A HISTORY OF THE 4/5TH BATTALION BLACK WATCH 1916-1918


CHAPTER 1 FORMATION

The 4/5th battalion of the Black Watch was a territorial composite battalion formed on March 7th 1916 at La Belle Hotesse in France by amalgamating the 4th(City of Dundee) Territorial Battalion with the 5th (County of Angus and Dundee) Territorial Battalion. Official approval for the joining was received on March 15th 1916. This was one of many mergers that took place at this time following the costly actions of 1915 and the difficulty of recruiting in order to keep these units at full strength solely from their home area.

The 4th battalion was unique in that it was a territorial battalion drawing its recruits from the city of Dundee paralleling the many "Pals" battalions which had been created in Kitchener's New Army. At the beginning of the War in August 1914 it took barely two weeks for the volunteers to bring the battalion up to its full strength. The recruits included a contingent from the "Dundee Advertiser" the so called "Writers and Fighters too" of which William Linton Andrews and Joseph Lee were members. A second battalion was raised by October 1914.

After a very brief period of training and guarding the coast and Tay Bridge the 4th battalion landed in France in February 1915. Throughout 1915 action was seen at Neuve Chapelle, Aubers Ridge, and Loos before going into reserve at Allouagne with the 15th(Scottish Division) in December 1915.

The 5th Battalion recruited in the county of Angus with centres at Kirriemuir, Forfar, Montrose, Brechin, Arbroath and Dundee. Between 28th July and 2nd August the battalion was at its annual summer camp at Monzie near Crieff. Mobilisation orders were received on August 4th and the men reported for duty accordingly. By September enough had enlisted for a reserve second battalion to have been formed.

The 1/5th arrived in France on 2nd November 1914. As with the 4th battalion the 5th had also been involved at Neuve Chapelle, Aubers Ridge, and Loos during 1915. In January 1916 they were at Steenbecque with the 8th Division. It was now that the paths of the two battalions became intertwined.

Both joined 154 Brigade of the 51st(Highland) Division north of Amiens and were then moved by train to St. Omer. A final march of 10km saw the 4th and 5th at Renescure on february 25th 1916. This march was a particularly trying one taking place in blizzard conditions. The wintry conditions were due to continue with snow, hail and heavy rain leading to waterlogging of the land which in turn made field work impracticable. The 4/5th were due to become a part of 118 Brigade of the 39th Division which was one of the last New Army Divisions to be sent to France in March 1916.

The Divisional Commander was Major General Barnardiston. 118 Brigade Commander Brigadier Bromilow had left Witley on 23/2/16 and disembarked at Le Havre 24/2/16 with his staff. On 29/2/16 they took over five battalions at Renescure viz 4th BW, 5th BW, 1/6 Cheshires, 1/1 Cambridgeshires and 1/1 Herts. 118 Brigade had been formed from territorial units with one years service on the western front so as to "stiffen" the Division.

At La Belle Hotesse the new battalion paraded for the first time on March 13th. "A" and "B" Coys were formed from the 4th battalion and "C" and "D" Coys from the 5th. The Commanding Officer was Lt. Col G. A McL. Sceales D. S. O of the Argylls who had commanded the 1/4 since 7/11/15. From the 4th there were 22 officers and 545 Other Ranks and from the 5th 15 Officers and 506 OR's. This was a total strength of 37 Officers and 1051 OR's. Next day the battalion was inspected by the G. O. C 39th Division and on 15/3/16 by the 1st Army Commander General Sir Charles Monro.

Both the composite battalion and the base details were billeted at la Belle Hotesse from 15th-22nd March. Then on the 22nd the two split with the composite battalion going by route march to No. 2 camp whilst the base details went to 39th Infantry base at Etaples. Marching conditions were unfavourable with the wet and snowy weather returning after a brief spell of Spring like warmth.

