The Battle of the Ancre, 1916
Jon Sandison takes the story of Shetland’s Territorials to their most tragic day
Gordon Highlanders and ammunition limbers moving up to the
forward area: Albert - Bapaume Road, near La Boisselle, July 1916.
© IWM (Q 857).
Our family battlefield tour took us through scenery very different from our own rural
landscape at home. The large, never-ending fields growing sugar beet, grain and
vegetables dwarfed our familiar rigs and small holdings in Shetland. The country
roads off the highway were long and winding. We were certainly not driving through
hills and dales akin to Scotland’s.
For the 1/7th Gordons of Aberdeenshire, and the Shetland boys of the Territorials
section, to set foot in Europe must have been a culture shock. As we drove east into
Belgium, and then south through France, and we eventually walked through this
ground, the bitter reality of what this terrain had been then became clear. The fields
and countryside that are the lifeblood of farmers today were scarred in places
beyond recognition between 1914 and 1918. Before the horror of the Great War, the
landscape had been the farmland where people lived and worked. Today people live
and work once more with the same fervour as they did then. To the undiscerning or
uninterested eye, the roads, fields and modern European infrastructure could hardly
be further from the images we had mulled over before setting forth. Any yearning
that we had to 'see a battlefield', or to 'touch the past' was to be gravely satisfied by
our visit to the Newfoundland Memorial Park. This place was the very earth upon
which Shetlanders fought and died during the Battle of the Ancre.
The Battle of the Ancre, along the Ancre river, was the final struggle of the the
Somme Offensive in 1916. For some of those young Shetland men who left in June
1915, this was to be their first major action on the Western Front. There had been a
few casualties from the initial Territorial posting during the summer Somme
offensive. However, it was to be the Ancre through which the catastrophic
devastation of war drifted back through on to our own island shores.
The losses which Shetlanders were to suffer here ensured that they would be
integrated into the 1/7th Gordons. The 'Shetland Territorials' would no longer exist as
an individual formation. From the north to south, and launched on 13 November
1916 by the British Fifth Army, seven divisions would take part, with the 51st
Highland Division – of which the Territorials were part - directly opposite the village
of Beaumont Hamel. This position was at the very middle of the five mile-long front to
be attacked; roughly the distance between Lerwick and Scalloway, in a wider front
that stretched for around 450 miles. The German front line had three lines of
trenches, almost parallel to each other. These were inter-connected by a large
number of communication trenches, like lines across the whole Western Front. Each
of these lines had its own protection of barbed wire.
Before our trip, this was just a name of a battle in which we knew so many
Shetlanders had died. It was to be the Battle of the Ancre, in the assault on
Beaumont Hamel, where the reality of the Great War hit home hard to Shetlanders,
and in particular to Lerwick. This piece of ground was where 15 Shetland Gordons,
perished, as well as 22 being wounded. This was also the place where the 51st
Highland Division famously succeeded in taking this village, with Shetland men right
in the thick of it. In terms of achievements of Shetlanders over the years, this is
something that is understandably not mentioned much in our own history books.
However, regardless of your own opinions of war, an achievement it was.
The scene for our visit to the Newfoundland Memorial Park was set by our tour
guide. As we walked up a hill to a crater, there seemed to be an enormous dip at the
other side of the hillside, of which we could not see the bottom. This was Hawthorn
Ridge, where a massive mine had exploded signalling the beginning of the summer
Somme offensive. It was one of 17 mines exploded by the British on the 1 July,
1916. As if the hole blown in the earth was not big enough, another mine was
exploded again at the start of the Battle of the Ancre. It had been raining previously,
but the ground was starting to dry up. Going down the hill, thick mud clung to our
boots like cement and weighed heavily our feet. Had we been in the middle of a
downpour, a quagmire would have followed. The guide had mentioned he would get
us into the battlefield locations. Initial displeasure of getting boots dirty, or even guilt
at walking through a farmer's field were soon quelled. We were reassured that
French farmers in these parts were very patient with people walking over their fields,
if crops were not growing.
Within this rugged ploughed field were small shell balls and fragments of metal shells
left from almost 100 years earlier. It was a small, yet poignant, prompt reminder that
we were on the middle of a battlefield, and not just a nameless ploughed farmer's
field. My brothers kept finding shell balls throughout the tour. It was difficult to know
whether to look down or around as the significance of this place began to hit home.
There was something to be missed if you looked in the wrong direction.
On this walk, William picked up a metal object. Upon examination, thankfully it was
an immobile Mills bomb. It was then impossible not to reflect on the history of that
spot on 13 November 1916. A realisation now that the air in this place was once
thick with smoke, bullets and death. It was on this field that the 1/5th Seaforths had
attacked. Royal Engineers experts believe that it will take up to 200 years for all the
munitions to come to the surface.
Walking down a muddy farmer's field. On the very left flank of the 51st Highland
Division attack on Beaumont Hamel, down from Hawthorn Ridge.
In the distance is the memorial to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
Entering the Newfoundland Memorial Park with ominous thoughts of what lay in store.
Throughout our tour, in similar fields, we were to find collections of shells which
farmers had ploughed up during their work. The shells gathered together for
collection by the authorities.
Our guide then pointed to our right and stated that was where the 153rd assaulted
the German line in front of the village of Beaumont Hamel. 'This is where we’re going
next: the Newfoundland Memorial Park', he said. We knew then that we were close
to the Shetland story and Shetland blood being spilt.
Newfoundland Memorial Park. The Gordons right side view of attack during the Ancre.
Note the two school parties in this small stretch, one of which was Canadian.
The graveyard in the distance is one of three in the Park.
Shell bursting amongst the barbed wire entanglements on the battlefield at
Beaumont Hamel. © IWM (Q1688).
Hearts started to pound as we knew that within the 153rd were 1/7th Gordons and
within them the Shetland Territorials. To be so far away from home - yet within a
stone's throw - from where our own native islanders had been at this time, created
hairs on the back of necks and lumps in throats in equal measure. A sense of
foreboding overcame us all. From here there would be no turning back from any
feelings of emotion that might engulf us.
As we left this foreign field, the rain then started. Out of nowhere, we confronted a
school party, marching along with their teacher to look at the Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders Memorial. Outdoor learning at its peak; and itself a moving experience
which made clear that this was no ordinary place.
There was intense silence and anticipation in the car. We did not really know what
lay before us at the Memorial Park. Thoughts began to hark back to the previous
night when our guide had given some details on this day that was to be before us.
