9th (Scottish) Division

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9th (Scottish) Division
British 9th (Scottish) Division Insignia.png
Active 21 August 1914 – 16 March 1919
Country  United Kingdom
Branch  British Army
Type Infantry
Engagements World War I
Battle of Loos
Battle of the Somme
Capture of Longueval
Battle of Le Transloy
Battle of Arras (1917)
Third Battle of Ypres
Ludendorff Offensive
Battle of Messines
Battle of Bailleul
Battle of Kemmel Ridge
Battle of Scherpenberg
Battle of the Lys Salient
Fourth Battle of Ypres
Battle of Courtrai
Battle of Ooteghem

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:

26th Brigade
27th Brigade
28th Brigade

The 28th Brigade was broken up in May 1916 and replaced with 28th (South African) Brigade.

1st South African Brigade

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]

See also

References

  1. Transferred to 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division and amalgamated with 10th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders in May 1916
  2. 2.0 2.1 Transferred to 26th Brigade and replaced 8th Gordon Highlanders May, 1916. Transferred to 32nd Division in February 1918.
  3. Transferred to the 15th Division and amalgamated with 7th Battalion the Royal Scots Fusiliers in May 1916.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Transferred to 27th Brigade and replaced 6th Battalion The Royal Scots Fusiliers in May 1916.
  5. 5.0 5.1 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.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Amalgamated May 1916 and transferred to 15th Division.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Amalgamated into South African (Composite Regiment) April 1918 due to heavy casualties, Battalions reformed September 1918.
  8. Army Commands

External links

Further reading

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