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1st Battalion,Royal Scots Fusiliers
1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers were based in Gosport with 9th Brigade, 3rd Division when war broke out in August 1914. They proceeded to France with the BEF, landing at Le Havre on the 14th of August 1914. They saw action in The Battle of Mons and the rearguard action at Solesmes, The Battle of Le Cateau, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, at La Bassee, Messines and the First Battle of Ypres. They took part in the Winter Operations of 1914-15, The First Attack on Bellewaarde and the Actions at Hooge. On the 5th of April 1916 they transferred to 8th Brigade still in 3rd Division. In 1916 they took part in The Actions of the Bluff and St Eloi Craters then moved to The Somme for The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Bazentin helping to capture Longueval, The Battle of Delville Wood and The Battle of the Ancre. In 1917 They were at Arras, seeing action at Battles of the Scarpe and The Battle of Arleux. They moved north to the Flanders and were in action during The Battle of the Menin Road and Battle of Polygon Wood during the Third Battle of Ypres. Then moved south and were in action at The Battle of Cambrai. In 1918 They were in action on The Somme, in the Battles of the Lys, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Battle of the Selle. After the Armistice 3rd Division advanced into Germany as part of the Occupation Force.
5th August 1914 Mobilization
11th August 1914 Advance Party arrives
14th August 1914 Quartering Arrangements Completed
16th August 1914 Movement Orders
17th August 1914 On the Move
18th August 1914 On the Move
19th August 1914 Changes in quartering arrangements
20th August 1914 Changes in quartering arrangements
21st August 1914 Taking up stations in assigned areas.
22nd August 1914 Taking up stations in assigned areas.
23rd Aug 1914 1st Scots Fusiliers in Action.
23rd August 1914 German attack crosses Canal
24th August 1914 Withdrawals
25th August 1914 Ongoing Retirement
26th August 1914 In Action
26th August 1914 Retirement
26th August 1914 Ongoing Retirement
27th Aug 1914 Rear Guard
27th August 1914 Continued withdrawals
28th Aug 1914 Rear Guard
28th August 1914 Initial Intelligence Report
29th August 1914 Ongoing Retirement
30th August 1914 Demolitions on withdrawals
31st August 1914 Continued withdrawals
4th September 1914 Enemy across the Marne
6th September 1914 Attack Made
7th September 1914 Attack progressing
8th September 1914 Ongoing Battles
9th September 1914 Ongoing Action
10th September 1914 Davance
11th September 1914 Continued progress
12th September 1914 Bad Weather
13th September 1914 Strong Opposition
14th September 1914 Further Advance
15th September 1914 Shelling
16th September 1914 Difficulties
17th September 1914 Heavy Bombardment
18th September 1914 Night Attacks
19th September 1914 Attack Repulsed
20th September 1914 Ongoing Action
20th September 1914 Reliefs
21st September 1914 Attacks
22nd September 1914 Reliefs
23rd September 1914 Patrols
24th September 1914 Artillery Exchange
26th September 1914 Aircraft Assists
27th September 1914 Continuing action around bridges
28th September 1914 Bridges
29th September 1914 Ongoing fighting on all fronts
30th September 1914 September Intelligence Summary
1st October 1914 Commencement of Move
18th Oct 1914 1st Royal Scots in Action
11th Nov 1914 In Action
11th Nov 1914 In Action
11th Nov 1914 Heavy Fighting
12th Nov 1914 In Action
12th Nov 1914 Machine Guns Active
12th Jan 1915 Snipers Active
18th Feb 1915 Reorganisation
21st Feb 1915 Misty Day 
22nd Feb 1915 Thick Mist
23rd Feb 1915 Infantry Make Attack
24th Feb 1915 Artillery Support
26th Feb 1915 Reliefs
27th Feb 1915 Conference
28th Feb 1915 Shelling
22nd April 1915 In the Trenches
11th Jun 1915 Recce Made
12th Jun 1915 Recce
14th Jun 1915 Communication
15th Jun 1915 Into Position
15th Jun 1915 On the March
15th Jun 1915 Preparations
16th Jun 1915 Attack Made
16th Jun 1915 In Action
16th Jun 1915 Preparations
1st Aug 1915 Reliefs
14th Aug 1915 Home on Leave
9th Sep 1915 Plenty of Excitement
18th Sep 1915 Reliefs Complete
19th of Sep 1915 Under Fire
25th Sep 1915 Diversionary Attack
9th Oct 1915 Getting on Well
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
5th December 1915 Shelling
6th December 1915 Reliefs
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
13th December 1915 Reliefs
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
9th February 1916 Call Ups
12th July 1916 Attack has again been postponed
14th July 1916 Attack Made
24th Jul 1916 Reliefs Complete
25th Jul 1916 Shelling
30th Jul 1916 Reinforcements
1st September 1916 Wiring required in front of our line.