We sat at a table, over a beer or two in the congenial continental atmosphere of our
hotel outside Ypres. We discussed this visit with trench maps. It will be a 'big day
tomorrow. It will be a bit of a drive south. But, once you get to Beaumont Hamel', he
said, 'then you’ll realise the importance of the 51st Highland Division’s role'.
We knew that we were going to a very important place. From the start, our guide had
been vocal in his overview of the Western Front and in command of information.
Approaching the Memorial Park gates, he became quiet. It was clear that he
acknowledged that the pivotal part of our trip lay before us. The battle whose field we
were about to walk was described ominously by The Shetland News:
The Ancre will forever be famous in the minds of Shetlanders as the battle on which
the local Territorials fought their way through death to victory – where the kilted lads
of the North won immortality. They have in very truth received their baptism of fire,
and have proved themselves more than worthy of the great traditions of their
famous regiment. Their task was one that called for men to perform it, and as men
they fought and died.
There is a simple message. For any Shetlander – and any other - who pass those
parts, it would be a mistake not to make a point of visiting this Battlefield within the
Newfoundland Memorial Park. Although it is an emotional experience, you will – as a
Shetlander - never regret the visit. The land itself was thankfully purchased in 1921
by the people of Newfoundland. In turn, it has been preserved and it is the largest
battalion memorial on the Western Front. The park is one of few sites on the
Western Front where the ground remains largely untouched from when the First
World War ended. It includes the area over which the Newfoundland Regiment made
its unsuccessful attack on 1 July 1916 during the first day of the Somme. There they
suffered atrocious losses.
Somehow however, the Canadian experience was almost put to the back of our
minds, although not intentionally. Every piece of this landscape had a story of its
own. This small bit of tarnished, yet preserved, ground, had two stories. The
Canadians, though, were not the men whom we had come to find out about. But, as
Shetlanders and Scots, we were so fortunate that the people of Canada had
preserved this piece of priceless ground for eternity. Feelings became clear upon
seeing the Newfoundland Memorial of a bronze caribou at the Park entrance. The
Canadian guides, friendly and polite as we entered the Park, made us feel welcome.
It was an odd juxtaposition of thoughts; a place associated with so much suffering
and destruction, yet also being valued and treasured. With the red signs at the side
of the path warning us about high explosives, and the trenches so clear to see, the
battlefield became alive before our eyes. The voices of Shetland men were about to
haunt us. As The Shetland News made clear after the battle:
It was known, of course, that the Shetland Gordons were on the Ancre, and that
they would be in the big offensive, and people, not only those who had sons or
brothers in France, but also those who had not, would be prepared for casualties.
This piece of open ground, far away from home, is as much a part of our Shetland
Heritage, and identity as Jarlshof, Scalloway Castle, or the derelict croft house at the
Hams of Muckle Roe. The difference is that there are no buildings to show for it, only
the images from photos, and names on gravestones and memorials. Those who
were to survive this experience had a story to tell. Very few did so.
Shetlanders at Beaumont Hamel
"Battles are sometimes won by generals; wars are nearly always won by sergeants
and privates." F E Adcock, British classical scholar
The Battle of the Ancre in November 1916 was the final phase of the first Battle of
the Somme. It incorporated an attack on the German front line as it crossed the
Ancre River. The principal objective was to get rid of the German salient between the
Albert-Bapaume road and Serre, with the village of Beaumont-Hamel at its head.
The build up to the Ancre attack in the winter of 1916 had been gradual. The 51st,
and many of the Shetland Territorials had arrived in the Beaumont Hamel sector in
the middle of October 1916, and had spent about a month wire cutting. As a rule, a
Battalion would put three companies into the front line, while retaining the fourth as
support. The initial planned attack was postponed due to the weather. However, on
10 November, the 13th was decided upon for the assault. As the evening fell on
Saturday 12 November, 44,000 infantrymen started to move towards their assembly
areas across the Ancre. The Shetland Territorials were waiting as part of the 153rd
Brigade. They did so on ground which was atrocious whilst enduring continuous
heavy downpours.
Gordons marching to the front line 1916.
Highlanders’ frontline trench.
As we walked across the ground within the Newfoundland Memorial Park,
continuous mounds, dips, and slopes were a pure give away that this was a
continual sequence of trenches and communication trenches. Fifteen Shetland
Gordons, plus two other Shetlanders met their end here. Each loss was to decimate
a family in an island community where the grief had enormous impact. Further down
our walk on this battlefield, was the trench from which the 1/7th Gordon’s made their
assault. The very evening before the attack, Gordon’s - and most likely - some
Shetlanders, would have been busy digging a frontline trench from which the attack
the next morning was going to come.
These men, tired from this work, now had to push forward from the trench and
overcome an enemy sitting waiting for them, and therefore dug in meticulously. The
men who were to lead the charge, crawled up to the front. Upon being shown this
frontline 'jumping off' trench, Shetland voices could be heard in our own thoughts
continuously. The proof of this was in all of our eyes as we stared fixedly upon the
scarred landscape of the Newfoundland Memorial Park before us.
The Shetland Territorials' part in this battle was graphically described by a Shetland
soldier in the last Shetland News edition of 1916. The paper mentioned that the
writer was a 'well known Lerwick boy', William Sievwright Sandison. Ironically, he
was a namesake of our own Grandfather, William Andrew Sandison, but no relation.
Thankfully, this William was a keen amateur photographer, and took many
photographs of the Territorials whilst in Shetland. He wrote in The Shetland News
about the battle. William, like our Grandfather, was on the original Imperial Service
list. His story was also referenced in a 'Family At War', in Shetland Life of November
1996. This Lerwick Terrier stated that they lay down to wait 'through the long
midnight and early morning hours'.
He further mentioned how, on the afternoon of 12 November, they had orders to
'stack their packs and parade in fighting order', and added that the fighting order
consisted of a 'greatcoat, haversack; one hundred and twenty rounds of ammunition,
and two Mills hand grenades in each greatcoat pocket'.
By 6pm they were in the trenches and 'took over the line'. Images are clear here of
how these trenches would have been packed with Gordons, full of adrenalin but also
fear. He went on that 'all who were not on sentry duty were crammed into dugouts in
the support trench to await orders'. The tension of that wait was further clarified by
how they 'sat on floors and stairs, smoking greatly, with fitful spells of sleep, until
11.30pm, when tea and a ration of rum were served'. It was after this that the order
was given to 'get ready to move'.
