Highlanders in Iraq- Bayonet Charge!

I am pround to be a Texan and an American, but you have to admit these Brits have as much bravado as anyone on the planet!
 
The regimental motto: "Sans Peur." ("Without fear.")

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders' Battle Honours

Cape of Good Hope 1806, Rolica, Vimeira, Corunna, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse, Peninsula, South Africa 1846-7, 1851-2-3, Alma, Balaklava, Sevastopol, Lucknow, South Africa 1879, Modder River, Paardeberg, South Africa 1899-1902.

THE GREAT WAR:

Mons, Le Cateau, Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914, 18, Aisne 1914, La Bassee 1914, Messines 1914, 18, Armentieres 1914, Ypres 1915, 17, 18, Gravenstafel, St Julien, Frezenberg, Bellewaarde, Festubert 1915, Loos, Somme 1916, 18, Albert 1916, 18, Bazentin, Delville Wood, Pozieres, Flers-Courcelette, Morval, Le Transloy, Ancre Heights, Ancre 1916, Arras 1917,18, Scarpe 1917, 18, Arleux, Pilckem, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Cambrai 1917,18, St Quentin, Bapaume 1918, Rosieres, Lys, Estaires, Hazebrouck, Bailleul, Kemmel, Bethune, Soissonnais-Ourcq, Tardenois, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, Epehy, Canal du Nord, St Quentin Canal, Beaurevoir, Courtrai, Selle, Sambre, France and Flanders 1914-18, Italy 1917-18, Struma, Doiran 1917,18, Macedonia 1915-18, Gallipoli 1915-16, Rumani, Egypt 1916, Gaza, El Mughar, Nebi Samwil, Jaffa, Palestine 1917-18.

THE SECOND WORLD WAR:

Somme 1940, Odon, Tourmauville Bridge, Caen, Esquay, Mont Pincon, Quarry Hill, Estry, Falaise, Dives Crossing, Aart, Lower Maas, Meijel, Venlo Pocket, Ourthe, Rhineland, Reichswald, Rhine, Uelzen, Artlenberg, North-West Europe 1940, 44-45, Abyssinia 1941, Sidi Barrani, El Alamein, Medenine, Akarit, Diebel Azzag 1942, Kef Ouiba Pass, Mine de Sedjenane, Medjez Plain, Longstop Hill 1943, North Africa 1940-43, Landing in Sicily, Gerbini, Adrano, Centuripe, Sicily 1943, Termoli, Sangro, Cassino II, Liri Valley, Aquino, Monte Casalino, Monte Spaduro, Monte Grande, Senio, Santerno Crossing, Argenta Gap, Italy 1943-45, Crete, Heraklion, Middle East 1941, North Malaya, Grik Road, Central Malaya, Ipoh, Slim River, Singapore Island, Malaya 1941-42.

Pakchon, Korea 1950-51.

Victoria Cross Winners:

Capt W.G.Drummond-Stewart 16 Nov 1857 Lucknow
C/Sgt J. Munro 16 Nov 1857 Lucknow
Sgt J. Paton 16 Nov 1857 Lucknow
L/Cpl J. Dunley 16 Nov 1857 Lucknow
Pte P. Grant 16 Nov 1857 Lucknow
Pte D. MacKay 16 Nov 1857 Lucknow
Lieut & Adjt. W. McBean 11 Mar 1858 Lucknow
Capt J.A. Liddell 31 Jul 1915 Belgium
Lieut J.R.N. Graham 22 Apr 1917 Mesopotamia
2nd Lieut A. Henderson MC 23 Apr1917 France
2nd Lieut J.C. Buchan 21 Mar 1918 France
Lieut D.L. MacIntyre 24-27 Aug 1918 France
Lieut W.D. Bissett 25 Oct 1918 France
Lieut Col L.M. Campbell, DSO, TD 6 Apr1943 Wadi Akarit
Major J.T. McKellar Anderson, DSO, TD 23 Apr 1943 Longstop
Major K. Muir 23 Sep 1950 Korea

For more information.

maximus otter
 
I'd like to read more about this but I dont see any names or dates in this article. Any help??
 
Very cool history MO. :cool: I had the opportunity to see a performance by the combined Pipes and Drums of the Argyll & Sutherland and Blackwatch. Part of the presentation was an overview of the units' histories and honors, and very rich they were.* :) Winston Churchill served as an officer of a Highland Regiment in WWI, didn't he? Do you recall which one it was?


