division atLeamington on 11 March 1915. It was the only TF battalion in what was otherwise aRegular Army formation composed of battalions brought back to the UK from around theBritish Empire following the outbreak of war.[30][89][90][91][92][93] The battalion entrained forAvonmouth Docks on 21/22 March where it embarked on theCaledonia and theMelville and sailed via Malta to Alexandria where it disembarked on 2 April and went into camp. It re-embarked on 6 April aboard theDongola,Haverford,Kingstonian,Marquette, andMelville for Mudros, where it joined the British forces gathering for theLanding at Cape Helles. After lying anchored offTenedos the force began landing at 07.00 on 25 April. Two companies of 1/5th Bn landed atV Beach at 12.30 without casualties and moved forward to the support trenches. The other two companies landed later to provide working parties on the beach, unloading stores under fire and suffering casualties. One of the advanced companies was moved up into the firing line on 26 April and the battalion joined in the general advance against Achi Baba Ridge the following afternoon. By 08.00 on 28 April the battalion had suffered heavy casualties, including the CO, Lt-Col J.T.R. Wilson wounded, and had to be withdrawn from the advanced positions. The battalion was moved to the left where it began building a redoubt, and then moved back to reserve positions.[30][36][41][89][92][94]
On 7 May, during the operations aroundKrithia Nullah, 1/5th RS were able to rush the Turkish strongpoint of Fir Tree Wood; it was then lost to a counter-attack, but 88th Bde had recovered it by the end of the day. Overall, however the fighting was inconclusive.[36][41][95] 88th Brigade again took terrible casualties in the Battle of Gully Ravine on 28 June (see above). At one pointSecond lieutenantHerbert James of the 4th BnWorcestershire Regiment found some platoons of 1/5th RS without any officers and led them into the first line of Turkish trenches, for which he was awarded theVictoria Cross.[46]
The attack of 28 June was the last major action at Gallipoli for the 1/5th RS. Reduced to less than a company's strength and with no drafts from home, it was evacuated to Mudros in July for rest and was replaced in 29th Division by theRoyal Newfoundland Regiment from the 1st Lothian Bde. Rebuilt to half-battalion strength, about 300 men, the 1/5th RS returned to the Gallipoli Peninsula in August for two more spells of trench duty, including being in reserve for 88th Bde's attack on 6 August and theBattle of Scimitar Hill, before being withdrawn to Egypt in October.[33][41][45][89][93][96] On 10 March 1916 the battalion embarked atPort Said for France to join theBritish Expeditionary Force (BEF) on theWestern Front.[34]
After arriving in France on 22 March the weak 1/5th RS was assigned toLine of communication (LoC) duties in April 1916. Then on 15 May it was amalgamated with the 1/6th Royal Scots to form the 5th/6th Bn.[6][30][34][35][89][90][91][51][97] Having contributed large drafts to the 1/4th (QER) Bn, 1/6th Bn did not leave the Lothian Bde until 5 September 1915[51][32] and went to Egypt where it joined theWestern Frontier Force (WFF) on 20 November. After serving with the WFF in theSenussi Campaign it was sent to France on 27 February 1916 for LoC duties on the Western Front. 1/6th arrived at Marseille on 15 May 1916 and was immediately amalgamated with 1/5th.[51][97][98]
On 29 July the combined 5th/6th RS joined14th Bde in32nd Division. The 32nd was aKitchener's Army formation that had been bolstered by the Regular 14th Bde. It had suffered heavy casualties on theFirst day of the Somme (1 July)[99] and 5th/6th Royal Scots replaced one of its shattered battalions.[30][100][101][102]
At dawn on 16 November, 14th Bde took over an ill-defined section of line forming a defensive flank to the attacks being made in theBattle of the Ancre Heights. Following a fall of snow and chilling rain, the brigade was ordered to push the flank forward 500 yards (460 m) towards 'Ten Tree Alley' when the rest of the division attacked on 18 November. Little headway was made in this last gasp of theSomme offensive.[100][103]
The division took part in minor operations along the Ancre in January and February 1917, and then followed the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line (Operation Alberich) in March and April. During this pursuit the 32nd Division carried out the British Army's first open warfare operation on the Western Front since 1914. By nightfall on 1 April, 14th Bde had reachedHolnon Wood. At 05.00 on 2 April it put in a successful attack and captured this large wood.[100][104]