Perhaps the feelings of both battalions were summed up by William Linton Andrews: "We were by no means pleased at the prospect of amalgamation with the 5th. Actually we of the 4th and 5th became very happy together and made an exceedingly good battalion known as the 4/5th. "Certainly different emotions had been stirred when the new Divisional C. O had spoken of keeping up the traditions of the division (!) and how it had detrained in record time(!!).

One week was spent at Caudescure nr Merville from March 24th devoted to organising the new battalion. The necessary company adjustments were hampered by an outbreak of scabies - a contagious skin disease caused by the mite Sarcoptes Scaboi and characterised by intense itching and inflammation. Scabies has been described as "one of the minor curses of the war" and was of sufficient importance that each field hospital would have a scabies ward.

Scabies cases were usually isolated and were treated through hot baths - the supply of hot water being a problem in itself - and ointment. There were usually enough patients to make their treatment an all day job. In addition blankets would have to be disinfected.

The 4/5th had to hand in all blankets but one causing a further problem as it was intensely cold at the time. The cold was a problem for wearers of the kilt as it would freeze and then chap and cut the knees of the small and wiry Scotsmen. Whilst at Caudescure the weather improved allowing training to resume fully with special attention given to bayonet fighting and a demonstration of Flammenwerfer.

on April 1st the battalion of 37 officers and 1002 men moved to Riez Bailleul nr La Gorgue and went into the front line on April 4th relieving 1/6 Cheshiresin the Moated Grange sector of X1 Corps - the front line and posts La Fone, Tilleloy South, O Pump House with HQ at Ebenezer Farm and the Depot at Riez Bailleul.

ORIGINAL LIST OF OFFICERS MARCH 16TH 1916  
COMMANDING OFFICER LT/COL G A McL SCEALES 1ST/4TH
2ND IN COMMAND MAJOR J B MUIR 1ST/4TH
ADJUTANT CAPTAIN J KENNEDY 1ST/5TH
BOMBING OFFICER LT. G H SCRATTON IST/4TH
MEDICAL OFFICER MAJOR J S Y ROGERS 1ST/4TH
TRANSPORT OFFICER 2ND LT I S PATTERSON 1ST/5TH
QUARTER MASTER HON.LT&Q.MASTER McLACHLAN 1ST/4TH
BRIGADE STAFF 2ND LT J L BERRY 1ST/4TH
LEWIS GUN OFFICER LT A J STEWART 1ST/4TH
INTELLIGENCE OFFICER LT R F CURREY 1ST/4TH
BRIGADE TRENCH MORTAR 2ND LT J D S MENZIES 1ST/4TH
CHAPLAIN REV. E J HAGAN  
A COMPANY CAPTAIN R C CUNNINGHAM 1ST/4TH
  LT F H H BUCHANAN 1ST/4TH
  LT R A PLIMPTON 1ST/4TH
  LT E C OSBORNE 1ST/4TH
  LT W F WILKIE 1ST/4TH
  LT W B DUNCAN 1ST/4TH
  2ND LT C M GIBSON 1ST 4TH
B COMPANY CAPTAIN T STEVENSON 1ST/4TH
  CAPTAIN L WATT 1ST/4TH
  LT W S ROBERTSON 1ST/4TH
  LT T F ANDREWS 1ST/4TH
  2ND LT H JAMES 1ST/4TH
C COMPANY MAJOR J CRUICKSHANK 1ST/5TH
  CAPTAIN T AUBERTIN 1ST/5TH
  LT J R MURRAY 1ST/5TH
  2ND LT K G YARROW 1ST/5TH
  2ND LT W D MACBETH 1ST/5TH
  2ND LT J W HUSBAND 1ST/5TH
  2ND LT A C LAIRD 1ST/5TH
D DOMPANY CAPTAIN T LYELL 1ST/5TH
  CAPTAIN A H M WEDDERBURN 1ST/5TH
  LT I McP BAIN 1ST/5TH
  2ND LT R RITCHIE 1ST/5TH
  2ND LT D S GUTHRIE 1ST/5TH
  2ND LT J C FORSYTH 1ST/5TH
HQ COMPANY CAPTAIN G R DONALD 1ST/4TH



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