By Colonel J. W. SANDILANDS C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., and Lieut. Colonel NORMAN MACLEOD C.M.G., D.S.O. STIRLING: ENEAS MACKAY, MURRAY PLACE, 1922 Dedicated to The Mothers of our gallant comrades in the 7th Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders who gave their lives for their country and the honour of their regiment...

By Divisional Commanders. Having commanded the 15th (Scottish) Division for two years and a quarter, I have followed with deep interest this history of the 7th Cameron Highlanders. I am convinced that all who read of the gallant deeds performed by this Battalion, in company with the other Battalions of the 15th (Scottish) Division, in the service of their King and Country, will be stirred with an intense feeling of pride in the achievements of their countrymen recorded in this little book. The B

Soon after the outbreak of the Great War, Colonel D. W. Cameron of Lochiel received permission to raise Service Battalions of the Cameron Highlanders under Lord Kitchener's New Army Scheme. He proceeded at once to Scotland, and at meetings in Glasgow and Inverness stirring appeals for recruits for the new Battalions were made. These appeals met with so enthusiastic a response that within a week or two the 5th and 6th Battalions were raised, and recruiting for the 7th Battalion was in full swing.

On the 21st we again went into the trenches, taking over the Grenay-Vermelles line, preparatory to the Battle of Loos. Shelling had now become intense, the bombardment being in full swing. Before going into the line the fact that the attack was going to take place was kept most secret, nobody below the rank of Company Commander being informed of the project. We were, therefore, somewhat surprised to learn, on getting into the line, that the Germans knew all about it. In fact we were told by thos

On the 26th April the Battalion returned to the trenches under the command of Major T. L. Cunningham, relieving the 7th Royal Sussex Regiment in the Quarry Sector. By this time the mining operations had made the front line into a series of craters, and the shelling of the enemy had become increasingly severe. The following day the R.E. blew up the right leg of "Hairpin." We lost several men in the bombardment which followed, the usual practice after exploding a mine being that the enemy would st

We now received definite orders that we were to leave the area and to move in a southerly direction. We were not told where we were going, but as we knew the Battle of the Somme had started, it was not difficult to guess. The only point which might have raised any doubt in our minds was the fact that the men had been worked almost to a standstill in the sector which we were leaving, and they had been encouraged to do so by being informed on more than one occasion by the Higher Command that this

Our rest was not for long, however, as we started once more to move north on the 15th February, leaving the Somme area for good. All will look back upon the Somme as a sort of horrible nightmare of mud and water, of scarcity of fresh meat rations, fuel, etc., of long and weary marches up to Le Sars and back again to the camps in "Scots Redoubt" and Metz Wood, where the conditions were almost as bad as in the front line. Not a place where the men could be entertained, not a Y.M.C.A. or other hut

On 29th April, 1917, the Battalion moved out of Arras to Semincourt, via Rues St. Aubert, Denvielle, and Bernville. Here training was carried out until the 8th, when the Battalion moved to Grande Rullecourt. On the 21st May the 15th Division were transferred to the 19th Corps, and moved to Vacqueril. On the 22nd they again moved to St. Georges via Conchy and Wail. On the 6th instant, Lieut.-Colonel Crichton officially relinquished command of the Battalion, which was taken over by Major MacLeod,

By the end of December, 1917, rumours began to circulate regarding a great German offensive. Everyone had to sleep with their clothes on, all troops, even in the reserve billets in Arras, had to "stand to" before sun rise every morning until orders to "stand down" were received from Brigade. Sleeping in your clothes is never comfortable or refreshing. Practically every night large working parties had to be sent up to the trenches, often not returning till the early hours, so that shortly after t

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

The 6th Battalion remained in the Arras sector till the beginning of July, when we were at last taken out of the line. We moved back, and it was believed that we were going to have that long rest which we so much deserved, and to which we had been looking forward ever since we arrived in France. We had been in the fighting area practically since the end of the previous year, a period of about seven months, which included heavy fighting. We were certain that we were in for a long rest when we ent

The 6th Battalion was one of the Battalions chosen to represent the 15th Division in the march past before the King of the Belgians and the Duke of York—the Earl of Inverness—in Brussels. We were the guests of the town of Brussels for the three days we were there, and everyone enjoyed their visit. The men were billeted in good houses, and both they and the officers thoroughly enjoyed the theatres and dancing halls. Their behaviour was exemplary, and when the Battalion "fell in" to march home the

Anderson, D. 2nd Lieut., posted 4/12/15, a/Captain 21/10/16, transferred T.M.'s 5/2/16, killed April, 1917. Anderson, R. R. 2nd Lieut., posted 8/2/15, Lieut. 18/10/15, England for course 27/6/16, mentioned in Dispatches, M.C. Anderson, J. W. 2nd Lieut., posted 12/5/16, killed 17/8/16. Austin, P. 2nd Lieut., posted 20/9/17, M.C., H.Q. "works" Officer. Aitkenhead, J. Lieut. and Q.M., posted 24/2/18. Barron, J. Captain, posted 28/9/14, Major 25/1/15, missing 25/9/15, prisoner died of wounds. Buchan