In June the division was moved to the Flanders coast to support an expected breakthrough atYpres that never came. However, the Germans put in a spoiling attack atNieuport (Operation Strandfest) on 10–11 July, preceded by three days of bombardment. 14th Brigade was not closely engaged, and a planned counter-attack was abandoned.[100][105]
The Germans launched theirSpring Offensive (Operation Michael) south ofArras in March 1918 and 32nd Division was sent to the area as reinforcements. On 3 April, 14th Bde took part in the night attack to recaptureAyette, and on 5 April the final attempt to relaunch Operation Michael was defeated at theBattle of the Ancre.[100][106] During May and June, which was quiet on the British front, the 5th/6th RS carried out raids.[77]
The AlliedHundred Days Offensive began on 8 August with theBattle of Amiens. 32nd Division was in reserve on the first day, though 5th/6th RS was briefly engaged. 14th Brigade then led the division's attack on 11 August, with 5th/6th RS and 1stDorset Regiment in front. As soon as they advanced they came under heavy fire, but they got close to the village ofDamery with the help of two tanks that went through the village twice. The attack was then halted to avoid heavier casualties.[100][107][108] The brigade was in reserve for 32nd Division's attack on 23 August.[100][79][107]
On 28 August during the Battle of the Scarpe 14th Bde attacked at 05.00 and advanced unopposed towards its first two objectives: 5th/6th RS's advance was described as 'a procession', and by the end of the day the brigade had observation over the Somme Valley. Soon after dawn the next day they had pushed right up to the river.[107][109] 5th/6th Royal Scots was then pulled out of the line, but it returned to cross the Somme Canal and river on 5 September. At 10.30 one company waded across at the site ofBrie bridge, despite machine gun fire; it then cleared Brie, bombing the dugouts, while a second company crossed by a temporary footbridge. The two companies then established a line 1,000 yards (910 m) beyond the village, and the division passed through later in the day.[107][110]
There was then another rest until theBattle of St Quentin Canal began on 29 September.[100][107] Facing the most formidable part of the Hindenburg Line on theSt Quentin Canal, 5th/6th RS did not go into action until 1 October, once the line had been breached. At 16.00 they were directed against the key position in the German second line, the village ofSequehart, just north ofSt Quentin. The village changed hands four times until on 3 October the battalion, which had specifically asked for another chance to take the village, succeeded in holding it, despite heavy shelling and two more counter-attacks.[85][111]
By early November the army had closed up to theSambre–Oise Canal. TheBattle of the Sambre opened on 4 November. Two platoons of 5th/6th RS were given the task of attacking le Donjon two minutes after Zero Hour behind special barrage, and if possible to obtain a crossing over the canal. Finding themselves unable to follow the assigned path through the marsh, the two platoons the half the battalion followed the 1st Dorsets across a floating bridge; le Donjon fell at 10.45. At 13.30 the 5th/6th RS and 1st Dorsets advanced to establish the bridgehead defences: the opposition was so negligible that no barrage was required.[100][112][113]
The advance continued, with the division capturingGrand-Fayt on 6 November andAvesnes on 8 November, which it was occupying on 11 November when theArmistice came into force. 32nd Division was chosen as part of the occupation force (theBritish Army of the Rhine) and advanced to theMeuse betweenDinant andNamur, where it became the reserve to the army in Germany. On 3 February 1919 the division took over the southern sector of theCologne bridgehead. In March 5th/6th Royal Scots joined 2nd Lowland Brigade in the Lowland Division (formed from9th (Scottish) Division). The division was disbanded in October, and 5th/6th Royal Scots wasdemobilised on 12 November 1919.[6][100][114]
After formation in September 1914 2/4th (QER) Bn went toPenicuik in February 1915 and both transferred from 2nd Lothian Bde to 1st Lothian Bde atPeebles to replace their 1st Line battalions. They left in October and November 1915 to join195th Bde in65th (2nd Lowland) Division.[6][30][33][115] In November 1915 the infantry battalions in the64th (2nd Highland) and 65th (2nd Lowland) Divisions were reorganised and numbered sequentially, the 2/4th, 2/5th and 2/6th Royal Scots temporarily combining as No 19 Battalion; by May 1916 they had reverted to their previous regimental designations, but 2/5th remained merged with 2/4th.[6][30][34][35][115]
