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7th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
| Want to know more about 7th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders? There are:5304 items tagged 7th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with7th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during the Great War 1914-1918. - Anderson James. L/Sgt. (d.13th October 1918)
- Buchan VC John Crawford. 2nd Lt. (d.22nd March 1918)
- Combe David. Pte. (d.14th July 1917)
- Dunlop Samuel. Pte.
- Ferguson Joseph. Pte. (d.20th September 1917)
- Jarvie James Burns. Pte. (d.18th April 1917)
- Kemp Alexander Reynolds. Pte. (d.30th July 1918)
- Kennedy Daniel. Pte. (d.20th Sep 1917)
- Montgomery Thomas. Pte. (d.26th April 1915)
- Ross David. Pte. (d.13th October 1918)
- Russell Joseph. Pte.
- Smith Alfred David Crawford. Pte.
- Syme MM. Robert. Pte. (d.25th July 1918)
- Young Robert. Cpl.
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 7th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders from other sources.
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Pte. David Ross 7th Btn. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (d.13th October 1918) David Ross died on 13th October 1918 aged 23 and is buried in the Naves Communal Cemetery Extension in France.
Son of James and Annie Ross nee Stevenson, of 19 Nimmo's Rows, New Stevenston, Lanarkshire, prior to enlisting David was a miner in James Nimmo's Collieries, Holytown, Lanarkshire
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2nd Lt. John Crawford Buchan VC 7th Bn. Attached 8th Bn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (d.22nd March 1918)  John Buchan was killed in action on 22nd March 1918 aged 25 and buried in the Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension in France.
Native of Alloa, Clackmannanshire
An extract from The London Gazette, dated 21st May, 1918, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. When fighting with his platoon in the forward position of the battle zone, 2nd Lt. Buchan, although wounded early in the day, insisted on remaining with his men, and continually visited all his posts, encouraging and cheering his men in spite of most severe shell fire, from which his platoon was suffering heavy casualties. Later, when the enemy were creeping closer, and heavy machine-gun fire was raking his position, 2nd Lt. Buchan, with utter disregard of his personal safety, continued to visit his posts, and though still further injured accidentally, he continued to encourage his men and visit his posts. Eventually, when he saw the enemy had practically surrounded his command, he collected his platoon and prepared to fight his way back to the supporting line. At this point the enemy, who had crept round his right flank, rushed towards him, shouting out "Surrender." " To hell with surrender," he replied, and shooting the foremost of the enemy, he finally repelled this advance with his platoon. He then fought his way back to the supporting line of the forward position, where he held out till dusk. At dusk he fell back as ordered, but in spite of his injuries again refused to go to the aid post, saying his place was beside his men. Owing to the unexpected withdrawal of troops on the left flank it was impossible to send orders to 2nd Lt. Buchan to withdraw, as he was already cut off, and he was last seen holding out against overwhelming odds. The gallantry, self-sacrifice, and utter disregard of personal safety displayed by this officer during these two days of most severe fighting is in keeping with the highest traditions of the British Army."
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Pte. Alexander Reynolds Kemp 2/7th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (d.30th July 1918) I have only recently discovered that my grandfather had a brother, my namesake, Alexander Kemp who fought and died in the Great War. He joined up with 2/7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders on the 12th December 1915 at Stenhousemuir and was mobilised in January 1916.
On 13th of March 1917 he was admitted to Wharncliffe War Hospital in Sheffield, but one month later enjoyed a brief furlough before returning to duty with C Coy. He was later posted to 1/7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and on the 11th of June 1917 proceeded with the Expeditionary Force to France.
Arriving in Dieppe, he spent several months behind the lines before proceeding to the front on the 19th of April 1918. Sadly, he was killed in action only weeks later on 30th of July 1918 in Flanders.
He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
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Pte. Joseph Russell 7th Btn. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders  In 1965 my grandfather Joseph Russell wrote a set of memoirs (hand-written in ink) and sent copies off to my father and my uncle. These memoirs record his experiences during the war. There is a section on his memories of the camp at Ripon in 1916.
"... My brothers and cousins came with me to St. Enoch station, Glasgow to bid me good-bye, Alec (his brother), had already been severely wounded in the Battle of Loos, so much so that the Army authorities had to discharge him from all further service. The journey to Leeds and then to Ripon was uneventful so I arrived on time in order to prepare for the great adventure to France where life seemed to be much cheaper than muddy water.
The march of four hundred 51st Division of Highland soldiers armed to the teeth down from North Camp to Ripon station a distance of a mile and a half and led by Pipe bands was certainly no silent affair. The scenes were indescribable, the animal natures of men seemed to be predominant, even the writer seemed to have gone hay-wire yet I was brought up in the fear of God.