As they moved forward, the Shetland men would have found the communication
trenches waterlogged. It would be a long night. Captain Robert Ross from the 1/7th
Gordon’s said that 'throughout the night an uncanny quiet settled upon the scene,
and the men tried to doze, though half smothered with mud and chilled with
exposure. Some to whom the blessedness of sleep, even of a broken kind, was
denied, made light of their hardships. Others seemed to realise that their time was at
last come'.
In a letter to his brother-in-law, John Gair, another Shetland soldier, Lance Corporal
W D Arthur wrote a letter describing this moment in a more sombre, yet up beat
fashion:
How happy and cheerful every one of them was when they put on their armour and
marched to the trenches, although we knew quite well that a lot of us would not
come back. But, who could tell who would be taken and who would be left?
Anyhow, that never dampened our spirits for we realised that at last we going to get
to grips with Fritz for which we had been waiting for weeks.
During the evening, there was fog. As this provided a shield, parties of the 7th
Gordon Highlanders - and very likely – some Shetlanders within it, crept out into 'No
Man’s Land' 10 minutes before the attack was due to take place, taking cover when
they could. Whilst we walked upon this battlefield almost 95 years later, we could
only imagine what thoughts were going through the Shetland Territorials at this time.
Thoughts of loved ones at home and what possibly lay in store for them. Or, perhaps
just contemplation about how they were going to get through the next 20 minutes of
what was their youthful lives.
At this stage, William Sandison added that the soldiers were ordered to 'get ready to
move' and they went out on top, and 'threaded our way through shell-holes and
scraps of barbed wire, in the flickering light of intermittent flares'. The Lerwick soldier
mentioned how the 'silence was deadly'. The only noise came from 'the sharp,
nervous rat-tat of a Lewis machine-gun, or the hiss of a late-burning star shell
spluttering in the mud, and the subdued rattle of a bayonet, scabbard or rifle butt'.
With such a description, the sounds rattle through our ears. It must have been a long
night. Yet for others, perhaps the morning came around all too quickly; sooner than
they would have wished.
The silence was broken when the attack took place with a pre-dawn bombardment. It
was 4am when their rest was disturbed by around six 4-inch shells and by
'intermittent thundering of our field guns'. By this stage, the word had passed that
they attack at 5:45am. It does not bear thinking what it was like for these men,
knowing what was in store; in this place, at that this time, on this date.
It was at 5am that messages were received from all the Company commanders that
the men were 'lined up and ready to go'. The barrage opened; a barrier of fire from
artillery which was to act as a shield for men advancing. At the same time, the
Hawthorn Crater mine erupted. Two companies of the 7th Gordons followed the
barrage very closely and formed the right wing of the attack. The foggy weather had
allowed the assault battalions to creep forward on the edge of the barrage. It also
kept them hidden from German machine guns. Lessons had already been learned
from the initial Somme assault in the summer of 1916. Rather than charge at the
German trenches, soldiers went forward at a rate of 25 yards per minute. When the
barrage lifted, the troops rushed forward into their objectives. However, machine gun
fire in the south stalled the 7th Gordons and the Black Watch. When walking this
ground, our guide made clear to us how upon initially leaving their trenches, the
Gordons would have not have been in visual range of the Germans due to the dip in
the ground. This, along with the barrage and morning fog, provided some cover. The
natural dip became clear once we got to the area of the deep German trenches and
looked back. Then we were shown where the Gordons would have come up from
upon the dip. At that point, the Gordons were in the clear view of the German
machine guns. All hell would have been let loose. Once more, vivid thoughts entered
our minds to what the Shetlanders would have been faced with.
In four successive company waves however, it was noted that the 1/7th Gordons,
and Shetlanders amongst them 'swept into No Man's Land'. At this point, William
Sandison states that 'the sight will be blazoned before my eyes until they close for
ever'.
In his note, William Sandison wrote:
The barrage lifted from the first line and transferred chaos to the second. Confused
by the uproar, choked by the acrid fumes of high explosive, we stumbled forward,
and rushed with bayonet and bomb on the stupefied Boche! It was over in a minute.
Behind us was the first line: in front of the Ravine. In little bunches with ranks
gapped and broken, we swept on, leaving the wounded groping helplessly, and
dead hideously huddled all about, to where the black Ravine gaped. Shells and
bullets whistled, shrapnel whined and wailed, men fell fast, and cursed bitterly or
moaned as they fell. The Ravine was stormed and crossed, and in its sombre
depths bombers cleared out the dug-outs and collected prisoners. No waves now:
nothing of organisation. We staggered breathlessly forward, wave mixed with wave.
The second line is memory of bayonet plunge and exploding grenade, and on the
heel of that hellish barrage the third line was assaulted. On now jumping into the
trench I became aware of a numbness in my hand and arm, and on rolling up my
sleeve discovered that a bullet had passed through the flesh. What everyone had
prayed for: what in anticipation had buoyed up many of those now twisted stiff
figures in the Great Adventure, had befallen me - a cushy "blighty".
Reaction now set in, and feeling done and worn, I sat down with a cigarette and
looked on, while the remnant of my company consolidated the line and place
sentries.
William’s injury was recorded in The Shetland News on 23 November 1916.
It was also noted that William’s twin brother Thomas had been wounded in action in
France, and that 'both brothers are in hospital in England'.
Another Shetlander who took part in the Battle of the Ancre was Private James
Pottinger from Burra. He joined the 1/7 Gordon Highlanders in the Armentieres
Sector in August 1916. With 'nothing much to report' initially, he took part in the
Ancre advance upon Beaumont-Hamel on 13 November, which he described as a
'fearful experience'. His friend Private John William Jamieson, also from Burra, was
killed and James Pottinger went on to add how only about 22 of his company of 120
came out of the battle unscathed.
The intensity of the Shetlanders' role in this battle is shown by how Scots units
tended to be seen as impact attack 'shock' formations. This assault was a prime
example of it. The ravine that William Sandison mentions was the climax of our slow,
overpowering and poignant walk in the Newfoundland Memorial Park. It is known as
'Y-Ravine'. The challenge of it is clear today. This is an awesome natural dip in the
ground which housed solid German defences of pillboxes and machine guns. It had
to be broken if the 51st were to keep going towards Beaumont-Hamel. To take
Beaumont-Hamel, the 1/7th Gordons and the Shetland Territorials firstly had to
capture Y-Ravine. The deep gully formed a formidable natural obstacle for the
Gordons. It was estimated that this dip contained as many as four hundred German
men. As we approached the Ravine, we were confronted again with the sobering
realisation that young Shetlanders in the 1/7 Gordons had charged down its steep
slopes. The 153rd attacked with the Black Watch on the left, and the 7th Gordons
with many Shetlanders on the right, along the 5th Gordons in support. Both used
hundreds of Mills grenades to bomb the Ravine clear of Germans.