195th Brigade was stationed at Dunfermline during the winter of 1915–16. In March 1916, 65th (2nd L) Division moved into England and joinedSouthern Army (Home Forces), 195th Bde being quartered inEssex aroundBillericay and then from July atTerling. In January 1917 the division moved toIreland to relieve59th (2nd North Midland) Division, which had been the first TF formation to serve in that country. 2/4th Battalion was stationed atFermoy.[30][115][116]
During 1917 the 2nd Line TF battalions in 65th (2nd Lowland) Division were progressively replaced by Graduated Battalions of the Training Reserve; in August 1917 the 2/4th Royal Scots was disbanded and was replaced by 217th Graduated Bn.[30][34][115][116]
The 3rd Line battalions of the Queen's Edinburgh Rifles were formed as training units at Peebles in May 1915 and moved toLoanhead andGalashiels respectively in November. They were designated as the 4th and 5th Reserve Bns, Royal Scots, on 8 April 1916 and were atStobs Military Camp in May. On 1 September 1916, while it was atCatterick Camp inNorth Yorkshire, the 4th Reserve Bn absorbed the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Reserve Bns and became part of theLowland Reserve Brigade. It also absorbed the9th (Highland) Reserve Bn in June 1917. The combined battalion moved back to Edinburgh, in the EdinburghSpecial Reserve Brigade, in November 1917, then toHaddington in April 1918, and was atCupar in the Forth Garrison at the end of the war. It was disbanded on 28 June 1919 in Glasgow.[6][30][34][35]
In 1915 the Home Service men of the 4th, 5th and 6th Royal Scots were combined into 6th Scottish Provisional Battalion, which joined the Lothian Brigade (redesignated the Scottish Provisional Brigade and later 1st Provisional Brigade) on 22 May. In April 1916 the 1st Provisional Bde moved from Scotland toKent to take over coastal defence duties. TheMilitary Service Act 1916 swept away the Home/Foreign service distinction, and all TF soldiers became liable for overseas service, if medically fit, and the remaining provisional battalions were reorganised, but the 6th Provisional Bn had already been disbanded and its men dispersed.[33][117][118][119][120]
The TF was reconstituted on 7 February 1920 and the 52nd (Lowland) Division and its units began to reform. The 4th and 5th (QER) Battalions did guard duty during thecoal strike of April 1921. After the TF was reorganised as theTerritorial Army (TA), the two battalions reformed in 1921 as a single4th/5th (Queen's Edinburgh Rifles) Bn, Royal Scots, and absorbed10th (Cyclist) Bn, Royal Scots atLinlithgow as A Company.[6][9][29][38][121][122] The combined battalion formed part of155th (East Scottish) Bde in 52nd (L) Division.[123]
During the 1930s the increasing need for anti-aircraft (AA) defence for Britain's cities was addressed by converting a number of TA infantry battalions into AA units. The 4th/5th (QER) Royal Scots was one of the battalions selected, becoming aRoyal Artillery searchlight (S/L) regiment on 1 November 1938 while remaining affiliated with the Royal Scots. It was designated4th/5th (Queen's Edinburgh) Bn The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) (52nd Searchlight Regiment) and consisted of HQ, 405, 406, 407 Companies based at Forrest Road. At the same time, the TA was doubled in size following theMunich Crisis, so A Company at Linlithgow was separated to become the basis for14th (West Lothian Royal Scots) Light AA Regiment, RA.[6][9][29][122][124][125][126][127][128]
The regiment formed part of3 AA Division covering Scotland. In February 1939 the existing AA defences came under the control of a newAnti-Aircraft Command. In June a partial mobilisation of TA units was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each AA unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected AA and searchlight positions. On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, AA Command was fully mobilised at its war stations.[129] 4th/5th Royal Scots (52nd S/L Rgt) became part of52nd Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade, which was formed in August 1939 with responsibility for all of 3 AA Division's S/L provision.[128][130]
As part of the Forth defences, 52nd Searchlight Regiment was engaged in the first air raid against the UK during World War II, when German aircraft attacked theRoyal Naval Dockyard at Rosyth near theForth Bridge on 16 October 1939. During thePhoney War period there were a number of other attacks on the naval bases of Scotland before theLuftwaffe turned its attention to the campaigns inNorway andFrance and the Low Countries.[124][131][132]
