1/14th Bn. London Regiment - 1st November 1914

[BJanman]

Hi

Having read quite a few obituaries of the regimental medical officers killed by enemy action, I’ve noticed that the majority were caught in the crossfire. A few though appear to have been deliberately targeted. One of the first appears to have been Capt Angus MacNab, R.A.M.C., who was the medical officer for the 1/14th Bn. London Regiment (London Scottish) and was killed at Messines on 1st November 1914 - commemorated on the Menin Gate. This is what I’ve found:-

“A despatch rider stated “Dr McNab was actually bayoneted in front of their (the regiment’s) eyes whilst bending down attending to two wounded men. It was bright moonlight, and he had a white badge and Red Cross on his arm and even a blue tunic on, so as to be absolutely unmistakeable, and was of course without arms of any sort.” The two wounded men were also bayoneted. When the officers of the Scottish saw what was described as “the foul deed” they drove back the Germans, giving orders that no prisoners should be taken.”

I am interested in finding out more about this, including information on the fighting which was taking place at the time, and where they were exactly. Can anyone point me in the right direction for further reading? I've thought about hunting out the war diary but am not sure how much detail it will provide.

Thanks

Barbara

[Steven Broomfield]

I can look in the regimental history this evening, if that's any help. The action of the London Jocks at Messines on 31st October is well-reported, to be honest. Where did your quote come from?

[BJanman]

Thanks Stephen, I would really appreciate it. The quote was in his obituary in the Lancet.

Most of what I have is RAMC focused so I’m never sure where to look to get accurate information about the regiments. I recently did some research on 4 medical officers taken prisoner at Landrecies in 1914, and when researching the fighting there came across lots of different scenarios of how the Germans entered the village. Ended up more confused than enlightened.

[Steven Broomfield]

The regimental history, The London Scottish in the Great War (edited by Lt Col J H Lindsay, DSO) only says that MacNab was "killed in the first rush, bayoneted while helping a wounded man" (though it is possible this was taken from the obituary you quoted), so not much to add, really.

However, what might be of interest is a piece slightly earlier: the regiment was initially employed on Lines of Communications when it first arrived in France. While stationed at Villeneuve St Georges ("a village on the right bank of the Seine about seven miles south of Paris"), MacNab organised a temporary hospital to alleviate the suffering of wounded French soldiers, untreated by their own rudimentary medical services. The regiment apparently received the special thanks of the RAMC for this.

Sorry there's not more.

[BJanman]

Interesting about him organising a temporary hospital.

I’ve been searching on-line and found a book called ‘1914’ by John French (I think), published in 1919. It states the London Scottish went into action at 10 a.m., October 31st in conjunction with the 4th Cavalry Brigade. They came under attack from 9 p.m. onwards until they were forced to retire at daylight on the 1st November. They did go forward again at 8 a.m. and took up a place in the trenches alongside the 1st Cavalry Division, and remained there until relieved at dusk that evening. As the regimental history states he was “killed in the first rush”, I’m guessing it would have been between midnight and daylight rather than early evening after they went forward again - taking into account the despatch rider stated “it was bright moonlight”.

Thanks again, I really do appreciate you looking this up for me.

Barbara

[Old Tom]

I have just read a little of this TA unit in Max Hastings' Catasrophe. caught my eye as their memorial on the Messines road is one of the first that I remember seeing on my first visit to the salient. Sir Max says that they had been employed labouring in rear areas and were deployed hastily on 31 October 1914 with ammunition that did not fit their rifles. A search of this and the arms forum has not found any detail of this lamentable incident. Is it true? Can anyone enlarge?

Old Tom

[sotonmate]

BJay/OT

War Diary is worth a look,there can be supplements there by way of a copy of officer's recollections . I have noticed quite a few here and there over the years for 1914. Only had one last week where someone asked,around 1932, for another man's recall of a couple of months at he end of 1914 so that he could work towards completion of his memoirs.

Ref is WO95/1266 (/2)but not digital yet.

[BJanman]

Thanks Sotonmate. I am long overdue a trip to the NA so will plan to go there soon and look up the war diary. Having the reference number is going to be a big help.

I found a bit more about this action in ‘The First Seven Divisions’ by Ernest W Hamilton (Late Capt 11th Hussars). He doesn’t mention the incident but he does say “There was a full moon and a clear sky, and it was as light as day” and “In any event they rendered very valuable service in an acute emergency, and it is on record that in a hand to hand bayonet encounter with the Bavarians, they actually drove those noted warriors back.” - so there appears to be some truth in what the despatch rider said.