History of the Fourth Battalion the Seaforth Highlanders

A great deal of care has gone into the production of this fine battalion history which has some unusual features – the number of colour plates depicting battlefield scenes, the drawings at the head of each chapter, and the system whereby events between successive chapters are described in a brief synopsis, thus preserving continuity in the narrative. There are two short sections on the second and third line battalions, neither of which went on active service. There is a list of Honours and Awards, grouped under the year in which they were awarded and in order of the date of the London Gazette notifying them, and these awards included a posthumous VC – to Sgt J.Meikle for gallantry in July 1918. From time to time casualty figures are given in the narrative and there is a plate showing 273 officers and 3783 other ranks served overseas with the battalion of whom 60 officers and 1110 other ranks died. This table also summarises the Honours awarded. The 4th Seaforth Highlanders were in the Seaforth and Cameron Brigade of the Highland Division when war broke out but left trhe brigade in November 1914 to go to France where they joined the Dehra Dun Brigade of the 7th (Meerut) Division of the Indian Corps, and when the division left France in November the battalion was transferred first to 46th Division, then the 15th Scottish and finally, in January 1916, back to the 51st Highland Division for the rest of the war.This is an outstanding history of a Territorial battalion that was in action before the end of 1914 and fought right through to the armistice.