SEAFORTH AND CAMERONS IN WWI

(1914 – 1918)

SEAFORTH AND CAMERONS IN WWI

(1914 – 1918)

THE REGIMENTS IN WWI…

THE REGIMENTS IN WWI…

Between the Seaforth, Camerons, Lovat Scouts, and Liverpool Scottish, there were over forty battalions across the Regular Army, Territorial Force, and New Army that were ready to fight at the start of WWI. This page will only cover the Regular Army, encompassing the 1st and 2nd Seaforths and Camerons; access more information about the other battalions here: Seaforth or Camerons

At the outbreak of the War, the 1st Seaforths were stationed in Agra, India; alongside battalions of the Indian Corps, they arrived in France in October 1914. A year later, the battalion moved to Mesopotamia (Iraq), and from January 1918, fought in Egypt and Palestine until the end of the War. The 2nd Seaforth had a very different experience – arriving in France on 23rd August 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force, they fought through some of the most well-known and exceptionally bloody battles on the Western Front.

The 1st Camerons left for France on 12th August 1914 and fought on the front line for the duration of the War. Having been stationed in India, the 2nd Camerons arrived in December 1914; having fought at the Battle of Ypres, they moved out to Eastern Europe and fought in Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece, and Georgia.

Between the Seaforth, Camerons, Lovat Scouts, and Liverpool Scottish, there were over forty battalions across the Regular Army, Territorial Force, and New Army that were ready to fight at the start of WWI. This page will only cover the Regular Army, encompassing the 1st and 2nd Seaforths and Camerons; access more information about the other battalions here: Seaforth or Camerons

At the outbreak of the War, the 1st Seaforths were stationed in Agra, India; alongside battalions of the Indian Corps, they arrived in France in October 1914. A year later, the battalion moved to Mesopotamia (Iraq), and from January 1918, fought in Egypt and Palestine until the end of the War. The 2nd Seaforth had a very different experience – arriving in France on 23rd August 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force, they fought through some of the most well-known and exceptionally bloody battles on the Western Front.

The 1st Camerons left for France on 12th August 1914 and fought on the front line for the duration of the War. Having been stationed in India, the 2nd Camerons arrived in December 1914; having fought at the Battle of Ypres, they moved out to Eastern Europe and fought in Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece, and Georgia.

