The Seventeenth Highland Light Infantry (Glasglow Chamber of Commerce Battalion)

The Seventeenth Highland Light
Infantry
by Various

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Infantry
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Title: The Seventeenth Highland Light Infantry (Glasglow Chamber of
Commerce Battalion) Record of War Service, 1914-1918
Author: Various
Editor: John W. Arthur and Ion S. Munro
Release Date: December 19, 2006 [EBook #20136]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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The
Seventeenth Highland Light Infantry.
[Illustration]

17th H.L.I.
THE GIFT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GLASGOW CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE.

[Illustration]

The Seventeenth Highland Light Infantry (Glasgow Chamber of
Commerce Battalion).

Record of War Service, 1914-1918.

GLASGOW: DAVID J. CLARK, 23 ROYAL EXCHANGE SQUARE
AND 92 UNION STREET. 1920.

EDITORS' PREFACE.
In compiling and editing this history of the Chamber of Commerce
Battalion, the aim of the editors has been to present such a narrative as
will provide a detailed but not overburdened account of the Battalion's
movements and operations throughout the years of its existence, and at
the same time give a representative impression of the various
outstanding events which have built up the character and the traditions
of the unit.
In accordance with the wishes of the History Committee, the narrative
dealing with Field service has been kept within the limits of the
Battalion's share in the campaign, and accordingly no attempt has been
made to give any picture of the relative positions of the various other
units operating with the 17th, or of the general strategic import of the
actions described.
The chapters dealing with the beginnings and home training, and those
general items in
Part III. are founded mainly upon matter
supplied by
officers of the unit and members of The Outpost staff. The Roll of
original members in
Part IV. has been gathered together by Lieut.
and
Quarter-Master Kelly. The material in the section dealing with the

service of the Battalion overseas has been gathered from the following
sources:--
For data--the Official War Diaries of the 17th Battalion H.L.I.
preserved in the "Records" Office, Hamilton; supplementary notes
supplied by Lieut.-Cols. Morton and Paul and Major Paterson, D.S.O.,
M.C.; Brigade and Battalion Operation Orders; Battalion Operation
Reports.
For impressions, opinions, and descriptions--numerous and exceedingly
helpful literary vignettes from members of The Outpost staff and others,
and from interviews.
The Editors desire to record their appreciation of material contributed
and help given by:--Lieut.-Col. Morton, Lieut.-Col. Paul, Lieut.-Col.
Inglis, Major Paterson, the Rev. A. Herbert Gray, C.F., Capt. G.H.R.
Laird, Capt. M. MacRobert, Capt. T.P. Locking, Mr. Cameron of the
Chamber of Commerce, Lieut. and Quarter-Master Kelly, Mr.
Meadows of Saltcoats (for allowing illustrations and excerpts to be
taken from the diary of his son, the late Lieut. B. Meadows), the
relatives of the late Lieut. D.W. Hourston (for a selection of
photographs from his collection), and the following gentlemen
identified with the publication of The Outpost:--Messrs. A.M. Cohen,
W.S. Corbett, Mark Drummond, W.M. Dixon, A.G. Deans, W. Glennie,
A.G. Houstoun, J.L. Hardie, C. MacCallum, J. M'Kechnie, N. M'Intyre,
W.K. M'Taggart, D. Murray, J.L.L. Niven, F.K. Pickles, H.F. Scott,
D.M. Thomson, R. Tilley.
JOHN W. ARTHUR. ION S. MUNRO.
GLASGOW, May, 1920.

CONTENTS.
EDITORS' PREFACE.
I.--FORMATION AND HOME TRAINING. PAGE

THE NATION'S CALL TO ARMS, 13 Declaration of War--Strain on
the resources of the Regular and Territorial Forces--Kitchener's Call to
Arms--Civic response--Glasgow Corporation Battalions--Meeting of
the Chamber of Commerce and Resolution--Committee formed--The
Technical College.
A BATTALION IN BEING, 15 Attestation and enrolment--"A"
Company from Technical College--"B" Company from Schools--"C"
and "D" from the City--C.O., Second in Command, Adjutant, Company
Commanders, and Staff appointed--Leaving the City--Government
acceptance--Farewell visit to City.
ESPRIT DE CORPS, 19 Traditions of the H.L.I.--the 71st and 74th
Foot--Uniform--pre-War Establishment--Regular and Territorial
Battalions--War Service Battalions raised--the allocation of the 17th
Battalion.
HOME STATIONS AND TRAINING, 21 Gailes--Troon--Prees
Heath--Wensleydale--Totley--Codford Camp--Overseas
Orders--Message from the King--Embarkation.
II.--ON ACTIVE SERVICE.
ON TREK, 27 Arrival at Havre--March to the forward
area--Bouzincourt and Millencourt--instructional tour of front line
trenches--condition of trenches--first