HLI Chronicle 1915 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

116 HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY CHRONICLE.
1St Battalion News.
IN the last issue of the "Ohronicle" the
record of the 1st Battalion was brought up to
April 30th,. when they were at St. Jean.
At 2-50 p.m. on May 1st the Sirhind Brigade
attacked in support of the French ~:[oroccan
Brigade. The Battalion formed the right
support battalion of the Brigade, which
attacked in two lines ­ 1/1 Gurkhas and 1/4
Gurkhas in the first line, 4th King's and 1st
H.L.I. in the second line, in above order from
left to right. The centre of the Brigade was
directed along the Ypres-Langmarck road, as
the final objective was the German trenches
on Hill 29.
Under cover of our artillery fire the Brigade
covered the ground as far as the line held by
. the 12th Brigade, which was at this point
about 250 yards from the enemy. The German
wire was found to be intact, with a considerable
glacis to be surmounted from this point. As
the French showed no signt of pressing their
attack, the Brigadier ordered a withdrawal
under cover of darkness. This was accordingly
carried out, and about midnight the battalion
marched by a circuitous route round Ypres to
Ouderdon huts, a total distance of about 12
miles, under desultory shell fire until clear of
• Ypres about 4 a.m., reaching Ouderdon about
7a.m. on ::\'lay 2nd. Their casualties were·;­
2nd Lieut. T. L. MacIntosh (Indian Army,
attached) killed, 2nd Lieut. O. P. Johnstone
(3rd Batt.) wounded, 69 rank and file killed
and wounded, 41 missing. The total casualties
of the Battalion for the period 25th April
to 1st May were ;-Killed, 2 officers and 30
other ranks; wounded, 3 officers and 195 other
ranks-a total casualty list of 230 of all ranks.
It is to be noted that this shows an extraordinary
low percentage of killed to wounded, and
that most of the casualties were due to shell
fire.
On May 3rd the Battalion marched to
billets near Meteren. On the 4th they
marched to Oalonne, and on the 6th to
L'Epinette. Here on the 8th they were
inspected by ::\'lajor-General Keary, O.B.,
Oommanding the Lahore Division, who complimented
the Regiment on their behaviour at
Ypres and read the following order ;­
"FROM THE G.O.O. 2ND ARMY TO THE
G.O.O. LAHORE DIVISION.
" Having read the very complete and excellent
report on the work of the Lahore Division in
the heavy fighting near Ypres on the 26th
and 27th April, 1915, the Oommander of the
2nd Army is confirmed in the views he formed
at the time that the Division had been handled
with great skill and determination by Major-
Gen. Keary. .
" Sir Horace Smith-Dorien fully realises the
disadvantages under which the attack was
made-insufficient artillery preparation on
our side and an open glacis-like slope to advance
over in face of overwhelming shell, rifle, and
machine-gun fire, and the employment of
poisonous gases on the enemy's side and
that in spite of these disadvantages the troops,
although only partially successful in wrenching
ground from the enemy, effectually prevented
his further advance, and thus ensured the
safety of the town of Ypres.
"Sir Horace, whilst deploring the heavy
casualties, wishes to thank the Divisional
General, Brigadiers, Oommanding Officers, and
all ranks of the several arms employed, for the
great service they performed for the 2nd Army
on these eventful days.
" In this respect he would especially mention
the following :-1st Battalion Highland Light
Infantry" (and six other regiments).
On May 9th the Battalion marched to
Landsdown Post in support of the Bareilly
Brigade, but, their services not being required,
marched back to earthw.orks near Oroix Barbe
after dusk. Here they remained in reserve
during the 10th and 11th, and on the latter
date proceeded to L'Epinette, where they
remained till the 15th. On the 14th a draft
of 127 rank and file arrived; at 8 p.m. on the
15th the Battalion marched to assembly
trenches north of Rue du Bois, in readiness to
attack in the direction of La Tourelle cross­