The London Scottish In The Great War

For two centuries the officers and men of the London Scottish have faithfully served their country and never more so than during the terrible years of the Great War. Initially with the 1st Guards Brigade and later with the 56th (London) Division, the 1st Battalion served in France and Flanders throughout the War. They were the first Territorial soldiers to be committed to battle when, at Messines in 1914, they suffered one-third casualties and were among the last to disengage. So dedicated was the London Scottish to the prosecution of its cause that, by November 1918, the 1st Battalion included only three survivors of the original Battle of Messines. The 2nd Battalion saw action in campaigns as diverse as France and Flanders, Ireland, the Balkans and Palestine where it won two Victoria Crosses. The London Scottish in the Great War does not merely set out to recite the oft-told details of famous battles fought and won. Rather it employs a wealth of previously unpublished war journals, diaries and photographs to provide a unique sight into this most auspicious Regiment. It vividly demonstrates the hopes, sufferings and aspirations of the volunteers who not only filled its ranks but, in so many cases, made the supreme sacrifice in its cause.

There is not enough written or remembered about the Territorials and the place they played in the British military. This book for London Scottish historians, ex-members and intersted parties is certainly a good place to look.The London Scottish were the first British territorial battalion to go into action during the Great War (1914), fighting gallantly alongside regular British troops to hold the ridges to the south of Ypres. This first engagement proved that territorials were not just 'Saturday night soldiers' and could be trusted in action.

Mark Lloyd
Hardcover 256pp with b&w photos throughout

The London Scottish In The Great War