Army training in war time either creates a recoiling product in the mind or a moulded product into its image, if a recoiling product then heavy measures are engineered whereby the stereotyped condition becomes plastic through a high fahrenheit of tears. Fear of death is not so much a means of escape from the toiling, unmitigated and unending burden of viewing slaughter and blood rather than the cancelling of the telegram which brings continuity of despair and grief to those whom you love. We board the train at Ripon station, it is crowded with people, civilians and soldiers, the excitement of war in action has now generated into a passionate flame, the last is without description, I'm sure that not even a bugle can have been heard above its noise.
I had a hundred and two rounds of ammunition in my equipment so I put a clip of five rounds in my magazine. On the station platform stood Major X he was our official conductor from the Camp to the station and I had a score to settle with him, then immediately across the road on the near side of the platform was encamped a battalion of Yorkshires and I didn't like them. The reason was this, the Major was a bullying brute, he had two golden chevrons on his left sleeve, signifying that he was wounded twice in action yet his reputation was incorporated in his nick-name "more sandbags", the soldiers who knew him in action said that if a sniper's bullet hit the top of his deep dug-out then the parapet must be reinforced to make it doubly secure.
Again, while I was under a slight narcotic of alcohol one Saturday night in the town of Ripon I wandered aimlessly or maybe not into the Yorkshire Camp and my mind as I write is as clear as if it happened yesterday. No doubt I was aggressive but I don't think their action was justifiable or warrantable by the extent of my crime. I got into their physical instructors hut for N.C.O.s, my outstanding portrait is of a man about half a head taller than myself, he had a small gingerly moustache and was wearing a white jersey. I don't remember seeing trousers for all I could see of him was from his elbows upwards. What followed is in the darkness of oblivion and all I know is that I came to on the Sunday morning lying on the floor of a wash-house belonging to the Yorkshires.
A gift I got from my sister a wrist watch with a spring bracelet was ruined with blood and water and my face resembled a butcher's shop, for this I got three days detention but I swore revenge on the Yorkshires. The moment had now arrived, the Major and the Yorkshires, the guard's whistle sounded, I have five rounds in my magazine, I extended my mark VII rifle out of the open window, I saw the Major about forty yards down the platform towering above everyone under the station canopy. I took aim and fired two shots; not to hit him but in a line between the top of his head and the glass roof of the canopy, when I looked up he was taking a nose dive down the stairs to get out of sight and no doubt shouting "more sand bags".
The Yorkshire Camp was now in full view, there could have been about a hundred tents and men were walking to and fro, raising my rifle I fired three quick shots into the Camp then withdrawing it I turned to the soldiers in compartment, they looked speechless as if they were afraid to speak in case I would have turned my rifle on them. I aimed not at any man with the intent to kill although it could have happened in the Yorkshire Camp, momentarily I had gone hay-wire with recrimination. I half anticipated that the train would be stopped for investigation but luck seemed to be on my side as well as the Yorkshires in the Camp...."
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Pte. Alfred David Crawford Smith 7th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Alfred Smith, known as Fred was born on 27th of November 1898 in Glasgow and, during the early part of the war, was training to be a certified accountant.
He was conscripted on 12th of September 1917 and served on the Western Front as a private in 7th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders from 5th of December 1917 to 16th of August 1918 and 10th of September 1918 to 20th of October 1918.
He was gassed (Mustard Gas, I believe) on 17th of May 1918 and wounded again on 12th of October 1918 this time a shrapnel wound to the leg. He was medically discharged on 5th of May 1919 and subsequently received a 30% disability pension.
After the war, he prospered as an accountant, eventually managing a practice in London. He died in 1972 at Worthing, East Sussex.
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Pte. David Combe 1/7th Btn. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (d.14th July 1917)  David Combe was born in 1891, one of four children born to David Combe (Snr) and Christina Brown, who lived at Hoghill Farm, Oakbank, near East and Mid Calder in West Lothian, Scotland.
As a young man he became a gardener on the Howden Estate and lived at Howden Cottages. He was “attested†on 11th of December 1915 and sent to the Army Reserve.
Finally mobilized on 10th of February 1916 he failed the medical, being graded as B(iii) and was returned to the reserve. `B' meant he was “free from organic disease, able to stand on lines of communication in France or in the tropics†and (iii) meant “Only fit for sedentary workâ€.
He was finally mobilized on 17th of October 1916 at Glencorse Barracks near Edinburgh and sent for basic training at Kerwick in England. This completed, he was sent to Folkstone for embarkation to France on 23rd April 1917. He was now Private 326515 Combe, David.