Before we even reached Y-Ravine, the trenches became much more formidable.
These were German trenches, better built and more imposing than those of the
British. Unfortunately, there is no one left to tell us about this experience, even if they
wished to share it. However, some degree of understanding of what went on can be
gleaned from the Regimental records. It was mentioned by Gordons' Historian Cyril
Falls that the Gordons, always 'hugging the barrage', took 'line after line of trenches
and reached its objective'. When they reached the enemy wire, they found it well cut.
The Germans were in slight shock by the intensity of the barrage and how quick the
assault had taken place. This experience was detailed again by Lance Corporal W D
Arthur in his letter when he mentioned that 'we had reached his frontline, but his
trench had been laid flat with our shells and there was nobody in it. So, on we went,
taking his second, third and fourth lines likewise, and encountering very little
resistance'. He then went on to state that they had made a lot of prisoners in the
dug-outs of the German fourth line. Then, Arthur mentions that he was sent back
with an important message and got shot in the thigh by a sniper.
Remains of Beaumont Hamel
It was the men of the 6th Black Watch and 7th Gordons, with the many Shetlanders
amongst them that eventually assaulted Y-Ravine. The 1/7th Gordons War Diary
explains that there was much 'hand to hand fighting' at the third line trench. For
these men, any thoughts of the tranquil serenity of Shetland, or the sound of the sea
must have been all but a distant memory.
The 1/7th Gordons arrived at their first objective of the Beaumont-Hamel Station
Road at 6:45am. This was a sunken Road running from Beaumont-Hamel to a
railway station. It was however after nearly five hours of fighting that Y-Ravine fell.
By the early afternoon, elements of the 51st Highland Division, with some
Shetlanders amongst them, were moving into the outskirts of the village of
Beaumont-Hamel. The 1/4th Gordons were involved by this stage, meeting up with
their 'sister' battalion, the 1/7th beyond the sunken road. As both battalions
contained many Shetlanders, perhaps there were a few emotional meetings here.
The afternoon was spent clearing the ruins and cellars of the village. As dawn broke
on 14 November, they had to wait three more days before its relief came through.
They had been in the line for six continuous weeks. The 51st Division was noted to
be in 'high spirits' when it finally went down the line on 17 November. To the military
historian, they had achieved a 'notable feat of arms in the most adverse of
circumstances'.
June 13 represented the 97th anniversary of the Territorials leaving Lerwick harbour.
By November this year, it will be the 98th anniversary of their first major action in the
Great War. As night fell on this day of torment, a sunset that deserves never to be
forgotten by Shetland, the loss was truly devastating. Fifteen Gordons were not
coming home. The word had not come back to our islands. It took a further two
weeks for the news to reach Shetland. From there on, the war was not looked upon
in the same way. Its weary tragic burden and futile waste of our youth, was about to
weigh down our community further.
By the end of November, The Shetland News was reporting that 'Not until last
weekend has the County, but especially Lerwick, received the news of the loss of so
many young lives in one action'. The paper added that 'when it became known that
the Shetland Territorials had taken part in a the battle of the Ancre, details of
casualties were awaited with deep anxiety, and the fear that our local soldiers might
have suffered heavily proved eventually but too true'. Prior to The Ancre, there had
been much loss to Shetland. But now the cost of this war to our community had
become unfathomable. In an age where there was not instant news or immediate
knowledge of what had taken place, this was perhaps one blessing. People could
only wait.
Shetlanders who did not come home
"In peace sons bury fathers, but war violates the order of nature, and fathers bury
sons." - Heroditus, Greek historian, c. 484 - 425 BC.
Having now almost reached the age of 40, and becoming a father myself two years
ago, I often think about those Shetland sons who did not come home from the Battle
of the Ancre on 13 November 1916. The majority of the 17, which contained 15
Territorials and Gordons, were little more than 20 years old. Fresh-faced no doubt,
full of enthusiasm, with hope for the future; all traits that sometimes can get
tempered with age to many of us. Life and the world was in front of them. Yet, none
of them were to live that world. They came from varied occupations, ranging from a
cooper, baker, office worker, to joiner and teacher. All of them contributing so much
to our community, but lost in this horrendous snapshot of time. It is important that we
do not forget these men on anniversary of the day they fell. They are photographs
and memories. Nevertheless, thanks to the pages of our local newspapers some of
their individual stories could be told. Perhaps the very least they deserved.
These accounts begin to let us know a little bit about who these men were. With
time, memories do fade. Yet, even now we should reflect how each man was a
person, a loved one, a son, a brother or a friend. It is time to bring stories of these
men alive.
One soldier who epitomised the spirit of Shetland youth was William Gilbert
Manson. William died in hospital in early 1917 of wounds received during the battle.
A letter received from the hospital had given the impression that he was making
good progress. The report mentioned that William was an 'admirable patient, and it
was hoped that this, together with his cheerfulness, would have pulled him through'.
Sister E Brown, a member of staff at the hospital, sent a letter to William’s father.
I do not know how to write such sad news to you. I have not written to you for a few
days because your son was not so well, but I thought it was only temporary, as he
had so many ups and downs, and I was hoping to send you good news. However,
this morning, he suddenly got worse and died unexpectedly. I am sure this will be a
great shock to you all, as I have been sending hopeful news lately, but one could
not foresee what would happen. We are all very upset about him, and we had
nursed him through two critical periods. I can assure you that everything possible
was done for him, and I only wish it could have been to good effect. Please accept
my deepest sympathy in your great sorrow.
The chaplain wrote further to Mr Manson and said:
What a splendid patient he was. So brave and uncomplaining, and he liked so
much when I prayed with him. We were all greatly struck also by his love of home
and his devotion to yourself. He wanted to get better that he might show you how
much he loved you and appreciated all you have done for him. Your dear son will
be laid to rest in a beautiful cemetery here, by the side of other brave comrades
who have also laid down their lives for our sake.
William is buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.
Another loss at the Ancre was Private George Spence, the eldest son of Mr and
Mrs James Spence, Nornagath, Cullivoe, and assistant teacher at Greenbank Public
School when war broke out. He was reported as "wounded and missing". The News
stated how George had been stationed at Greenock, had further training in England,
then had crossed over to France in June of 1916. It also mentioned how he had
taken part in the initial assault in the Somme during the summer. George was the
first boy to achieve a Secondary Education Bursary at Cullivoe Public School for a
"large number of years". He was two years at the Institute in Lerwick before being
assistant teacher at Greenbank. His intention was to finish his college course as a
teacher, but "he gave all up to serve his king and country". In perhaps typical
Shetland fashion, the report stated that George was an "unassuming quiet lad and
was much respected by all who knew him". He was only 21.