30th October 1916 Gaps in the enemy wire.
13th November 1916 Attack Made
1st December 1916 Into huts.
7th December 1916 Move
12th December 1916 Reliefs
26th December 1916 Reliefs
30th December 1916 Reliefs
5th January 1917 Reliefs
5th April 1917 Reliefs
1st May 1917 Orders Received
2nd May 1917 Orders
17th May 1917 Report
27th July 1917 Reliefs
25th September 1917 Into Position
26th September 1917 Attack Made
20th January 1918 Kit & rifle inspections.
31st of January 1918 Training
6th February 1918 Reliefs
9th February 1918 Reliefs
14th February 1918 Enemy Trench Mortars active
18th February 1918 Reliefs
27th February 1918 Reliefs
6th March 1918 Stand To
10th March 1918 Reliefs
14th March 1918 Reliefs
27th March 1918 Front heavily bombarded
28th March 1918 Line Held
11th April 1918 Operations.
22nd April 1918 Reliefs
20th May 1918 Heavy bombardment of shrapnel, H.E. & Gas
13th June 1918 A quiet day.
28th June 1918 Reliefs
4th July 1918 Work on trenches and defences generally continued.
18th July 1918 Reliefs
25th July 1918 Battalion at work on defence system.
1st Aug 1918 Some Shelling
1st Aug 1918 Dispositions
2nd Aug 1918 Hostile Artillery Active
3rd Aug 1918 Quiet
4th Aug 1918 Orders Received
5th Aug 1918 Patrols
6th Aug 1918 Some Shelling
7th Aug 1918 HQ Moves
22nd August 1918 Reliefs
17th September 1918 Repairing and strengthening Defences
18th September 1918 Heavy Shelling
19th September 1918 Advance
24th September 1918 Reliefs
25th September 1918 Orders for the attack were received
26th September 1918 Into Assembly Positions
27th September 1918 Heavy Shelling
3rd October 1918 Intermittent Shelling
4th October 1918 Recce
24th October 1918 Verbal Orders
26th October 1918 On the Move
28th October 1918 Outpost line
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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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 with1st Battalion,Royal Scots Fusiliers during the Great War 1914-1918. - Antrobus William. Pte. (d.28th April 1917)
- Byers J.. Pte. (d.6th June 1915)
- Carroll Patrick. Pte. (d.19th Sep 1915)
- Coleman MiD. Albert John. Pte.
- Cunningham Samuel. Pte. (d.23rd July 1916)
- Evans A.. Pte. (d.6th Feb 1915)
- Gallacher Thomas. Pte. (d.4th Aug 1915)
- Hills MM and 2 Clasps Joseph Henry. Lance Corporal
- Hurt MID Seymour Frederick Auckland Albert. Capt. (d.18th Oct 1914)
- Logan John. Pte. (d.3rd Apr 1915)
- Reilly Joseph Peter. Pte.