KEY BATTLES…

KEY BATTLES…

1ST SEAFORTH BATTLES

Battle of La Bassee; France, 1914

Battle of Armentieres; France, 1914

The First Battle of Messines; Belgium, 1914

The Siege of Kut; 1914-1915, Iraq

Battle of Loos; France, 1915

Battle of Dujaila; Iraq, 1915

Battles of Sheikh Sa’ad, Wadi, and Umm-el-Hanna; Iraq, 1916

The Capture of Baghdad; Iraq, 1917

Battle of Beit Lid; Palestine, 1918

The Battle of Megidd; Palestine, 1918

2ND SEAFORTH BATTLES

Battle of Le Cateau; France, 1914

First Battle of the Marne; France, 1914

First Battle of the Aisne; France, 1914

Second Battle of Ypres; France, 1915

Battle of the Somme; France, 1916

First Battle of Passchendaele; Belgium, 1917

Battle of Messines; Belgium, 1917

1ST CAMERON BATTLES

Battle of Mons; France, 1914

Battle of the Marne; France, 1914

Battle of the Aisne; France, 1914

First Battle of Ypres; France, 1914

Battle of Aubers; France, 1915

Battle of Loos; France, 1915

Battle of the Somme; France, 1916

Second Battle of Passchendaele; Belgium, 1917

Battle of the Lys; France, 1918

2ND CAMERON BATTLES

Second Battle of Ypres; France, 1915

Capture of Karajakois and Yenikoi; Greece, 1916

Battle of Tumbitza Farm; Macedonia, 1916

Capture of Homondos; Greece, 1917

Capture of the Roche Noir Salient; Macedonia, 1918

1ST SEAFORTH BATTLES

Battle of La Bassee; France, 1914

Battle of Armentieres; France, 1914

The First Battle of Messines; Belgium, 1914

The Siege of Kut; 1914-1915, Iraq

Battle of Loos; France, 1915

Battle of Dujaila; Iraq, 1915

Battles of Sheikh Sa’ad, Wadi, and Umm-el-Hanna; Iraq, 1916

The Capture of Baghdad; Iraq, 1917

Battle of Beit Lid; Palestine, 1918

The Battle of Megidd; Palestine, 1918

2ND SEAFORTH BATTLES

Battle of Le Cateau; France, 1914

First Battle of the Marne; France, 1914

First Battle of the Aisne; France, 1914

Second Battle of Ypres; France, 1915

Battle of the Somme; France, 1916

First Battle of Passchendaele; Belgium, 1917

Battle of Messines; Belgium, 1917

1ST CAMERON BATTLES

Battle of Mons; France, 1914

Battle of the Marne; France, 1914

Battle of the Aisne; France, 1914

First Battle of Ypres; France, 1914

Battle of Aubers; France, 1915

Battle of Loos; France, 1915

Battle of the Somme; France, 1916

Second Battle of Passchendaele; Belgium, 1917

Battle of the Lys; France, 1918

2ND CAMERON BATTLES

Second Battle of Ypres; France, 1915

Capture of Karajakois and Yenikoi; Greece, 1916

Battle of Tumbitza Farm; Macedonia, 1916

Capture of Homondos; Greece, 1917

Capture of the Roche Noir Salient; Macedonia, 1918

BATTLE HONOURS & AWARDS…

BATTLE HONOURS & AWARDS…

VICTORIA CROSSES

Throughout WWI, the Seaforth and Camerons won a combined total of 112 Battle Honours and ten Victoria Crosses. The Victoria Cross recipients were: Sidney Ware 1st Seaforth, Walter Ritchie 2nd Seaforth, Thomas Steele 1st Seaforth, Donald MacKintosh 2nd Seaforth, Alexander Edwards 6th Seaforth, Robert McBeath 5th Seaforth, John Meikle 4th Seaforth, Angus Douglas-Hamilton 6th Cameron, James Dalgleish Pollock 5th Cameron, and Ross Tollerton 1st Cameron.

SEAFORTH BATTLE HONOURS

Le Cateau

Retreat from Mons

Marne 1914 ’18

Aisne 1914

La Bassée 1914

Armentières 1914

Festubert 1914 ’15

Givenchy 1914

Neuve Chapelle

Ypres 1915 ’17 ’18

St. Julien

Frezenberg

Bellewaarde

Aubers

Loos

Somme 1916 ’18

Albert 1916

Bazentin

Delville Wood

Pozières

Flers-Courcelette

Le Transloy

Ancre Heights

Ancre 1916

Arras 1917 ’18

Vimy 1917

Scarpe 1917 ’18

Arleux

Pilckem

Menin Road

Polygon Wood

Broodseinde

Poelcapelle

Passchendaele

Cambrai 1917 ’18

St. Quentin

Bapaume 1918

Lys

Estaires

Messines 1918

Hazebrouck

Bailleul

Kemmel

Béthune

Soissonnais-Ourcq

Tardenois

Drocourt-Quéant

Hindenburg Line

Courtrai

Selle

Valenciennes

France and Flanders 1914–18

Macedonia 1917–18

Megiddo

Sharon

Palestine 1918

Tigris 1916

Kut al Amara 1917

Baghdad

Mesopotamia 1915-18

CAMERON BATTLE HONOURS

Retreat from Mons

Marne 1914 ’18

Aisne 1914

Ypres 1914 ’15 ’17 ’18

Langemarck 1914

Gheluvelt

Nonne Bosschen

Givenchy 1914

Neuve Chapelle

Hill 60

Gravenstafel

St. Julien

Frezenberg

Bellewaarde

Aubers

Festubert 1915

Loos

Somme 1916 ’18

Albert 1916

Bazentin

Delville Wood

Pozières

Flers-Courcelette

Morval

Le Transloy

Ancre Heights

Arras 1917 ’18

Scarpe 1917

Arleux

Pilckem

Menin Road

Polygon Wood

Poelcappelle

Passchendaele

St. Quentin

Bapaume 1918

Lys

Estaires

Messines 1918

Kemmel

Béthune

Soissonnais-Ourcq

Drocourt-Quéant

Hindenburg Line

Épéhy

St. Quentin Canal

Courtrai

Selle

Sambre

France and Flanders 1914–18

Struma

Macedonia 1915-18

VICTORIA CROSSES

Throughout WWI, the Seaforth and Camerons won a combined total of 112 Battle Honours and ten Victoria Crosses. The Victoria Cross recipients were: Sidney Ware 1st Seaforth, Walter Ritchie 2nd Seaforth, Thomas Steele 1st Seaforth, Donald MacKintosh 2nd Seaforth, Alexander Edwards 6th Seaforth, Robert McBeath 5th Seaforth, John Meikle 4th Seaforth, Angus Douglas-Hamilton 6th Cameron, James Dalgleish Pollock 5th Cameron, and Ross Tollerton 1st Cameron.

