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Gordon Highlanders
The Gordon Highlanders was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed for 113 years, from 1881 until 1994, when it was amalgamated with The Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) to form The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons). Although the 'Gordon Highlanders' had existed as the 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot since 1794, the actual 'Gordon Highlanders Regiment' was formed in 1881 by amalgamation of the 75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot and 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot.
The regiment was formed on 1 July 1881 instigated under the Childers Reforms as the county regiment of: Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, and Shetland. Although the regiment was formed by two regular regiments, it in fact controlled other units which were of the former Militia and Volunteer Force, including:
The 1st Battalion fought at the Battle of Tel el-Kebir in September 1882 during the Anglo-Egyptian War, in the Eastern Sudan in 1884 under Sir Gerald Graham (battles of El Teb and Tamaii) and then took part in the Nile Expedition in an attempt to relieve Major-General Charles Gordon during the Mahdist War.
The 1st Battalion then took part in the Chitral Expedition and then the Tirah Campaign; it was during operations on the North West Frontier in October 1897, during the storming of the Dargai Heights, that one of the regiment's most famous Victoria Crosses was earned. Piper George Findlater, despite being wounded in both legs, continued to play the bagpipes during the assault. Other heroes involved in the charge of the Gordon Highlanders at Dargai Heights were Pipers John Kidd and James Fraser. Piper Kidd was with Piper Findlater when, half-way up the heights, both pipers were shot down. Unmindful of his injuries, Piper Kidd sat up and continued to play "The Cock o' the North" as the troops advanced up the heights. Piper Fraser made it to the top of the heights with his pipes before he too was shot in the leg.
Both battalions were sent to South Africa following the outbreak of the Second Boer War in 1899. The 2nd Battalion fought at the Battle of Elandslaagte in October 1899 and was part of the force besieged in the Siege of Ladysmith in November 1899. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, which arrived a little later, saw action at the Battle of Magersfontein in December 1899 and at the successful action at Paardeberg in February. The battalion was again in action at Doornkop, where they suffered severe losses, in May 1900. The battalion stayed in South Africa throughout the war, which ended with the Peace of Vereeniging in May 1902. Four months later, 475 officers and men of the 1st battalion left Cape Town on the SS Salamis in late September 1902, arriving at Southampton in late October, when the battalion was posted to Glasgow.
In 1908 the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve; the regiment now had one Reserve and four Territorial battalions.
The 1st Battalion was based in Plymouth on outbreak of war and landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 8th Brigade in the 3rd Division in August 1914. It was immediately engaged with the Germans at the Battle of Mons, suffering only slight casualties. The battalion was next in action at the Battle of Le Cateau after which it ceased to exist as a fighting force when most personnel were captured in the confusion of disengaging after battle. The order for withdrawal had only reached a single Company and consequently the rest of the battalion, with troops from other attached Units, were late to disengage from the front line. During the night-time withdrawal, a German force was encountered and the force surrendered after a sharp action. The battalion was subsequently rebuilt with drafts of reinforcements and served on the Western Front for the duration of the war.
The 2nd Battalion was in Egypt in 1914, but returned to England and landed at Zeebrugge as part of the 20th Brigade in the 7th Division in October 1914. It immediately saw action in the First Battle of Ypres. The battalion subsequently served on the Western Front until November 1917 when it moved with XIV Corps to Italy. It was subsequently involved in the final, successful, battle of the war in Italy at the Battle of Vettorio Veneto, October to November 1918.
Gordon Highlanders
The Gordon Highlanders was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed for 113 years, from 1881 until 1994, when it was amalgamated with The Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) to form The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons). Although the 'Gordon Highlanders' had existed as the 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot since 1794, the actual 'Gordon Highlanders Regiment' was formed in 1881 by amalgamation of the 75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot and 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot.
The regiment was formed on 1 July 1881 instigated under the Childers Reforms as the county regiment of: Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, and Shetland. Although the regiment was formed by two regular regiments, it in fact controlled other units which were of the former Militia and Volunteer Force, including:
The 1st Battalion fought at the Battle of Tel el-Kebir in September 1882 during the Anglo-Egyptian War, in the Eastern Sudan in 1884 under Sir Gerald Graham (battles of El Teb and Tamaii) and then took part in the Nile Expedition in an attempt to relieve Major-General Charles Gordon during the Mahdist War.
The 1st Battalion then took part in the Chitral Expedition and then the Tirah Campaign; it was during operations on the North West Frontier in October 1897, during the storming of the Dargai Heights, that one of the regiment's most famous Victoria Crosses was earned. Piper George Findlater, despite being wounded in both legs, continued to play the bagpipes during the assault. Other heroes involved in the charge of the Gordon Highlanders at Dargai Heights were Pipers John Kidd and James Fraser. Piper Kidd was with Piper Findlater when, half-way up the heights, both pipers were shot down. Unmindful of his injuries, Piper Kidd sat up and continued to play "The Cock o' the North" as the troops advanced up the heights. Piper Fraser made it to the top of the heights with his pipes before he too was shot in the leg.
Both battalions were sent to South Africa following the outbreak of the Second Boer War in 1899. The 2nd Battalion fought at the Battle of Elandslaagte in October 1899 and was part of the force besieged in the Siege of Ladysmith in November 1899. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, which arrived a little later, saw action at the Battle of Magersfontein in December 1899 and at the successful action at Paardeberg in February. The battalion was again in action at Doornkop, where they suffered severe losses, in May 1900. The battalion stayed in South Africa throughout the war, which ended with the Peace of Vereeniging in May 1902. Four months later, 475 officers and men of the 1st battalion left Cape Town on the SS Salamis in late September 1902, arriving at Southampton in late October, when the battalion was posted to Glasgow.
In 1908 the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve; the regiment now had one Reserve and four Territorial battalions.
The 1st Battalion was based in Plymouth on outbreak of war and landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 8th Brigade in the 3rd Division in August 1914. It was immediately engaged with the Germans at the Battle of Mons, suffering only slight casualties. The battalion was next in action at the Battle of Le Cateau after which it ceased to exist as a fighting force when most personnel were captured in the confusion of disengaging after battle. The order for withdrawal had only reached a single Company and consequently the rest of the battalion, with troops from other attached Units, were late to disengage from the front line. During the night-time withdrawal, a German force was encountered and the force surrendered after a sharp action. The battalion was subsequently rebuilt with drafts of reinforcements and served on the Western Front for the duration of the war.
The 2nd Battalion was in Egypt in 1914, but returned to England and landed at Zeebrugge as part of the 20th Brigade in the 7th Division in October 1914. It immediately saw action in the First Battle of Ypres. The battalion subsequently served on the Western Front until November 1917 when it moved with XIV Corps to Italy. It was subsequently involved in the final, successful, battle of the war in Italy at the Battle of Vettorio Veneto, October to November 1918.