Chapter II: Preface

This story has been compiled from Battalion, Brigade, and Divisional diaries, supplemented by the narratives of individual officers, and, it is hoped, will prove a record of interest to all who served or were connected with the Ninth Division.

To the numerous officers of the Division who have assisted me by their suggestions and criticisms and by the loan of documents, I take this opportunity of expressing my deep sense of gratitude. My sincere thanks are due also to the Staff of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence for the ready courtesy with which they placed at my disposal every facility for consulting documents and maps.

To the following officers for constant and ungrudging help I am particularly indebted,

Captain W. Y. Darling,
Lieut.-Colonel P. A. V. Stewart,
Lieut.-Colonel T. C. Mudie,
Major W. Lumsden,

and to my wife for most valuable assistance both in the compilation of the narrative and in the correction of proofs.

J. EWING.

EDINBURGH,
_October 1920_.

_Note._—The titles of infantry battalions are given in full
in the Order of Battle, Appendix I., but to save space in the
narrative the word “battalion” has been omitted, _eg._, the 11th
Bn. The Royal Scots is referred to as the 11th Royal Scots.

With the exception of Loos all battles are described from right
to left.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

ARMS AND THE MAN

AUGUST 1914 TO MAY 1915

PAGE

The Outbreak of War—Lord Kitchener—“The First Hundred Thousand”—
Composition of the Division—Training—The King’s Message,
10th May 1915 1

CHAPTER II

FIRST EXPERIENCES IN FRANCE

MAY 1915 TO SEPTEMBER 1915

Move of Division to France, May 1915—Instruction in Trench Duties—
Bombing and Bombs—Visit by Field-Marshal Sir J. D. P. French—
Festubert—Training near Busnes—Vermelles—General reasons for
Battle of Loos—The Plan of Battle—Importance of Gas—Task of the
Ninth Division—Duties of the Staff—Major-General Landon’s Plan—
Objectives—Preparations—Assembly Trenches—Communication
Trenches—Artillery—Machine-Guns and Trench Mortars—Arrangements
for Gas—Smoke—R.E. Pioneers, Tools—Medical Arrangements—
Communications—Equipment of the Men 12

CHAPTER III

BATTLE OF LOOS

25TH TO 28TH SEPTEMBER 1915

Terrain—Preliminary Bombardment, 21st to 24th Sept.—Action of
28th Brigade—Action of 6th K.O.S.B.—Action of 10th H.L.I.—Second
Attack of 28th Brigade—Reasons for Failure of Attack—Action of
26th Brigade—Action of 7th Seaforths—Action of 5th Camerons—The
Supporting Battalions—Situation east of Fosse 8—Position of 26th
Brigade, 9 A.M., 25th Sept.—Action of 27th Brigade—Pekin Trench
evacuated—Situation on evening of 25th Sept.—Relief of 26th
Brigade—Withdrawal of 27th Brigade—Situation on morning of 26th
Sept.—Loss of Fosse 8, 27th Sept.—Evacuation of Fosse Alley—
Counter-Attack by 26th Brigade—Relief of the Division—Comments
on the Battle 32

CHAPTER IV

THE SALIENT AND “PLUG STREET”

OCTOBER 1915 TO MAY 1916

Concentration of Division near Bethune—Major-General W. T. Furse
and _Esprit de Corps_—New Commanders—Move to the Salient—Mud—The
Reign of the Second Lieutenant—The Ninth Division School—The
Trenches—Sappers and Infantry—Artillery Retaliation Tariff—Mining—
A.S.C. and Transport—Formation of Machine-Gun Companies—Gas
Attack, 19th Dec.—Rest and Training—Ploegsteert Wood—11th Royal
Scots Raided—The G.O.C. and the Offensive Spirit—Sniping and
Machine-Guns—Changes in Command—Artillery and Trench Mortars—
Break-up of the 28th Brigade—Arrival of the South African
Brigade—Relief of the Division 61

CHAPTER V

THE CAPTURE OF BERNAFAY WOOD, AND THE BATTLES FOR TRONES WOOD

JULY 1916

Rest and Training—Move to Somme Area—Traffic of the Hinterland—
Summary of Events, 1915 to 1916—Reasons for Battle of the Somme—
Nature of the Somme Battlefield—The Policy of Attrition—Attitude
of Enemy—Movements and Preparations of the Division prior to the
Battle—Work of the B.F.C.—Weather, Preliminary Bombardment,
and Dispositions of XIII. Corps—Events of 1st July—27th Brigade
Relieves 90th Brigade, 2nd to 3rd July—Capture of Bernafay Wood,
3rd July—The Fight for Trones Wood—Orders for the Attack on
Longueval and Delville Wood—The Plans of General Furse—Brigade
Arrangements—Artillery Arrangements 84