In February 1940 the regiment sent a cadre of 5 officers and 27 ORs to 222nd Searchlight Training Regiment, RA, atNorton Manor Barracks nearTaunton, where, with a similar cadre from51st (Highland) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers, they formed a new474th Searchlight Battery, Royal Artillery, from new conscripts and volunteers. This independent battery served wit AA Command and later provided artificial illumination, or 'Monty's Moonlight', for night operations by21st Army Group during the campaign inNorth West Europe in 1944–45.[133][134]
In August 1940 the RA took over all the S/L regiments in AA Command, after which the regiment was designated52nd (Queen's Edinburgh, Royal Scots) Searchlight Regiment, RA, and the companies were termed batteries.[6][9][135][127][136][137]
Eastern Scotland largely escaped air attack during theBattle of Britain. In November 1940, at the height ofThe Blitz, a new12 AA Division was formed to take over responsibility for western Scotland (including Glasgow and the Clyde) while 3 AA Division (including 52 LAA Bde and 52nd S/L Rgt) retained responsibility for eastern Scotland.[138] The regiment remained in 52 AA Bde and 3 AA Division for the next year.moving to positions in theScottish Borders.[124][139]
The regiment supplied another cadre of experienced officers and men to 237th S/L Training Rgt atHolywood,County Down, where it provided the basis for a new 535 S/L Bty formed on 14 November 1940. This battery later joined56th (5th Battalion, Cameronian Scottish Rifles) S/L Rgt. On 11 February 1941 52nd S/L Rgt was joined by 531 S/L Bty formed on 14 November at 235th S/L Training Rgt atAyr from a cadre provided by 56th S/L Rgt.[135] By December 1941, 408 S/L Bty had transferred to 53rd S/L Rgt (5th BnRoyal Northumberland Fusiliers)[140]
By 1942, AA Command had more than enough S/L units, but was still seriously short of light anti-aircraft (LAA) gun units, and began a programme of converting S/L units (which also had the benefit of saving manpower). In March 52nd S/L Rgt was converted to the LAA role as130th (Queen's Edinburgh, Royal Scots) LAA Rgt, the batteries becoming 406, 407 and 426 LAA Btys. After training it remained in 52 AA Bde in 3 AA Division, stationed inAberdeenshire.[6][9][124][125][136][137][138][141][142][143][144]
In August 1942, 3 AA Divisional HQ moved south to help control the AA units brought in to defend againstLuftwaffe 'hit and run' attacks on the South Coast of England.[138][145] Simultaneously, 52 AA Bde HQ left AA Command to mobilise for the landings in North Africa (Operation Torch).[144][146] 130th LAA Regiment moved to51 AA Bde in a new6 AA Group that took over responsibility for Scotland in October. By now the regiment had been joined by 446 LAA Bty, transferred from95th LAA Rgt.[138][147]
The regiment moved to67 AA Bde in3 AA Group inDorset in April 1943,[124][148] and then to2 AA Group in South East England, first in5 AA Bde, then to71 AA Bde.[149]
130th LAA Regiment was stationed on theKent coast, in the so-called 'Hellfire Corner' where Cross-Channel shelling from German guns was frequent. In November 1943 2 AA Gp was ordered to plan for the expected onslaught ofV-1 flying bombs (codenamed 'Divers') against London, to which it responded by planning a thick belt of Heavy AA (HAA) gun positions across the likely flight path, backed by LAA guns. Meanwhile, 2 AA Gp also had to deal with a sharp increase inLuftwaffe air raids trying to reach London during the winter of 1943–1944 (the so-called 'Little Blitz'), in which the regiment was heavily engaged. However, AA Command was being forced to release manpower for overseas service, particularly the Allied invasion of Normandy,Operation Overlord, and many AA regiments lost one of their four batteries; by March 1944, 446 LAA Bty had been disbanded.[124][138][149][150]
Once 'Overlord' began on 6 June (D-Day) the shelling of Hellfire Corner increased in intensity.The first V-1 missiles were launched against London a week after D-Day, andOperation Diver was activated. 2 AA Group's batteries left their 'Overlord' sites and moved to pre-planned sites across the 'funnel' of V-1 flightpaths. However, the results were disappointing, and the HAA gun belt was moved to the coast and interlaced with LAA guns to hit the missiles out to sea. This new belt was divided into six brigade sectors, with 71 AA Bde taking charge of one. The guns were constantly in action and their success rate against the 'Divers' steadily improved, until over 50 per cent of incoming missiles were destroyed by gunfire or fighter aircraft. This phase of Operation Diver ended in September after the V-1 launch sites in Northern France had been overrun by21st Army Group.[124][138][151][152][153][154]
