It will be of value and interest to give here a brief survey of the
history of The Highland Light Infantry, which enshrines a record of
service and gallantry second to none in the annals of our Empire, and
to which the Chamber of Commerce Battalion was fated to add a page as
heroic and imperishable as any in its great traditions.
The Highland Light Infantry was originally raised as two separate
Regiments of Foot, the 71st and the 74th. What was to become famous as
the 71st was raised in 1777 by Lord John MacLeod and was known as
"MacLeod's Highlanders." It was a kilted regiment and wore the
Mackenzie tartan. It was originally numbered the 73rd, and under this
designation won early distinctions in India in the campaigns against
Hyder Ali and Tippoo Sahib. Nine years after its inauguration it
became the 71st, and after service in Ceylon and at the Cape it
received in 1808 the title of "The Glasgow Regiment." Shortly after
this the 71st entered once more the fields of war in the Peninsula
campaign under Wellington, and shared in many actions including the
storming of Ciudad Rodrigo, the siege of Badajoz and at Vittoria. Then
came their crowning gallantry at Waterloo against the flower of
Napoleon's armies. In later years the Crimea, Canada and the Bermudas
were added to their war honours.
The 74th was raised at Glasgow by Major-General Sir Archibald Campbell
with a view to service in India. The 74th also wore the kilt, but of
Black Watch tartan. Their record runs much on the same lines as that
of the 71st, and quickly they are also found performing deeds of
stubborn gallantry in India in the Mysore Territory. When the hour of
Tippoo Sahib had come, the 74th was the first to enter the tyrant's
last stronghold, but it was later, at the battle of Assaye that they
earned a fame which finds its echo to-day in the old badge of the
Elephant, which that action entitles them to wear. For long afterwards
the unit possessed the proud by-name of "The Assaye Regiment." After
sharing with the 71st in the rigours of the Peninsula, Canada and the
West Indies, the 74th saw service in the Kaffir War, Madras, and in
Egypt, including Tel-el-Kebir, where they were in the fiercest of the
fight.
It was in 1809, as a reward for their services, that they were formed
into Light Infantry, and were permitted to retain such parts of the
national dress as were not inconsistent with the duties of Light
Infantry. They then discarded the kilt and adopted the tartan trews
which still appear in the full dress uniform of the Regiment. The kilt
is now worn by two Territorial Battalions, the 6th and the 9th.
Subsequently the two Regiments were formed into one Regiment of two
Battalions.
The "H.L.I.," as all the world calls it, was of course present during
the South African War. They fought at Modder River, and though they
suffered severely at Magersfontein, continued to share in the
hardships of the remainder of the campaign.
At the outbreak of the Great War there were in addition to the 1st and
2nd Battalions, two Special Reserve Battalions (the 3rd and 4th) and
five Territorial Battalions, numbered the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th.
After declaration of war, the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th,
16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Service Battalions were raised,
together with the 21st (Territorial) and 1st (Garrison) Battalions. In
addition, the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Battalions each had second
and third lines, and at one time there were as many as thirty
Battalions in existence. These were more or less connected with the
City of Glasgow and district, and serve as an indication of the
patriotism and loyalty of the community.
On 14th December, 1914, the War Office issued an order that the
Chamber of Commerce Battalion was to form a unit of the New Army, and
was to be designated the 17th (Service) Battalion Highland Light
Infantry, of the 117th Infantry Brigade, of the 39th Division. This
intimation was received when the Battalion was stationed at Troon, and
was hailed with great enthusiasm by all ranks.
Their comradeship in the common cause, their keenness for practical
service and the _esprit de corps_ engendered by their attachment to
the illustrious Highland Light Infantry, knit all ranks together in
enthusiasm and determination.
[Illustration: ON THE SEA FRONT AT TROON.]
[Illustration: LT.-COL. DAVID S. MORTON, V.D., C.M.G.]
[Illustration: LEAVING TROON.
_To face page 20._]
[Illustration: "GUARD, TURN OUT"--WENSLEY CAMP.]
[Illustration: MESS ORDERLIES--PREES HEATH CAMP.
_To face page 21._]
It was about this time that instructions were received to recruit a
fifth Company as part of the 17th Battalion establishment. As this
Company eventually became the nucleus of a further Battalion with a
parallel history of its own, it will be treated separately in another
chapter. (Page 89.)