George is buried at the Ancre Cemetery, Beaumont Hamel.
Private Andrew Simpson was the second youngest son of Mr and Mrs Simpson of
St Magnus Street. He was formerly in the employment of John Henry, Butcher, but
afterwards served his apprenticeship as a cooper. He was working at this trade when
war broke out. Andrew went over to France with the first draft, and had seen a good
deal of service. Private Simpson was known as a "bright and intelligent lad, and a
clever workman". His brother James, who was also in the local Territorials, was
recently home on leave after recovering from shell shock.
Andrew is also buried in the Ancre Cemetery at Beaumont Hamel.
Private John William Jamieson was the second son of Mrs Jamieson, Hamnavoe,
Burra Isle. He was 19 years old. He had been in France for a short period, the
greater part of which he had been on the front line. Before the war, John William had
worked for Messrs Taylor & Blance, Bakers. It was mentioned that "word had been
received in Burra Isle from Private Jamieson’s chum stating that he got one of his
legs shot away, to which a very severe wound he succumbed".
John William is buried at the Y-Ravine Cemetery.
The death of Laurence Halcrow was also heartbreaking. When writing to his
mother Mrs Halcrow, the officer conveying the sad news said that "he understood
that that he was killed while advancing on the German lines". The officer added that
Private Halcrow was a "good soldier and his death was greatly regretted by the men
in the platoon".
The report said that another Lerwick soldier who took part in the same attack, Private
Charles Halcrow, Mounthooly Street, mentioned that the deceased was killed "on the
edge of the German parapet". What was extra tragic about Laurence's death was
that his mother had received two letters from her son only the week before. From
those letters it was said that he appeared "bright and cheerful"
Laurence Halcrow is also buried at Y-Ravine Cemetery.
The loss of Private David W Anderson brought home the extent to which he
seemed to be a typical young high achiever with determination. He was the son of
Mr Laurence Anderson of Hoolsgarth Lerwick. Before the war, David was an
apprentice at the North of Scotland Company’s office where "the utmost confidence
and trust were placed in him by his employers, while he was very popular with all his
fellow-workers and also with the public". David was always "full of energy and
enthusiasm", and before he was 10 years old, he had joined the Boys' Brigade,
within which he was "an energetic member for several years". He was a "keen
footballer and swimmer". Before he was 16 he was one of four Lerwick boys who
swam Bressay Sound. As soon as he was old enough, he had volunteered for
Foreign Service since he often felt "it was his duty to go to the front where so many
of his comrades were suffering all the horrors of modern war for him and others". He
left for France in August of 1916, and had – in turn – only been 31/2 months on
French soil before he lost his life in the Battle of the Ancre.
David is buried at Queens Cemetery, Puisieux.
Also buried here are two other Territorials, both whom were on the Imperial Service
List, Corporal William Robertson, aged 21, from Northmavine, and Corporal
Laurence Bain Mackey, aged 22, Lerwick.
Private William Johnston from North Roadside, Lerwick was also killed. He was 24
years old. William had been a joiner with Mr M.P. Morrison and was recognised as a
"good workman". Private John Cowie sent a letter to William’s mother.
I am sorry to tell you that Willie was killed in action on Wednesday 15th November
in the big advance , which I suppose you have heard of by now. I was beside him at
the time, when a shell came over and a piece caught him in the head, and the
same shell wounded another four of our mates. It will be a relief to you to know that
he suffered no pain, but died about ten minutes after he was struck. We carried him
a few miles behind the firing-line and gave him a decent burial.
William is buried at the Euston Road Cemetery, Colin Camps.
Also killed was Private Robert Coutts from Pilot Lane Lerwick. We will also mention
his brother, John, later in a story connected to our own. Robert had been a clerk in
the North of Scotland and Town and County Bank. He had left with the original draft.
When at Lerwick Central School, Coutts had shown "considerable ability, and was
one of the most promising pupils at the school. He was a very capable and
trustworthy clerk".
Robert is buried at the Varennes Military Cemetery.
Territorial Private William Kay, was the son of W M Kay of Liverpool and late of
Lerwick. William was a grandson of the then late Mr David Kay of 47 Burgh Road.
He had been employed as a Cooper with Messrs A Wood and Sons. William was in
the first draft of the Territorials which was dispatched to France. He was widely
known among younger members of the community, and "held in highest esteem" by
his many friends. Also, he was particularly popular among local footballers and was
one of the leading members of the local Thistle team. The report mentioned that
"sturdily built and active in movement, he was one of the best full backs in the town,
and played in the last inter-county match". Those who knew and admired him are
assured that "Chum" as he was known to them – "met his end with that rare spirit
which ever characterised him".
William’s name is on the Thiepval Memorial.
Every loss had its own family story. But, a family story so closely linked to the Front
was borne out by the loss of Private George Groat. He is also on the Thiepval
Memorial. George was aged 20, and the youngest son of Mr John Groat, a Baker,
Lerwick. Like many others, George had joined the Territorials when the war broke
out. This was described "as might have been expected of a member of this patriotic
family, at once responded when the call was made for volunteers for Imperial
Service". The report also mentions that he was one of the first lot of Shetland
Gordons to have crossed to France, and as a result had been about 12 months at
the Front. In turn, George would also have crossed to France with our own
Granddad William Sandison. George was "a very likeable young man, and had a
wide circle of friends among younger members of the community". Also, George was
one of the original team members of the Rangers Football Team, and was a "keen
and enthusiastic player" In a real Band of Brothers context, it mentions further how
three other brothers were at that point in France. The other three brothers were
Alexander, David and John. Both Alexander and David were also in the 1/7th
Gordons. Alexander was also wounded at the Ancre. Not long before George was
killed, the four brothers in France had met at the Front after having been "separated
for quite a long time".
George is also on the Thiepval Memorial.
