With a Highland Regiment in Mesopotamia 1916—1917   By: Anonymous

WITH A HIGHLAND

REGIMENT IN MESOPOTAMIA

[Illustration: General Sir Stanley Maude And His Staff, Baghdad, 1917. Frontispiece. ]

WITH A HIGHLAND REGIMENT IN MESOPOTAMIA

1916 1917

BY ONE OF ITS OFFICERS

BOMBAY THE TIMES PRESS 1918

TO THE CHILDREN OF THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE REGIMENT

BRIEFLY DESCRIBING THE DOINGS OF THE 2ND BATTALION IN MESOPOTAMIA WRITTEN SO THAT THEY MAY NOT FORGET THE HARDSHIPS ENDURED AND THE SACRIFICES WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE ON THEIR BEHALF 1916 1917.

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

In writing this short account of the 2nd Battalion in Mesopotamia, my aim has not been to write a military history of all that was achieved; that will be the task of some one more competent to judge of merits and demerits than myself. My object has been to give an account in simple language of the two years spent by the Battalion in the Iraq, so that the children of the men of the regiment may know of the brave deeds and the hardships cheerfully borne on their behalf.

Two articles describing our last two battles are here reprinted with the permission of Brigadier General A. G. Wauchope, from whom I have also received many details of our earlier fights, and I am also indebted for information to Captains J. Macqueen, W. E. Blair, W. A. Young, Sergeant Major W. S. Clark, and other officers of the Battalion.

MESOPOTAMIA, October, 1917.

Telegram from

HIS MAJESTY THE KING.

Received by Colonel A. G. WAUCHOPE, D.S.O., Commanding, 2nd Battalion January 1917.

I thank you, Officers, Non Commissioned Officers and men, for the card of New Year's greetings.

I have followed the work of the Battalion with great interest. I know how well all ranks have done, what they have suffered, and that they will ever maintain the glorious tradition of the Regiment.

GEORGE, R.I., Colonel in Chief .

Order by G. O. C., Division.

I cannot speak too highly of the splendid gallantry of the Highlanders, aided by a party of the Jats, in storming the Turkish Trenches.

Their noble achievement is one of the highest.

They showed qualities of endurance and courage under circumstances so adverse, as to be almost phenomenal.

SIR GEORGE YOUNGHUSBAND, Commanding Division.

After the action fought on the 21st January 1916 on the Tigris the above was published.

Letter to O. C. 2nd Battalion .

Tell the men of your battalion that they have given, in the advance to the relief of Kut, brilliant examples of cool courage, and hard and determined fighting which could not be surpassed.

SIR PERCY LAKE, Commanding the Army in Mesopotamia. July, 1916.

General Munro, C. in C, Indian Army, addressing the Regiment, Tigris Front October 1916.

Your reputation is well known, I need say nothing more.

To the Regiment.

From Sir Stanley Maude, Army Commander March 1917.