(*Irish propagandists were handing out literature in front of the venue. :rolleyes: Their take on the unit history-of The Blackwatch in particular- was a little different.)

I would like to believe that some of that highland spirit still lingers in my blood after a few generations. ;)
 
The Scots could've scared the Iraqis into surrendering outright if they were kilted! There'd be another group calling them the "Ladies from Hell"! :D

Matt in Texas
 
The success of the charge is a testament to how brave the men are... the fact that the chargers weren't wiped out is a testament to how lousy the iraqis are...
 
Cool - but check out the link on the same page for the nude roller coaster ride world record :D

Art
 
Incredibly impressive. But not surprising considering what I've read and seen about the UK's military. Perform the miraculous, achieve the impossible. Heck, we (the US) owe the formation and development of our own elite Delta Force entirely to the British SAS.

"Sans peur" is a fitting motto for those guys. True warriors.
 
That's so fuggin badass! Woah those guys are awesome! I hope their buddies bought them some beers or something.
 
F-22 said:
That's so fuggin badass! Woah those guys are awesome! I hope their buddies bought them some beers or something.
Click to expand...

I'll bet they'd rather have a good single-malt. ;) Of course, that's probably pretty hard to come by in Iraq. :rolleyes:
 
Proud to call them allies. Those soldiers are some bad muther's. .. I am betting those Iraqi puckers must have sh!t themselves after seeing the can they opened.

Cerberus

edited remove inacuracies.
 
MacHete,

After some digging, here's a little info:

a) Although disappointed at not being given command of a brigade, Churchill settled in as commander of a battalion, the 6th Royal Scots Fusiliers. He blamed Asquith, whom he called a "weak and disloyal chief. "Clementine met the Asquiths socially and wrote her husband: "You know what the P.M. is - He loathes talking about the War or work of any sort."

Initially Churchill was not popular with his men and his cavalry training did not prepare him for command of infantry, but he learned quickly. He cared for his troops but neither he nor his men expected him or his officers to forego their own physical pleasures. Among other suggestions to his officers were these gems: "Keep a special pair of boots to sleep in and only get them muddy in a real emergency and live well but do not flaunt it."

In late January he led his troops into battle near the Belgian town of Ploegsteert, commonly called "Plug Street." His own bravery in battle won the respect of his men.

In March he returned to England and spoke in Parliament. Upon returning to Ploegsteert Churchill wrote his wife that he intended to leave the army as soon as possible. The war he wanted to fight was at Westminster.

When his battalion was merged with another, General Haig offered him command of a brigade, but he still wanted to return to London to fight for conscription. On 7 May, he entertained his officers at a farewell luncheon at Armentieres. One later recalled: "I believe every man in the room felt Winston Churchill's leaving us a real personal loss."

b) 6th (Service) Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers

Formed at Ayr, August 1914, as part of K1. August 1914 : attached to 27th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. 7 May 1916 : transferred to 45th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division, and amalgamated with 7th Bn to become 6/7th Bn. 21 February 1918 : transferred to 59th Division as Pioneer Bn. 10 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength. 18 June 1918 : transferred to 47th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division and returned to England. 2 July 1918 : absorbed by 18th Scottish Rifles.

c) The unit web site.

maximus otter

PS: A couple of years ago, I visited some WW1 battlefields. Near - I think - Selle our guide told us that Churchill had seen combat in the area. A few hundred yards from Winston, and at the same time, a certain Bavarian corporal was in action. How would world history have changed had a lucky shot from either struck the other?

PPS: The Fusiliers didn't wear kilts, so we lost the chance of seeing Winston in real man's kit...

m.o.
 
Thanks MO- I didn't mean to send you to the books, but I appreciate the effort. :D

Its a little weird, but the only reason I remembered that WC was in a Highland unit during the Great War was something that I recalled reading in one of his biographies. Either when he was shipping out, or possibly in a letter, his wife encouraged him to wear his helmet and not just "the glengarry". I wonder how many people (here in the states, anyway) know he was a hero of the Boer War, and an expert horseman and polo player? I know he was captured during the Boer War, and that he escaped. It seems I recall he did something else while he was free, whether it was a little "fifth column" action or helping some of his comrades escape as well escapes me at the moment.

Anyway, the Scots Regiments deserved good leadership. They've distinguished themselves in action consistently at least since the French and Indian War. (I'm thinking of Ticonderoga.) :cool:
 
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