9th (Scottish) Division
| 9th (Scottish) Division | |
|---|---|
_Division_Insignia.png) | |
| Active | 21 August 1914 – 16 March 1919 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch |
 British Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Engagements |
|
The 9th (Scottish) Division, was one of the Kitchener's Army divisions raised from volunteers by Lord Kitchener to serve on the Western Front during the First World War.
After the 1st South African Infantry Brigade Group joined in early 1916, the division was known colloquially as the Jock and Springboks.
Unit history
In the Battle of Loos, notable for being the first battle in which British forces used poison gas, the 9th (Scottish) Division assaulted the Hohenzollern Redoubt, the 5th Camerons suffered horrific casualties, and Corporal James Dalgleish Pollock gained a Victoria Cross for his actions.
The 9th (Scottish) Division took part in major fighting during the Somme offensive. Notably it relieved the 30th Division at Montauban and later attacked German positions at Bernafay Wood, where it succeeded in capturing vital objectives and forcing a German withdrawal. In the Somme offensive, the 9th (Scottish) Division liberated the village of Longueval, the village now has a statue of a Scottish piper at its crossroads that commemorates this fact and also other pipers who served in World War I.
Formation
The division comprised the following brigades:
- 8th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
- 7th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's)
- 8th Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders[1]
- 5th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
- 10th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders[2]
- 11th Battalion, Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
- 12th Battalion, Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
- 6th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers[3]
- 10th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders[2]
- 6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers[4]
- 9th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)[5]
The 28th Brigade was broken up in May 1916 and replaced with 28th (South African) Brigade.
- 6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers[4]
- 9th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)[5]
- 10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry[6]
- 11th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry[6]
- 1st Battalion, Royal Newfoundland Regiment September 1918 - March 1919
Replaced 28th Brigade in May 1916.
- 1st Battalion, South African Infantry[7]
- 2nd Battalion, South African Infantry[7]
- 3rd Battalion, South African Infantry
- 4th Battalion, South African Infantry[7]
- Pioneers
- 9th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (Rosshire Buffs, The Duke of St. Albany's)
General Officers Commanding
Commanders have included:[8]
- 27 August 1914 – 11 October 1914 Major-General Colin Mackenzie
- 26 October 1914 – 31 December 1914 Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Fergusson
- 21 January 1915 – 8 September 1915 Major-General Herman Landon
- 8–26 September 1915 Major-General George Thesiger
- 28 September 1915 – 2 December 1916 Major-General William Furse
- 2 December 1916 – 4 March 1918 Major-General Henry Lukin
- 13–16 March 1918 Major-General Cyril Blacklock
- 28 March 1918–1919 Major-General Hugh Tudor
See also
- List of British divisions in World War I
- British 9th (Highland) Infantry Division (for World War II)
References
- ↑ Transferred to 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division and amalgamated with 10th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders in May 1916
- 1 2 Transferred to 26th Brigade and replaced 8th Gordon Highlanders May, 1916. Transferred to 32nd Division in February 1918.
- ↑ Transferred to the 15th Division and amalgamated with 7th Battalion the Royal Scots Fusiliers in May 1916.
- 1 2 Transferred to 27th Brigade and replaced 6th Battalion The Royal Scots Fusiliers in May 1916.
- 1 2 Transferred to 27th Brigade and replaced 10th Battalion Princess Louise's in May 1916. Transferred to 14th Division in February, 1918, rejoined 9th Division, 28th Brigade April 1918.
- 1 2 Amalgamated May 1916 and transferred to 15th Division.
- 1 2 3 Amalgamated into South African (Composite Regiment) April 1918 due to heavy casualties, Battalions reformed September 1918.
- ↑ Army Commands
External links
Further reading
- Ewing, J. (2001) [1921]. The History of the Ninth (Scottish) Division 1914–1919 (Naval & Military Press ed.). London: John Murray. ISBN 1-84342-190-9. Retrieved 31 December 2014.