- Stewart William. Cpl. (d.27th March 1916)
- Thurlow Thomas. Pte. (d.3rd May 1917)
- Thurlow Thomas. Pte. (d.3rd May 1917)
- Watson George. Pte. (d.18th Jul 1916)
- White Samuel Caddis. Pte. (d.13th Nov 1917)
- Williams Reuben Septimus. Drummer. (d. 23rd Aug 1914)
- Woodworth Arthur William. Pte.
- Young William Clark. Pte.
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 1st Battalion,Royal Scots Fusiliers from other sources.
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Pte. Joseph Peter Reilly 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers  It appears that Joseph Reilly was captured at Hilloch in France on 11th of May 1916 and was taken to Douai, some 30 km away (about 20 miles), a Prisoner of War Camp, and arrived there on 15th of May 1916, this was listed in a POW prisoners document dated 7th of June 1916.
Joseph, was then moved to Dulmen POW camp which was in Germany where he was to stay until August 1916.
A Prisoner of War list dated 9th of August 1916, from Minden POW camp, showing that Joseph had now been moved there from Dulmen POW camp.
A document, dated, 13th of August 1916, shows that Joseph was previously
Reported Missing, but then reported prisoner of war in documents released by the German Government
By May of 1917 Joseph had moved camps again, this time to Friedrichsfeld, it appears that when he arrived he was suffering from a broken shoulder.
A document released reports when Joseph had been released from being a Prisoner of War, and was returned to England. The 2nd of December 1918
this shows the date Joseph was demobbed from the Army on 21st of March 1919
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Pte. Patrick Carroll 1st Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers (d.19th Sep 1915) Patrick Carroll, my great-grandfather, joined the 1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers and arrived in France on 11th of June 1915. He was killed near Sancutuary Wood in the September.
He is buried at Brandhoek Military Cemetery. Soldiers Died (vol26 Royal Scots Fusiliers) has under 1st Battalion deaths:
"Carroll, Patrick born Mulliby, Co. Armagh, enlisted Dalmellington, Ayrshire, 16236, Pte, k. in a., F&F, 19th Sep 1915."
1st RSF War diary records
18th of September 1915 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers relieved the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots in trenches B8, B7, B4, 1/2 B3, B2S, B2R, B1R. in Sanctuary Wood.
19th of September 1915 Enemy bombarded our trenches and supports with HE from about 8.30am - 9.45 am. Considerable amount of trench blown in both in firing line and support lines....
4.30 to6.15 pm B7, B4, B8 supports in Sanctuary Wood heavily bombarded...... .Casualties.
The Honour Roll in the Glasgow Evening Times, 7th of October 1915 recorded,
"Mrs Patrick Carroll, 10 Broomknowe, Dalmellington, has been officially notified that her husband, Private Patrick Carroll 1st R.S.F. was killed on September 19. He went through the South African War without receiving a scratch, though being in most of the big engagements. In civil life he was a brushing contractor in the Dalmellingtion Iron Company's No.2 pit in Pennyvenie. He leaves a widow and seven of a family, the eldest son being also in service".
We haven't yet been able to find an official date of birth as his family came to Scotland from Ireland when he was a child, but we do know he was 45 when he joined up.
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Pte. Albert John Coleman MiD. 1st Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers Albert Coleman served with the 1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers from 1905 to 1915 and was wounded at the 1st Battle of Ypres on 5th of November 1914.
He was transferred to the 1st Garrison Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in 1915 and served in India for the remainder of WW1.
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Pte. Samuel Caddis White 1st/4th Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers (d.13th Nov 1917) Samuel Caddis White was killed in action on 13th of November 1917 and was buried with his
comrades in Palestine at Ramleh War Cemetery
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Cpl. William Stewart 1st Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers (d.27th March 1916) .jpg) William Stewart was born on 9th February 1896 in Dundee Scotland. He was the eldest son of Robert Myles Stewart and Martha Clark Stewart (nee Brown). He had three younger sisters and a younger brother. His family recalled him as an artistic and musical young man. He enlisted in January 1915 and was killed on 27th March 27th 1916. His name is recorded in the Scottish War Memorial Hall in Edinburgh Castle and also on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. He has no known grave.