A new phase of Operation Diver began when theLuftwaffe began launching V-1s from aircraft over theNorth Sea. AA Command had to reorganise its defences, stripping guns from existing sites and moving them to the coast ofEast Anglia, which entailed enormous reorganisation. As theLuftwaffe and V-1 threat to the UK diminished, AA Command was forced to transfer men and units to infantry duties.[138][155] 130th LAA Regiment avoided all the shuffling and disbandments, remaining with 71 AA Bde in 2 AA Gp throughout the Diver offensive and until the end of the war.[124][156] After the war it transferred to28 (Thames and Medway) AA Bde in1 AA Gp as demobilisation proceeded.[157]
When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, the regiment reformed at Edinburgh as587 (Queen's Edinburgh, Royal Scots) LAA Rgt. It formed part of 62 AA Bde (the former36 (Scottish) AA Bde).[6][9][12][125][127][141][136][158][159][160][161][162]
When AA Command was disbanded on 10 March 1955 there was a major reduction in the number of AA units in the TA. 587 LAA Rgt amalgamated with R Bty of471 (Forth) HAA Rgt,514 (West Lothian, Royal Scots) LAA Rgt and519 (Dunedin) LAA Rgt to form a new432 LAA Rgt with the following organisation:[6][9][12][127][158][159][163][164][165]
A further reduction in 1961 saw 432nd LAA Rgt transferred to theRoyal Engineers (RE) and joined with585 (Edinburgh) and 586 Independent Field Squadrons, to form432 (City of Edinburgh) Corps Engineer Regiment (except Q (West Lothian, Royal Scots) Bty, which joined445 (Cameronians) LAA Rgt). When the TA was converted into theTAVR in 1967, 432 Engineer Regiment was reduced to a single104 (City of Edinburgh) Field Squadron in71 (Scottish) Engineer Regiment. It was disbanded in 1999.[6][9][12][127][159][163][166][167][168]
The original uniform worn by the Queen's Edinburgh Rifles was a long tunic and trousers in dark Volunteer grey with black braiding and a low black-peaked cap. The three original Highland companies wore black-laced greydoublets and kilts ofBlack Watch ('Government') tartan with different bonnets for each of the three companies. Each of the original 21 QER companies had a different cap badge. The cut of the tunic was later changed to match that of theRifle Brigade, and the original low peaked cap was replaced first (1862) by aShako with a black ball-tuft, next (1875) by aBusby with black plume and then (1895) by a blackAstrakhan fur busby matching the Rifle Brigade.[7][12][11][13] In 1900–1901 the brigade adopted adrab felt hat; this was prohibited in 1902 but a drab service dress with light green Austrian knot and trouser piping was adopted for marching and drill order, with a drab felt hat (with black plume for the mounted infantry).[7] The grey uniform was retained for full dress until 1908 when the battalions adopted the scarlet uniform tunic with bluefacings of the Royal Scots. The regimental tartan was Hunting Stuart, while thepipers woreRoyal Stewart tartan.[8][16][11]
In 1943, 130th LAA Rgt adopted as its regimental flash a silhouette of the Royal Scots' other ranks' cap badge in black cloth, the colour commemorating the black braiding of the QER. In 1947, 587th LAA Rgt adopted a black silhouette of aThistle head on a brown square; this was officially approved as its regimental flash on 9 November 1951 and worn until 1955.[127]
The 1st City of Edinburgh RVC formed a band early in its history, adopting the regimental march of the Rifle Brigade,I'm Ninety-Five. The early QER Highland companies each had two pipers, and the corps also had a bugle band.[12]
From the formation of the 1st QERVB theLord Provost of Edinburgh servedex officio as itsHonorary Colonel. From 1873 additional honorary colonels were added:[7][9][16]
All Royal Scots who died in World War I are commemorated by the memorial gates unveiled at the regimental depot,Glencorse Barracks,Penicuik, in 1927. These were designed by J.A. McWilliam, a member of the QER.[170][171][172][173]
The 4th/5th Battalion'scolours from 1925 to 1938 are preserved in the Royal Scots Regimental Museum atEdinburgh Castle.[172][174]
A memorial Masonic Lodge, Queen's Edinburgh Rifles (The Royal Scots) No 1253, was established on 3 February 1921, under the Grand Lodge of Scotland, to commemorate those members who died in World War I. A lodge room was established in 1925 at the Forrest Road drill hall which also served as a Territorial Army headquarters and as a building for the University of Edinburgh Officer Training Corps. The Lodge now meets in Portobello but maintains its role as a memorial lodge.[175]