On arrival, he was sent to the induction camp and hospital at Camiers Etaples near Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Around 11th May he was posted to the 1/7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. On the 29th May 1917 he was lightly wounded and sent back to the hospital at Etables. Evidently the wound was not serious as he was discharged on 7th June as A1.
According to a letter from the lieutenant of his platoon, David Combe was on duty in the front line trench when a “Boche†trench mortar round landed on his position. A piece of shrapnel hit him on the head and he was killed instantly. His comrades then carried him to a small cemetery behind the lines where he was buried in a grave marked with a simple wooden cross. He was reported “killed in action†on 14th of July 1917. The location is unknown. His remains therefore lie in an unknown Belgian field but he is remembered on panels 42 and 44 of the Menin Gate at Ypres.
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Pte. James Burns Jarvie 7th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (d.18th April 1917) James Jarvie was the son of Andrew Burns Jarvie and Annie Porteous Hunter Javie of Niddrie Grounds, Craigmillar, Edinburgh.
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Cpl. Robert Young 7th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders My father, Robert Young, joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 7th (Territorial )Battalion on 19th March 1912 and was discharged on 22nd January 1919.
He subsequently joined the RAF as an Equipment Assistant from 13th August 1919 until 22nd January 1939, gaining the rank of Flight Sergeant. He was by then considered to be too old to serve in the Second World War, having been born in February 1892.
I have in my possession a booklet entitled "The 7th(Territorial) Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders In France" written by T. Hogg of Kilsyth. It gives an excellent account of the second battle of Ypres, I quote:
"On the night of 23rd May (1915) the Battalion was ordered to take over a part of the line in front of Wieltje, on the right of the Wieltje St, Julien Road. On the morning of the 24th, about two o-clock, the rations and mails were received, but before they were all issued it was time to stand to. At 2.30 there was a faint glow in the sky to the east, and seen very dimly were two black observation balloons high up in the sky behind the enemy lines. About 2.45, when the enemy trenches, a hundred yards distant were just visible, each balloon dropped a great green light. Immediately away in the distance could be heard the boom of guns, and a second later the air was filled with the screech of shells. Simultaneously a yellowish-greenish vapour issued at intervals of thirty yards from the German trenches and so probably started THE GREATEST GAS ATTACK OF THE WAR. For four and a half hours the gas came over the British lines in high waves, and during the whole time the German artillery poured shells of every description in to our trenches. Respirators consisting of cotton waste had been issued, and although by no means a perfect protection, they certainly saved the lives of many men. On the right of the road was a Company consisting of Kilsyth, Falkirk and Lennoxtown men, and it was at this road that the enemy was doing its utmost to break through. The length of the trench (200 yards) was held by 25 men with one machine gun. Three times the enemy threw his weight against this portion of the line, three times he was driven back by this handful of men. Alone did one man the machine gun, and three times did the Germans get to within ten yards of it, but they never reached it, thanks to the plucky stand made by Pte. Robert Young of Kilsyth (my father). Although writhing in agony and gasping for breath, feeling as if their throats were on fire and that their lungs would burst, that handful of men held on. One by one officers and men fell, rifles became clogged with mud, food was destroyed by gas, water there was none, and piece by piece the trench was being blown in; but our lads were determined to pay back with interest what they had received from the Germans a month previously. The 2nd Seaforths came to the assistance, but they had lost heavily on the way up. Together these two Highland regiments stood shoulder to shoulder and defied the Hun and all his barbarous methods. It was a glorious as well as a sad day, but it was the boast of the 7th Argylls that they never lost a trench."
My grandfather, Alex Young, received Army Form B.104-80A informing him that his son, Pte Robert Young (my father) had been Asphyxiated (gas poisoning) on 26th May 1915 and had been admitted to 11 Stationary Hospital, Rouen, France. Luckily he survived or I would not have been born when he was at the grand age of 61!
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Pte. Samuel Dunlop 2nd Btn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Sam Dunlop is my mother's great-uncle. He was extremely musical all of his life, and in the 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders he served as Band Master, he carried on being a band master well after the war, having a number of civilian bands.
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Pte. Daniel Kennedy 1/7 Btn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (d.20th Sep 1917) Daniel Kennedy served with the 1/7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. I am hoping to find Daniel's story and hoping that his service records aren't a part of the burnt records. My son has served in the Australian Army, my father (Daniel's nephew) served in WW2 (REME) and as part of my family history search, I would like to pass on information to my son about the war time hardships experienced by those soldiers of long ago. I am also hoping that someone may have a group photo of the 1/7 Battalion with Daniel named there.
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