The officer conveying news of Private James W Sinclair’s death told his mother he
was unable to give precise details, but assured people that he had "fought and died
gallantly". Tragically, James Sinclair was the only son of Mr and Mrs Robert Sinclair
of 26 Albany Street Lerwick. He was aged 19. Before the war, he had worked in the
County Clerk's Office. He had left for service in the summer of 1915. In July of 1916,
he got embarkation leave and paid a short visit to his parents in Lerwick. Robert had
"considerable musical attainments", and for a time was a drummer in the Lerwick
Brass Band. Recently he had applied for a commission as a Lieutenant, "which he
would undoubtedly have got if he had come through the great Ancre battle". James
was a "smart and intelligent young man and had a career of much promise before
him. His tall erect figure gave him a find soldierly bearing, and we have little doubt
the spirit which induced him to offer his youthful services to his country in the dark
months of the autumn of 1914 was ever with him right up to the end".
His name is on the Thiepval Memorial
Another of the Territorials named on the Thiepval Memorial is Lance Corporal
Magnus Christie from Cunningsburgh. The Shetland News said that Mrs Christie,
Skibhoul, Cunningsburgh, had received a letter from 2nd Lieutenent Henderson,
Gordons that "her son Lance–Corporal Christie was killed on the night of 18th
November during the heavy fighting in France. A piece of shell hit him, and though
he was attended to at once, he died about an hour after". It was then mentioned that
Magnus had "only been a few days with us, but had proved himself a most capable
non-commissioned officer, and a cheery comrade in the trenches". The message
went on "accept my deepest sympathy, and the sympathy of all the company in your
great loss. I regret that I have been unable to write to you before, but the battalion
had only just returned to the trenches". The News says that "Magnus was only 19
years of age" and was "a very bright, capable lad", and that before the war he was in
the grocery trade, and was a "general favourite". His last employment had been with
Mr G Hall, Lerwick. He had joined the Territorials when war broke out and had been
with the Gordons ever since. He had been at the base in France helping to train
men, and had only been "something like ten days in the trenches before he was
killed". It was interesting to discover recently that Magnus’s niece, Betty Smith, from
Sandwick, and her cousin had also recently been on a very similar tour of the
Battlefields following in Magnus’s footsteps.
The size of the Thiepval Memorial is breathtaking in itself. However, the scale of the
slaughter is further brought home by the graveyard that is adjacent to it.
Gilbert Brown is buried at Thiepval Cemetery, He was a cooper at the Messrs
Slaters Barrel Factory in Lerwick prior to the war. He was the eldest son of Mr and
Mrs Gilbert Brown of Lerwick. It was reported in The Shetland Times five months
later that he has been "reported wounded and missing after the fight at Beaumont
Hamel", but "has now been reported killed on that date". Gilbert Brown was 21. He
joined the Territorials at 16. He had been in France since July of 1916.
One other casualty on the Thiepval Memorial with a local connection was that of
David Harold Evans. He was born in Glamorganshire and had enlisted in the local
Territorials in Lerwick, aged 26. He was son of David and Adelina Sarah Evans, of
Custom House, Blacktoft, Howden, Yorks. There was a note about Harold in The
Shetland Times in April 1917. It mentioned that "there were few better known young
men in Lerwick, and certainly none more popular". Although a native of Wales,
Harold had arrived at Lerwick as an Official in HM Customs and Excise. He had
joined the local Territorials upon war being declared. He was, "of a bright and
cheerful disposition, the deceased made many friends, and his musical attainments
made him a favourite with everyone". As he was not local, Harold's picture was not in
the Roll of Honour. There was a photo in The Shetland Times.
There were two other Shetlanders killed on that day who were not in the Territorials.
One was Robert William Inkster, who was in the Lewis Gun section of the 2nd
Royal Scots. Formerly of Burra Isle, Robert's name is also on the Thiepval Memorial.
To add to this personal tragedy, his brother Thomas, who served in the Black Watch,
died of dysentery in hospital in Salonika just one month before. Robert was aged 27,
while younger brother Thomas was 25.
The other Shetlander not in the Territorials who was killed this day was Joseph
Anderson, aged 24. He was in the Sportsman's Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. He
was the son of Lerwick solicitor, J B Anderson. A lengthy account of Joseph’s death
during the Ancre was given via a fellow soldier who had written home to his family. It
was noted that he was one of the first Shetland casualties known about from the
Ancre.
In the morning of the 13th we attacked in the front wave ... Joe was one of the first
few groups to reach the second line. He and his team came into immediate contact
with a German machine gun which had just been brought up from its dug-out ... Joe
fired and hit at least two of the Boche team before a shot from one of them struck
him in the head and killed him instantly. It was a gallant piece of work, and Joe took
a leading part in it. He certainly saved the life of his gun, and many lives he must
have saved too by leading the way in the destruction of a gun that would have had
a heavy toll had it been allowed to get to business. The sympathies of many men in
the Battalion who knew and admired Joe, and heard of and applauded his deed, go
out to you in your bereavement. Most of all my own sympathies, for the loss is a
very great one to me and that perhaps enables me to realise your loss and feel with
you the more.
In addition to the soldiers message, it was mentioned that "Private Anderson, was a
young man of much promise, and was most popular among all classes in the town.
His cheerful friendly manner, his very marked good nature, and his generosity made
him a general favourite. He was held in high esteem by young and old alike".
He is buried at Canadian Cemetery No 2, Neuville St Vaast.
Thinking about these men, we could all put our thoughts back to what we were doing
when aged 20, and in turn contemplate how we perceived and generally viewed life.
Now having lived again in full years, or more, all the years that these young lads had,
it is challenging to self-determine to what extent life has really been lived to the full,
and perhaps – at times – taken for granted. Years disappear so quick whilst
sometimes becoming embroiled in the often meaningless petty trials of life. Reading
through all these stories gives a real perspective of what is important within our own
mortality. It is easy to feel somewhat guilty that many of this generation were
cheated of years. Despite these narratives, what they endured and suffered, we can
only speculate. Like all young men, they were free of spirit with everything to live for,
but had no more time. Every single one of these Shetland sons did their duty, and
their memories and names are now enshrined in our history. Since the Ancre life has
moved on, and today is a different world. However, if you are passing their final
resting place someday, please pay them a visit. Each, a Shetlander, that did not
come back home to their folk.
Ancre 1916 - Memorial and Impact on the Community
“Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” John,
Chapter 15, verse 13'
Treading slowly down the battlefield of Beaumont Hamel within the Newfoundland
Memorial Park, this part of our tour was coming to a close. What was a short walk
over a relatively small piece ground, with a few short car runs in between, had
reincarnated in our minds the story of The Battle of The Ancre; a tale of mammoth
proportions linked to a relatively small Shetland one. But, the lost were not forgotten.
