AMALGAMATION OF 6th AND 7th CAMERON HIGHLANDERS.
On the 4th of May the Brigade moved to the 17th Corps Area. The
Camerons proceeded by march route to Calonne-Ricouart, where they
entrained and proceeded to Acq. From here they proceeded to "Y" huts,
Etrun, by march route, the transport moving by road. On the 6th we
proceeded into support camps. We spent our time between the front
lines and the reserve camps up to the 10th of June, when we were
withdrawn back once more into Arras. These support camps, Collingwood,
Trafalgar, and Portsmouth, were originally constructed by the Naval
Brigade, who made a very fine job of it. They were, however, now under
observation by the enemy, and we were shelled now and again. We
luckily sustained no casualties in them, but some of the other
battalions were not so fortunate.
At times we also occupied the huts built on the side of the railway
embankment. These were very comfortable, for, being on a steep slope,
they were always dry, and it was almost impossible for the enemy to
hit them. We were also bivouacked beside the old ponds and gardens of
Blangy Park. The weather was very warm, and both officers and men
thoroughly enjoyed another spell of bathing and basking in the sun.
The scene had the appearance of some picture by an old master with its
tall trees, grassy banks and sunny pools, where naked gods reclined
and bathed. Sometimes a shell would fall amongst us, but luckily they
never did any harm, as they generally hit the water or buried
themselves in the soft ground. The next occupants, however, received
more attention from the Boche, and were inclined to blame us for too
much movement. The true cause of this was not our movements, but the
fact that a battery of artillery was brought up into the woods near
the ponds before we left.
During one of our spells in the trenches about this time we removed a
large gun from a German concrete battery position in the front area,
which had been captured during the Battle of Arras. All the work had
to be done at night by hand labour, and as the gun was a considerable
weight it was some job, but we finally got it out and towed it back
over the grass. It is a peculiar old French gun made of brass. It had
been rebored by the Germans and fitted with a 5.9 tube. We finally got
it sent home as a trophy along with its carriage. We were asked to
lend it to the War Trophy's Exhibition in London, but decided instead
to present it to the town of Inverness, as the capital of the
Highlands, and also as a proof that we had not forgotten the many
kindnesses the Battalion received there before it came out, and there
it now lies.
On going back into Arras we received with much regret the information
that, owing to the shortage of men and recruits, a large number of
units were to be amalgamated. As we were the Junior Battalion of the
Cameron Highlanders, it was decided that we should unite with the 6th
Battalion. It is hardly necessary to say that this news was very far
from welcome, not that we had anything against the 6th, but because
the 7th Battalion, which had made such a name for itself, was to cease
to exist. It was decided by the G.O.C. Division that the O.C. of the
7th Battalion should take over the command of the 6th, and he also
gave permission for him to transfer what officers and men he might
desire. This was a great concession, as originally the order had been
that only the deficiencies in officers and men of the Senior Battalion
should be made up. The decision was a sound one, as by this means a
splendid Battalion was constructed.
The remains of the 7th Battalion were to be made into a training
Battalion for the American Army. It was, therefore, possible for
officers and men, who were either war worn or had seen a considerable
amount of fighting, and deserved a rest from the fighting area, to be
sent with the training cadre. This left a large number of officers and
men to be disposed of, and it was no easy task to decide whom to keep
and whom to let go. The C.O. was much touched with the devotion and
loyalty to the Battalion shown by many. Wherever he went he would be
waylaid by anxious applicants, who would beseech him to keep them,
some even with tears in their eyes, for, although it was promised that
any who might be sent to the base would be kept as drafts for the
Camerons only, still they had had so many experiences of similar
promises they did not believe it. Their disbelief proved eventually to
be well founded, for many of them were finally transferred to other
units. It was a trying time. Everyone who was remaining had, so far as
possible, to put on a cheery countenance and to argue that it was all
for the best, still many of them felt the parting with old comrades
and tried friends as much as those who had to leave.