SEAFORTH BATTLE HONOURS

Le Cateau

Retreat from Mons

Marne 1914 ’18

Aisne 1914

La Bassée 1914

Armentières 1914

Festubert 1914 ’15

Givenchy 1914

Neuve Chapelle

Ypres 1915 ’17 ’18

St. Julien

Frezenberg

Bellewaarde

Aubers

Loos

Somme 1916 ’18

Albert 1916

Bazentin

Delville Wood

Pozières

Flers-Courcelette

Le Transloy

Ancre Heights

Ancre 1916

Arras 1917 ’18

Vimy 1917

Scarpe 1917 ’18

Arleux

Pilckem

Menin Road

Polygon Wood

Broodseinde

Poelcapelle

Passchendaele

Cambrai 1917 ’18

St. Quentin

Bapaume 1918

Lys

Estaires

Messines 1918

Hazebrouck

Bailleul

Kemmel

Béthune

Soissonnais-Ourcq

Tardenois

Drocourt-Quéant

Hindenburg Line

Courtrai

Selle

Valenciennes

France and Flanders 1914–18

Macedonia 1917–18

Megiddo

Sharon

Palestine 1918

Tigris 1916

Kut al Amara 1917

Baghdad

Mesopotamia 1915-18

CAMERON BATTLE HONOURS

Retreat from Mons

Marne 1914 ’18

Aisne 1914

Ypres 1914 ’15 ’17 ’18

Langemarck 1914

Gheluvelt

Nonne Bosschen

Givenchy 1914

Neuve Chapelle

Hill 60

Gravenstafel

St. Julien

Frezenberg

Bellewaarde

Aubers

Festubert 1915

Loos

Somme 1916 ’18

Albert 1916

Bazentin

Delville Wood

Pozières

Flers-Courcelette

Morval

Le Transloy

Ancre Heights

Arras 1917 ’18

Scarpe 1917

Arleux

Pilckem

Menin Road

Polygon Wood

Poelcappelle

Passchendaele

St. Quentin

Bapaume 1918

Lys

Estaires

Messines 1918

Kemmel

Béthune

Soissonnais-Ourcq

Drocourt-Quéant

Hindenburg Line

Épéhy

St. Quentin Canal

Courtrai

Selle

Sambre

France and Flanders 1914–18

Struma

Macedonia 1915-18

INSIDE THE MUSEUM…

INSIDE THE MUSEUM…

From a notebook of poems to a mud-stained kilt worn at the Battle of Aisne, to Victoria Crosses, postcards, shell fragments, medals, and uniforms; The Highlanders’ Museum collection offers an insight into the lived experiences of Seaforths and Camerons during the Great War. The objects act as a window into the experiences of these individuals, and continue to commemorate their sacrifice.

A particularly touching object in the collection is the diary of Lieutenant Quarter Master D. Munro, 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlander. At around 10cm tall, the writing in this miniature diary is exceptionally small, and therefore rather hard to read. The open page is dated 8th October 1914, when Munro would have been fighting at the Battle of Armentières.  

Mini diary October 1914
From a notebook of poems to a mud-stained kilt worn at the Battle of Aisne, to Victoria Crosses, postcards, shell fragments, medals, and uniforms; The Highlanders’ Museum collection offers an insight into the lived experiences of Seaforths and Camerons during the Great War. The objects act as a window into the experiences of these individuals, and continue to commemorate their sacrifice.

A particularly touching object in the collection is the diary of Lieutenant Quarter Master D. Munro, 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlander. At around 10cm tall, the writing in this miniature diary is exceptionally small, and therefore rather hard to read. The open page is dated 8th October 1914, when Munro would have been fighting at the Battle of Armentières.  

Mini diary October 1914
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