An article appeared in The People's Journal on the 8th of April 1916:
Merchant's Son Killed in France,
A very large circle of friends will be
grieved to learn of the death in action of
Corporal William Stewart, of the Royal Scots
Fusiliers, eldest son of Mr B. M. Stewart,
merchant, of Meesrs David Lowe & Co., and
residing at 9 Inverary Terrace, Dundee.
Corporal Stewart was in his 20th year, and
received his education at the High School.
Ho joined the colours in January 1915. and
before Enlisting he was identified with his
father in business. Deceased was a most likeable young man, and was engaged as an
officers orderly.
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Pte. Thomas Thurlow 1st Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers (d.3rd May 1917) My grandfather found a medal commemorating the First World War and this gentleman's details are shown, Pte. T Thurlow 15700. I have no other information.
Editor's Note. Thomas Thurlow is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. He was the don of William and Carrie Thurlow of Driffield, Yorks.; husband of Lily Thurlow of 2. Horner St., Hunslet, Leeds.
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Pte. Thomas Gallacher 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers (d.4th Aug 1915) Thomas Gallacher was the husband of Grace Muir Gallacher whom he married in Glasgow in 1906. He was born on 16 June 1884 at 45 Smith Street, Whiteinch, Glasgow, the son of Thomas Gallacher and Rachel Gallacher (nee O'Brien). He was killed on active duty on 4th of August 1915.
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Pte. Thomas Thurlow 1st Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers (d.3rd May 1917) My Father dug up the above gentleman's war medal whilst gardening at an address in Bradford. I have traced Private Thomas Thurlow from the inscription on the medal and have ascertained that his name is on the Arras memorial. I would love to return his medal to his family if I could find any living relatives.
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Pte. A. Evans 1st Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers (d.6th Feb 1915) Pte. A. Evans was executed for desertion, 06/02/1915 aged 16 and is buried in Locre Churchyard, Belgium.
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Pte. J. Byers 1st Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers (d.6th June 1915) J. Byers was executed for desertion 06/02/1915 age 16, he is buried in Locre Churchyard in Belgium
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Pte. William Clark Young 1st Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers My grandfather William Young served in the First World War, I know nothing of that service other than the letter I inherited thanking him for his service
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Pte. Arthur William Woodworth  While carrying out some family history research, I came across an interesting and rather unfortunate story about my great uncle, Arthur Woodworth during the Bristol bombing in 1940.
Firstly however I would like to give you some background information on Arthur so you can set a picture of what he had done in his life before 1940.
Arthur Woodworth was born in Shepton Mallet, Somerset on the 16th November 1884. He moved to Hotwells, Bristol with his family before the turn of the century as his father William had a job at Bristol Docks. Unfortunately at 14 years of age Arthur and his father William got into some trouble stealing bicycles and Arthur was convicted on the 2nd May 1899 and sentenced at the Petty Sessional Court Bridewell to 4 years and 6 months as an inmate of the Kingswood Reformatory School. The School was for boys convicted of criminal practices for sentences of 3 years or more.
The crime was reported in the Bristol Mercury. William Woodworth got two months hard labour at Horfield Prison for his involvement. The Superintendent of the Reformatory School in 1902 was a Mr B.Andreys, who was an ex army officer and this may have been why following his release, Arthur joined the Royal Scots Fusiliers as a private, where he was stationed in India from 1905. In the 1911 census Arthur was shown as a Musician in the 1st Battalion stationed at Roberts Heights Pretoria Transvaal, South Africa.