On the 10th June the C.O. said farewell to those of the Battalion
proceeding to join the 39th Cadre Division to provide a training staff
for the U.S.A. Army. It was a sad moment, which certainly he and
probably many others who were present will never forget. The
transport, of which Captain Mauchlin was so justly proud, was ordered
to proceed to the base. Many exchanges took place with friendly
transport officers in the Division, so that the transport which left
our lines for the base, under Captain Mauchlin, was transformed into a
collection of the most ordinary looking horses drawing limbers and
waggons very far short of the splendid transport of the 7th Camerons.
No sadder man left the Battalion than the transport officer. He had a
great knowledge of his work, and took keen interest in his transport,
which, by his untiring energy, had been brought to a high state of
efficiency.
The following officers were transferred from the 7th to the 6th
Battalion:--
Lieut.-Colonel N. MACLEOD, D.S.O., to Command.
Major R. M'F. CRAM, Second in Command.
Captain T. ORR, M.C.
Lieut. J. R. PARK.
Lieut. R. A. M. MACCROSTIE.
Lieut. R. C. HAMILTON.
Lieut. E. J. G. GIBB, M.C.
Lieut. S. M'D. SHAW.
Lieut. D. STEWART.
Lieut. D. WISHART.
Lieut. E. P. B. CAMERON.
Lieut. R. S. D. POLLOCK.
2nd. Lieut. P. AUSTIN.
2nd. Lieut. R. C. MITCHELL.
2nd. Lieut. J. R. CRAN.
2nd. Lieut. P. F. PRENTICE.
2nd. Lieut. A. BANKS.
2nd. Lieut. H. T. MACBETH.
2nd. Lieut. M. T. H. WILSON.
2nd. Lieut. A. KING.
2nd. Lieut. J. HOGG, and
383 Other Ranks.
Of these the C.O. was the only original officer who had joined in
September, 1914, and proceeded overseas with the Battalion as Captain
Commanding "B" Company. In addition to him there were about ten men
who had embarked with the Battalion in July, 1915.
Thus does the official history of the 7th Battalion come to an end. It
might be as well, however, before closing, to follow roughly the
training Battalion's movements until it was broken up, and also to
refer shortly to the doings of the 6th Battalion, which now contained
many of the 7th.
The training staff proceeded to Calais, via Hazebrouck, where they
were affiliated to the 3rd Battalion 119th Regiment A.E.F. They at
once entered upon their duties as instructors, which they carried on
up to the 2nd July, when the American Division left the area, and the
training staff moved to Veuse. Here they carried on instructional
training lectures. On the 25th they moved to Watten for the 7th Corps
Reinforcement Camps. On the 30th they proceeded to Arneke, where they
were joined by a Battalion of Reinforcements for the 51st Division,
and worked on the back area in the 2nd Army Front, the Battalion being
called the 19th Corps Reinforcement Battalion. From Arneke they went
to St. Eloi area. They occupied different camps in this area, some of
them being very bad. On the 7th, 348 other ranks, conducted by 6
officers, left for the 51st Division, and the remainder of the
reinforcements and the cadre moved into billets at La Cloche. On the
9th the remainder of the reinforcements were ordered to rejoin the
51st Division, and orders were received that what remained of the 7th
Camerons training staff had been placed at the disposal of the D.A.G.
for reinforcements. On the 12th of August orders came to return to the
39th Division to billets in Listergaux. On the 13th August
instructions were given that the 7th Cameron Highlanders training
staff should be broken up, all officers and other ranks who remained
being sent as reinforcements to the 6th Battalion, with the exception
of Lieut.-Colonel Anderson, who took over command of the 8th Seaforths
and the Adjutant and Orderly Room Sergeant, who were sent to Rouen
Base to wind up and check records, all stores being handed into
Ordnance.
Something must also be said of the 6th Battalion which, as has already
been stated, now included many officers and men from the 7th
Battalion. The amalgamation was carried out most satisfactorily. The
C.O. addressed both units separately, and made a special appeal to
both officers and men not to discuss and compare the merits and doings
in the past of the two Battalions which were now united, but to
remember that they all belonged to the same famous regiment, and that
it was up to them to pull together, and so maintain the high name
which both Battalions had already created. Everyone backed him up most
willingly, the result being that there was not a single instance of
crime arising from disputes between the men of the different
Battalions. This is all the more creditable when it is remembered that
there was considerable unpleasantness in some of the other units which
were amalgamated.