CHAPTER VI

LONGUEVAL AND DELVILLE WOOD

JULY 1916

The Assembly—Action of 26th Brigade, 14th July—Action of 27th
Brigade, 14th July—News at D.H.Q.—The Fight for Longueval,
14th July—Attack on Waterlot Farm, 14th July—Situation on
evening of 14th July—South Africans Capture Delville Wood, 15th
July—The Fight for Longueval, 15th July—Attack on Waterlot Farm,
15th July—Situation on evening of 15th July—The Fight for
Longueval, 16th July—Situation on evening of 16th July—The Fight
for Longueval, 17th July—Waterlot Farm occupied, 17th July—
Situation on evening of 17th July—Attack of 76th Brigade on
Longueval, 18th July—Great German Counter-Attack, 18th July—
Counter-Attack by 26th Brigade, 18th July—Situation after 6.15
P.M., 18th July—Events of 19th July—Relief of the Division—Work
of the R.A.M.C.—Work of the Sappers and Pioneers—The A.S.C. and
Transport—Comments on the Battle 109

CHAPTER VII

THE BUTTE DE WARLENCOURT

OCTOBER 1916

Rest and Reorganisation—The Vimy Ridge—The Trenches, Aug. and
Sept. 1916—Sniping and Raids—Concentration in III. Corps Area,
Oct. 1916—Summary of events in the East during summer of 1916—
Nature of the country near the Butte de Warlencourt—Plans for
Operation, 12th Oct. 1916—Action of 7th Seaforths, 12th Oct.—
Action of S.A. Brigade, 12th Oct.—Comments on the Action of the
12th Oct.—Capture of The Pimple, 15th Oct.—Plans for Operation,
18th Oct.—Action of 5th Camerons, 18th Oct.—Action of 1st S.A.I.,
18th Oct.—Second Attack by S.A. Brigade, 18th Oct.—Events, 19th
Oct.—Relief of 26th and S.A. Brigades by 27th Brigade, 19th to
20th Oct.—Events, 20th Oct.—Relief of Division, 25th Oct.—
Difficulties of the R.A.M.C.—Comments on Action 143

CHAPTER VIII

ARRAS

NOVEMBER 1916 TO APRIL 1917

Promotion of Brig.-General Scrase-Dickins, 21st Oct. 1916—Promotion
of Brig.-General Ritchie, 4th Dec. 1916—General Furse appointed
M.G.O., 1st Dec. 1916—General Lukin appointed G.O.C.—New C.Os.—The
Bomb and the Rifle—Arras—The Trenches—Ninth Division School—
Training and Pamphlets—Life in the Sector—Raid by the 9th Scottish
Rifles, 14th Feb. 1917.—Other Raids—Changes in the Line—Plans of
Allies for 1917—Preparations for the Offensive—Task of XVII. Corps—
Task of Ninth Division—Artillery Arrangements—Brig.-General Tudor
and Smoke—The Barrage—Our Air Supremacy Challenged—The Training
of the Men—Daylight Reconnaissance by the 11th Royal Scots, 21st
March 1917—Formations for Attack 169

CHAPTER IX

THE BATTLES OF ARRAS

THE ACTIONS OF 9TH APRIL, 12TH APRIL, 3RD MAY, 5TH JUNE 1917

Preliminary Bombardment, 5th to 9th April 1917—The Attack on the
Black Line, 9th April 1917—The Attack on the Blue Line, 9th April
1917—The Attack on the Brown Line, 9th April 1917—Comments on
the Action of the 9th April—The Attack on Greenland Hill, 12th
April 1917—Action of the South African Brigade, 12th April 1917—
Action of the 27th Brigade, 12th April 1917—Comments on the Action
of the 12th April—Action of the 3rd May 1917—Action of the 26th
Brigade, 3rd May 1917—Action of the 27th Brigade, 3rd May 1917—
Comments on the Action of the 3rd May—Action of the 5th June
1917— The Division leaves the Arras Sector, June 1917 193

CHAPTER X

PASSCHENDAELE, 1917

ACTIONS OF THE 20TH SEPTEMBER AND THE 12TH OCTOBER

Rest and Training—Move to the Somme, 25th July 1917—Description of
Sector—Events of August 1917—A Suggested Attack—The Passchendaele
Campaign—Von Armin’s System of Defence—The “Pill-boxes”—Description
of country near Frezenberg, Sept. 1917—Objectives of the Division—
Preparations for the Battle, Sept. 1917—Action of 27th Brigade,
20th Sept. 1917—Action of the South African Brigade, 20th Sept.
1917—Death of Brig.-General Maxwell, 21st Sept. 1917—Comments on
the Action of the 20th Sept. 1917—Training—Objectives for the 12th
October 1917—Action of the 12th Oct. 1917—Comments on the Action
of the 12th Oct. 1917—Relief of the Division, 24th Oct. 1917 219

CHAPTER XI

PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE

OCTOBER 1917 TO 21ST MARCH 1918

Rôle of the Division in 1917—Situation at close of 1917—Move to
the Coast, Oct. to Nov.—Division Transferred to Somme Area, Dec.—
Training, Feb. 1918—9th Machine-Gun Battalion Formed—General Lukin
leaves the Division, March 1918—The Ninth’s Sector—The Forward
Zone—The Battle Zone—The Rear Zone—The Scheme of Defence—The
Enemy’s Intentions—Ludendorff’s Plan 246