HLI Chronicle 1914 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

150 HIGHI,AND LIGHT INFANTRY CHRONICLE.was when the British commanders were indoubt as to whether the Germans would makea~determined stand at the Aisne that PrivateCampbell was presented with his opportunity.At the request of his commanding officerhe went on "observation duty." The postwas an exposed one, right in the line of fire.He had not long taken: up his position whenshells began to burst all around him. Bulletswent whizzing over his head. He was struckinnumerable times by flying shrapnel, hisclothes being torn to shreds, but he seemed tobear a charmed life, as he was not seriouslyhurt. For three hours he remained cooland undaunted at his dangerous post.During this period he observed an envelopingmovement on the part of the enemy,which he conceived threatened one of ourbatteries. This information he transmittedto his officer. Reinforcements were pushedforward, and they arrived not a minute toosoon. In anticipating the enemy's movePrivate Campbell was the means of savingthe battery.When he came off duty his commandingofficer congratulated him on the magnificentway in which he had borne himself undermost trying circumstances, acknowledged thevalua ble service he had rendered, and assuredhim that his action would be brought underthe notice of the Commander-in-Chief.A week later Private Campbell was putout of action in a bayonet charge. Woundedin five places, he lay amongst the dead fromsix o'clock in the morning until two o'clockthe following afternoon.It was while lying in Stobhill Hospitalthat he learned of his name having beenmentioned in General French's despatch.­Glasgow Evening News, 7th November, 1914.3rd Battalion Notes.WHEN the scare of war fell upon us we, withthe 4th H.L.I., were encamped at Tintofor our annual training. The Scottish Rifles,who were out before us, had pinched the bestof the weather, for June was hot and sunny,but July and August were wet, cold, andwindy.After Germany and France had declaredwar we remained in suspense until wordcame (about midnight) that the Battalionswere to move into Hamilton at 9 a.m. in themorning. All the tents were struck, whenwe got a message to stand by. Then itrained-as it would do. However, we didmove about 11 a.m., entrained at Lanarkracecourse, and went into camp at the Ross,Colonel Aikman's place.On the 4th August we got the word"Mobilise," after which-a H nightmare."I can hardly call it anything else. Reservistscame in in large numbers-almost more thanwe could cope with. The food question wasparticularly difficult. The food was there,but, with the limited number of N.-C.O.'s,all with their own special job to do, I'm afraidsome had difficulty in getting their mealsbefore others had eaten it.However, everyone, I think, realised thestress, and took it well. We worked well uptill 11 o'clock at night. Great was the greetingof old friends. Everyone was eager to go out.And how great the change when a man discardedhis "civilians" for "khaki"! Hebecame a soldier at once. And it was wonderfulhow they all fell into the measured trampwhen once they got started for the station.We despatched to the 2nd Battalion some300 men on the 6th, and 400 on the 7th.How keen everyone was to be amongst thechosen!When the Adjutant once in a too audibl~voice said H We must have 20 more men"there was a general rush, which nearly trodunder foot the aforesaid Officer and othersstanding with him.