The casualties endured by the 51st Highland Division during the month of November
came to over 2,000. It was estimated that casualties during The Ancre represented
45 per cent of those who took part in the attack. Among them were the 17
Shetlanders. Testament to this loss is provided by the 51st Highland Memorial at YRavine. Walking down towards the 1/7th Gordons' assault position at Y-Ravine, we
looked back up to see the Memorial. We were also aware that we were looking in the
direction from which the Germans would have been defending as the 51st Highland
Division attacked. The Highlanders would have been out of view, until they came
over the ridge. When their heads first started to appear over that top, German
machine guns would have let rip. Looking at the memorial left vivid thoughts.
A flight of steps led us up the memorial between two lions. Ahead was a kilted
highlander with a Lee Enfield rifle, looking out towards the German trenches, YRavine and the village of Beaumont Hamel. The memorial itself was made from
granite shipped over from Aberdeenshire just after the war, taken by ship to France,
then to St Valery and to the Somme.
It was carried by six carts and pulled by a team of horses and finally 'reconstructed'
where it now stands, unveiled on 28 September 1924 by Marshal of France
Ferdinand Foch, the former Allied Supreme Commander. On the front is a plaque
inscribed in Gaelic: La Blair s'math n Cairdean. In English this translates as "Friends
are good on the day of battle". The original plan was that it would stand in the village
of Beaumont Hamel. However, the ground was of such precarious nature due to
extensive underground German tunnel systems that it was placed next to Y-Ravine,
looking across to the village. Upon reading this, we thought how important friends
would be on this day having been brought up in an isolated yet intertwined
community like Shetland.
Perhaps bumping into a fellow Shetlander in this hell
might have been of some comfort. Despite the
passage of 100 years and many changes, home would
have been as much a place to miss then as it is now;
perhaps more so. Their ties and love for their
community would have been strong. Words of "is doo
aright boy" and "I’m ower here we dee boy to look after
dee" came to our thoughts. To feel the past
imagination is essential. Yet, sometimes it is better to
have no imagination; or at least temper it with an iron
glove. The reality came once more, that we were in the
middle of the living furnace of 13 November 1916. The
very air thick with bullets, courage and dread. These
young Shetlanders faced this and spilled their blood on
this ground on which we were treading.
Words failed, and voices in the air haunted at every
turn. Any observation that we could muster could only
be left to the silent thoughts of imaginations. Like other
battlefields, there was an eerie calm. Yet the silence of
this place was deafening, with words jumping out at
every turn. It is now a sanctuary to visit in its own way.
Reverently we could grasp a little of the gross
destruction and waste; as was the case of so many of
the Great War Battles. Today there are many
memorials. However, sometimes, you visit a spot
where the past grabs you firmly by the throat. This
piece of Granite was such a spot. After pausing for
thought at the Memorial, our father laid a wreath with a
Shetland flag at this imposing structure. Our silence
was then broken by our guide reading out the words of
Robert Laurence Binyon:
They shall grow now old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them
On this raw October day, our own silence returned as
we paused and reflected. Our thoughts turned back to
our island home.
It was after the Battle of the Ancre that Shetlanders
were fully faced with the true reality of World War one,
with 15 Territorials, plus two others dead, and 22
wounded. That sadness and sense of loss must have
been felt throughout the Shetland community in
Christmas 1916. Family life, Christmas, and home
would never be the same again.
As stated by Thomas Manson, who himself lost his son Karl as part of the 1/4th
Seaforths at Arras a few months later in 1917, the list of casualties "came as a great
shock to Lerwick, where every one of the killed and wounded was intimately known".
The impact of the Battle of the Ancre was described by the Shetland News at the
end of November. It was a sober, yet understated, and - to others upon reflection perhaps a heartless image.
We are but a small community, and the killed are so well known to everyone that it
comes in the form of a personal loss. And, to many homes it means that all they
had in the form of earthly happiness has been laid on the altar of patriotism. To
them the keystone had dropped out of life.
After the battle, Andrew, father of William Sandison who described his experience of
the battle, wrote to his other son Christopher who had emigrated, mentioning that
"this last fight has been a sad one for Shetland as nearly 30 of the boys have been
killed and wounded. The Gordons as usual were in the thick of it. It has been an
anxious time ...".
The News went on to state that "Friday, the 24th will not be forgotten in Shetland for
many a long day. The post which was delivered that day brought the saddest tidings
which have ever come to the town. Swiftly it became known , as the dreaded news
leaked out and passed from lip to lip, that the Shetland Territorial’s had suffered very
heavily in the great Battle of the Ancre in France ...".
During the day, the news of casualties obtained by parents of soldiers concerned
"conveyed the first sad intelligence", but that "later in the day is was learned that
Provost Goodlad had received a letter from 2nd Lieutenant D Peterson containing a
list of eleven killed, eleven wounded and two missing. There were signs everywhere
of the shock the town had got, while many homes were plunged into mourning by the
sad news which it was the Provosts painful duty to break ...".
It further added that it was known that the
Shetland Gordons were on the Ancre, and
that "they would be in the big offensive, and
people, not only those who had sons or
brothers in France, but also those who had
not, were prepared for casualties".
The impact of this horrible wait for so many
was further described by how the
"intervening period" was an "anxious time for
many". When news eventually did come, the
effect that this had on the community as a
whole was also clearly detailed.
Along Commercial Street little groups of men, women and young people could be
seen talking, some anxiously, some expectantly, yet all seriously and
sympathetically. All were out to glean further news and gather fresh details: the
public anxiety was symbolic of the very deep personal interest which everyone in
Lerwick takes in the Shetland Territorials.
By Saturday and Sunday, many of the wounded given in Lieutenant Peterson's list
were identified. In this time of communication relying on post, each new post brought
the news of more deaths. People waited between the Friday and Tuesday for
another post. Such news from the front was displayed next to the Post Office outside
the old library. Telegrams were posted up on the board. Reflection of the sombre,
quiet, whispering sounds of Commercial Street over that few days were surely
tormenting.
Mothers and fathers lost sons, women lost husbands, girlfriends lost boyfriends.
Rather ominously, it was "feared" that there "may still be further casualties, but until
definite news comes it is impossible to estimate the toll which the great fight on the
Ancre has exacted from the ranks of the Shetlands Gordons". Tragically, the report
mentioned how the death roll contained the names of four only sons, which it stated
was "a very high percentage of the total". The death of an "only son", the paper
added, "leaves and everlasting blank and an irreplaceable loss".
On a slightly more positive note, it was further added that one young wounded
Lerwick boy "unwittingly betrayed fine British grit" when he remarked in his letter
home "We have roped in 4,000 prisoners when I left the trenches ... so I think we
can't grumble seeing that the attack was such a great success".
