User:Bourlonwood/14th Highland Light Infantry

The 14th Highland Light Infantry was formed as a Bantam battalion on the 1st July 1915 and was stationed at the Regimental Depot, Hamilton. When the battalion came up to strength it proceeded to Troon to become part of the120th Brigade, 40th Division. At the end of September another move was made to Maida Camp at Aldershot. The battalion remained here from the begining of October until the end of December before moving to Blackdown. Being a bantam battalion the underage and the unfit came to the attention of the medical board and two thirds were rejected. The numbers were made up by the merging of the 13th Scottish Rifles and drafts from the Suffolks, Middlesex, Sherwood Foresters, South Lancs, K.O.R.L. and the Yorkshire Regiment. The battalion went to France on 3rd June 1916 and were sent to the Loos sector until the end of October 1916 when it moved into the Somme area settling for a while in the trenches north of Peronne. On the 24th April 1917 the battalion along with the 13th East Surrey's captured Villers Plouich and stayed in the area taking part in many actions and trench raids. The battalion moved out of the line at the end of October 1917 for a period of training.

BOURLON WOOD 24th November: 9:30am the battalion moved to GRAINCOURT under orders of 121st Brigade. Ordered to take BOURLON VILLAGE along with 12th SUFFOLKS the same afternoon, Zero Hour 3pm. Moved to BOURLON WOOD through a barrage on GRAINCOURT and ANNEUX CHAPEL, casualties were few but one platoon was knocked out before they managed to get into artillery formation. After reaching the rendezvous at 12.30pm no definate orders were received so the move was made at 2.30pm and the village was entered at 3.30. Three companies went on to reach the 4th objective in the German trenches to the north of the village, the other company lost direction and when they turned up were held in reserve. At 6.30 am a strong enemy attack was made which caused a few casualties and 45 minutes later Col Battye DSO was hit by machine gun fire and though he managed to get back to the HQ in BOURLON VILLAGE he died shortly after. Major J H Foster took command but was wounded an hour later and command of the battalion was taken by the adjutant Capt G C Manford. An attack was beaten off around 8.45 am when touch was lost with the front companies and the enemy were in the village in force. Repeated attempts to reach the cut off companies were attempted but were beaten off by hostile M.G. fire which came from houses in the village On the 25th the 13th East Surreys arrived to mop up the village, 3 companies were sent in but one had to be withdrawn to help beat off attacks. The E.S. HQ was established with 14th HLI and Lt Col H L Warden was ordered to command all troops in the BOURLON area. At 4.30pm on the 26th both HQ's were evacuated from the village to a dug out about 500 yds in the rear. No touch could be established with the 3 front companies. 27th November, evacuated through BOURLON WOOD to the HINDENBURG SUPPORT LINE picking up stragglers on the way, still no contact 3 front coys. The battalion had several hundred casualties: killed, wounded and missing. At the end of December 1917 the battalion moved in to to line in the Mory/ Noreuil area. 21st March stood to at 3am, heavy gunfire has broken out along whole Corps front, the enemy commenced shelling camps in ERVILLERS area. 22nd March at 1am the battalion moved in artillery formation to VAULX-VRAUCOURT and occupied positions north of the village, heavy shelling of area by enemy. 1pm enemy attacked in force positions on Corps Line,our troops in the front line began to vacate their positions moving down the ECOUST - VRAUCOURT road. Battalion ordered to form a defensive flank along the VRAUCOURT - BEUGNATRE road. The enemy offensive was arrested for some time but fresh columns of infantry could be				observed moving to reinforce enemy,the battalion withdrew to the Army Line at MORY. 23rd March enemy observed moving along road from VRAUCOURT to MORY. All companies of the battalion engaged in heavy close quarter fighting in repelling constant enemy attacks to gain a footing in MORY village. The Army Line heavily shelled. 24th March battalion still in Army Line, heavily shelled all day and subject to incessent attacks by enemy trying to gain MORY. Enemy succeeded in breaking through the Division on our right and threatened our right flank. Orders recieved for all troops to abandon Army Line. Battalion occupies line near BEHAGNIES. Enemy attacked heavily from the direction of BEUGNATRE and FAVREUIL. 25th March Enemy attempts to work round the left flank ceased but he began to make progress through the woods S.W. 4.30pm the area very heavily shelled. Orders recieved to evacuate position at BEHAGNIES and move to GOMIECOURT. Evacuation carried out under most intense machind gun fire and heavy shelling. 26th March 9am the battalion moved by route march to ADINFER WOOD. 27th March battalion moved by route march to WARLUZEL into billets. The battalion had suffered many more casulties at this time and were sent to the Laventie area which up until the 9th April 1918 was a quiet sector. 9th April 4 am: bombardment of Noveau Monde commences, orders issued for battalion to it's position in accordance with the Brigade standing defence scheme. The Portuguese army line had collapsed and the battalion was sent forward to fill the gap. All coys have moved off to their forward positions which were as follows: 3 coys in front line in depth from LEVANTIE EAST POST (exclusive) to CHARRED POST (exclusive)with 1 coy in support. From this time onwards nothing further has been heard of the 3 coys who went forward to occupy the front line. Enemy has pressed back support coy and are in line of railway and from this time onwards enemy commenced to press on Battalion HQ. Intensity of fire gradually increases. 3pm situation at this time was the enemy was pressing round our front and flanks. After a consultation with the OC 2nd RSF, decision is made to withdraw under mutual fire support and machine gun fire.14th HLI commence retirement across the River Lys. 4Orders recieved for units of 120th Brigade at Le PETIT MORTIER to form a composite battalion under Major Seagram and to occupy STEENWERK SWITCH. 11th April troops falling back everywhere especially from the direction of LE PETIT MORTIER, situation on the right critical. This was the 14th H.L.I.'s last battle, the losses could not be filled and on the 10th May 1918 the battalion was reduced to a cadre and the surplus men left. The cadre spent the remainder of the war training and later demobilization.

The National Archives, Kew 14th Highland Light Infantry