As a full time soldier (Reg No 8583) he returned to Europe in March 1914 and in August embarked on a war that they said would be over by Christmas. He was one of some 120,000 regular troops who were in the British expeditionary army. The RSF were one of the first British formations to move to France. Arthur served with the 1st battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers in the 1st World War and was present at many battles including:
Battle of Le Chateau; 1st Battle of the Marne; 1st Battle of Aisne; 2nd Battle of Ypres, which witnessed the first use of a new German weapon on the western front – poisonous gas! He also was present at The Battle of the Ancre in the freezing winter 1916/17; The 3rd Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Lys. On Armistice Day he was at Romaries according to his army records. How he managed to keep alive and even sane I don’t know!
In 1919 his battalion had to renew the old regimental experience of duty in Ireland during the Irish civil war. He landed in Dublin on the 13th May 1919 and the battalion was stationed in Tullamore barracks, Tullamore until 1921 when the British and Irish Governments would agree on the future political structure of Ireland. Some time after this Arthur left the Army and we have stories of him and some ex- army colleagues busking on Castle Street for a living. In 1939 it is no surprise that Arthur would want to do his bit for King and Country again. He joined up with the Auxiliary Fire Service as a firewatcher. German heavy bombers could carry a thousand incendiary bombs and according to the Home Office a single bomber could start up to 150 fires over a 3-mile area. Arthur would spot fires over the Bedminster area and pass on information to the fire service.
One cold November evening in 1940, while not on duty, Arthur ventured up the Greenway Bush Pub, Southville for a few beers with his mates. I can only imagine it would have been a busy evening and the pub was full. Main topics of conversation were probably the recent bombing in Bristol and I’m sure some old First World War stories were told as well. It was late in the evening when the dreaded air raid siren disturbed the pub and people started evacuating for the local air raid shelter. Arthur got up from his seat needing to go to the toilet. Could he hold on during the raid or should he use the pub’s facilities? He decided to use the pub toilet.
A German bomb destroyed the pub and the only casualty was poor Arthur. What an unfortunate call of nature. Arthur died on the 24th November 1940 aged 56 and is buried at Arnos Vale cemetery.
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Pte. Samuel Cunningham 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers (d.23rd July 1916) The Cunningham family were told by a mate of Samuel's that he died by a bullet in the back of the head. I think that he was only trying to spare Sam's mother the horrific truth about how he died. The circumstances surrounding Sam's enlistment into the army were tragic in themselves. He was one of 9 children, 4 daughters and five sons. Legend has it that his father Tom had no time for him, and was known to go into drunken rages and beat his wife and possibly sons. Sam must have lied about his age to get into the army, enlisting when he was only 15.
The saddest thing about Sam's death is that for 90 years, no one in the family ever enquired about or visited his memorial, until in April 2006, something compelled me to start searching for him, and I found him, thanks to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. He was killed in action, aged 17 years, his body never found. His memorial is on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 3C. I also found an article about his memorial online, in the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald from 1916, with a photograph of him in uniform.
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Drummer. Reuben Septimus Williams 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers (d. 23rd Aug 1914) Reuben Williams was reported as being presumed dead in France and this is stated on his Death Certificate. We know he died fighting on the North Side of the Mons Canal there is a A War Office Artist painting of the 1st. Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers in that area. He has no known grave but his name is inscribed on the La-Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial on the right bank of the River Marne at Fienne et Marns France.
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Lance Corporal Joseph Henry Hills MM and 2 Clasps 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers My Grandfather was an orphan and went straight from the orphanage to the army. He was born in 1898 and was therefore to young to fight at the beginning of the war. I do not know very much about his active service other than the dates of his citations for the Military Medal. The first was 21st October 1918, the second was 13th March 1919 and the last was on the 17th June 1919. I believe that the last was awarded for action with the BEF in Archangel fighting for the White Russians. I believe that my Grandfather is the only member of the Royal Scots Fusiliers to have been awarded 2 clasps to the Military Medal.
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