HLI Chronicle 1907 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

148 HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY CHRONICLE.
I
'Sorry plight on the top of the hill. lIe was
chilled to the bone; his hair was all on end;
he had no skin on his heels, and no warm
air in his body. We had a long advance, and
about 10.30 the enemy began to disclose their
position as their guns opened fire at us at
about 4000 yards range. The Regiment
made a fine advance, especially after this
awful long wait on the hill. After our long
day yesterday and only three hours' sleep, it
was a great effort. About twelve o'clock
Lieut. Thackeray, who was on our left flank,
was charged by a squadron of the 18th Hussars.
-On realising the situation he took a pull at
his Thermos flask, and shouted" Cavalry from
the left"; but by this time his Half-Company
had not appreciated the. situation, and they
,died to a man, fighting hard. At this period
our Adjutant lost his horse, and, as far as we
know, it is still on the Ochil Hills. The
4lring line was halted to allow our second in
command to cut down a wire fence, as he had
no greatcoat to put over the fence, or he
might have mounted his charger and jumped
it. We eventually advanced, and came to a
burn. Every man was drenched, but ,no one
felt inclined to step into it. As it was only
a foot deep, the Colour-Sergeants shoved the
men into it. One ml\.n sank by the weight of
his rifle and boots, ~lld the only thing to be seen
on the top of ,the water was his cap. At one