There was to be further emotion and angst in the harsh reality that so many would
not now be coming home.
Their home would remain in France, encapsulated in this moment of time. There are
three cemeteries in the Newfoundland Memorial Park - The Y-Ravine Cemetery,
Hunters Cemetery, and Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery. Hunter’s Cemetery is located
near to the 51st Highland Division Memorial, and is a very unusual cemetery design.
On our visit, this cemetery was being refurbished meticulously by the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Forty-six soldiers of the 51st Division who
fell during the taking of Beaumont Hamel were buried here in a large shell hole. This
is shown by how the headstones do not stand as grave markers, but are set into a
central wall around the Cross of Sacrifice. Those Shetlanders wounded at the Ancre
were taken to clearing stations. Those who died after are buried elsewhere. Those
who were killed outright, if they were fortunate to have a marked grave, were buried
in and around the battlefield.
As we left the Newfoundland Memorial Park of Beaumont Hamel, the atmosphere in
the car changed to quiet reflection. A little later we came to the Thiepval Memorial. It
is the largest British battle memorial in the world, and was inaugurated by the Prince
of Wales, later King Edward VIII on 1 August 1932. We were to find more
Shetlanders enshrined, among the 72,191 names on it, killed at the Ancre. The
Memorial also contains the names of those who were killed, of whom no remains
were found, during all the battles of the Somme, of which there were 13 and the
Ancre was just one.
Before walking up to the Memorial, there was a visitors' centre with adjacent shop.
An atmosphere of sobriety filled the air by Elgar's 'Nimrod' echoing from the four
walls of this building.
The sound of the composer's beautiful music reminded us that here was a place
pilgrimage for people from all over Britain over the years, who had come here to pay
homage to forefathers who lost their lives on the battles of the Somme. Thiepval is
the symbol of this. Each battle of the Somme clearly sectioned on the memorial, and
each regiment with its own panel on the walls. Despite there being no graves, their
spirits were evident on this grand memorial. As well as the Gordons noted last
month, there were seven Shetland Seaforths on the Thiepval Memorial. All were
killed during the summer Somme battles. They are Andrew Bryne, David Robertson,
Thomas Leask, John Morrison, John Peterson, Peter Peterson and Andrew
Williamson.
During World War One, the Anderson Educational Institute lost 49 former pupils
alone. Seven of those Territorials killed during the Battle of the Ancre were former
pupils. Two years later with the Armistice of 1918, Anderson High School Rector
Joseph Kirton was reflective on this loss. Former pupil John Johnston speaks about
this moment in the schools 100th Anniversary Centenary magazine. He mentions
how Mr Kirton was taking a History class.
Suddenly at 11am on that memorable day, there bust out a wild pealing of bells from
the Town Hall, and an ear splitting whistling and hooting from all the ships in the
harbour, signalling that at long last the wary 1914-18 war was over. A loud whisper
ran round the room, "The armistice! The armistice is signed!" Kirton rounded on the
class in anger. "Quiet, there!" he shouted, glaring at the whisperers. There followed
an immediate, almost shocked silence. To me he said gruffly, "Go on with your
translation, John".
However, the author goes on to mention that this 'stoic' man on prize–day at the
close of that academic year spoke so feelingly of the long roll of ex-pupils who had
died in the war. He had little use for heroics: he felt only the tragic waste of their
young lives. "However the public may see them", he said "they will always be for me
my boys", and then broke down, unable to speak from grief.
The names of the Anderson Educational Institute pupils killed during the Ancre are
listed in a memorial in the old building of the current School. This was unveiled on
the last Friday of term, June 1919. Today it is near a worn wooden balcony that
pupils from the past would have undoubtedly touched daily, as they still do today.
These Institute Gordons included David Anderson, George Groat, Laurence
Halcrow, William Johnstone, William Robertson, George Spence. Also included was
Joseph Anderson who was in the Sportsman's Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. The
ferocity of this impact upon our community can be gleaned by how, in comparison,
twelve of Aberdeen University's former students fell during the assault on Beaumont
Hamel. There is a fair difference in size between the Aberdeen and its university of
1916, and Lerwick and its Anderson Educational Institute of 1916. When the
memorial was unveiled, it was noted that "the pupils remained standing while Rev
Arch. Macintyre read out the list of gallant dead, and it was noticeable that not a few
tears were shed by several teachers and pupils as some well known and well loved
names were read". With the Anderson High School celebrating its 150th Anniversary
this autumn, this perhaps is an appropriate time to remember these boys.
As we departed these fields the sacrifice, had become more significant. This was a
long way from the troopship SS Cambria leaving Lerwick to sad - yet enthusiastic goodbyes, nineteen months before. The Ancre was to be the Territorials' biggest
loss. As the guns fell silent on 18 November 1916, the Gordons had played their part
in taking Beaumont-Hamel. Many Shetland Territorials died, never to return home.
Seven who died had originally enlisted for Imperial Service. Those that had not,
joined the rest at different stages throughout 1916.
After the Ancre, no longer were the Shetland Territorials an individual unit. Its men
were now integrated into the 1/4th Gordons and served the rest of the war within it,
or other Gordon Battalions. As we walked back to the car to leave, there was little
thought of mankind's ability to do good. It was only views of continual desire to inflict
pain and suffering on others. Yet, there was also a realisation of the strength of
human spirit and will to face and conquer the almightiest fears, and an overwhelming
gratitude that we were not born at such a time.
As the car doors shut, this part of the Territorials' story came to a close. A new
chapter was about to open in 1917. For the Shetland Territorials and Gordons, it was
to be only five months before they would endure further loss at Arras, then again at
Ypres and Cambrai. More names from the list were to disappear. The story for those
left, was to continue.
From Home: To the Men Who Fell at Beaumont Hamel
The pale sun woke in the eastern sky
And a veil of moist was drawn
Over the faces of death and fame
When you went up in the dawn.
With never a thought of death or fame,
Only the work to do,
When you went over the top, my friends,
And I not there with you.
The veil is rent with a rifle-flash
And shows me plain to see
Battle and bodies of men that lived
And fought along with me.
Oh God! It would not have been so hard
If I’d been in it too,
But you are lying stiff, my friends,
And I not there with you.
So here I sit in a pleasant room
By a comfortable fire,
With everything that a man could want,
But not the heart's desire.
So I sit thinking and dreaming still,
A dream that won’t come true,
Of you in the German trench, my friends,
And I not there with you.
Lieutenant E Alan Mackintosh, MC, 1893-191, Poet of Highland Division