George Armstrong Custer Posted 2 December , 2005 Share Posted 2 December , 2005 Here's a terrific new title, 'Come On Highlanders! Glasgow Territorials in the Great War', by Alec Weir, published by Sutton, 2005 (ISBN: 0 7509 4230 4), 413 pages, £19.99. The book tells the story of the Glasgow Highlanders (9th Battalion HLI), with whom some 4,500 men served during the Great War. By 1919 over 1,200 had died, with at least double that number wounded. The author of this book does them proud. It is clearly the result of extensive in-depth research, driven by a personal interest: the author's grandfather, Major Frank Ernest Lewis MC, DCM, was the Glasgow Highlanders' regimental sergeant-major in 1914 and later became their adjutant. It was researching his own grandfather which inspired the author to expand his research to incorporate the entire units service in the Great War. I haven't finished the book yet, but I'm already very impressed with the level of original research undertaken and the writing style, which draws the reader in to the story whilst yet retaining a rigorous level of scholarship. Beautifully produced by the publishers, the book contains an excellent photograph section. Of great value to the researcher is Appendix 2 - an A-Z listing of all who are believed to have served in the Glasgow Highlanders 1914-18 (some 4,500 names). This gives name, number, decorations and whether killed in action, died of other causes or became prisoner of war. Usefully, those who are also mentioned in the main text of the book have their names highlighted on the A-Z list. A time-line style history of the Glasgow Highlanders 1868-1919 given in Appendix 1 is also of value to the researcher. The back cover bears the following quote: 'A battalion may be shattered, but it cannot die, its greatness, its very life, resides only in the spirit that imbues it. As the traditions of a regiment become richer, so does its efficiency increase: the greater its death-roll the more abundant the life that it possesses. For the dead still fight in the ranks: their spirit has entered into and made strong the souls of those who wield the rifles today. The Glasgows nobly died. Nobly the Glasgows carry on.' - Lance-Corporal Thomas 'Leo' Lyon, commenting on the Glasgow Highlanders' disastrous engagement at High Wood, 15 July 1916. This book is a must for the specialist and amateur interested in the Scottish regiments of the Great War. More than that, however, it will find great favour with anyone interested in the actions in which the Glasgow Highlanders took part - Festubert , Neuve-Chapelle and Loos in 1915, the Somme in 1916, Arras and Ypres in 1917, and their central role in 1918 in opposing the German March offensive and the subsequent Allied counterpushes. Highly recommended. Oh yes, and the cover 'blurb' contains a recommendation from Ian Hislop, whose stock has recently risen so much on this forum in the wake of his acclaimed series on war memorials. Hislop writes: 'Weir has done a great job in retreiving the lost history of his (and my!) grandfather's regiment.' Ciao, GAC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMcNay Posted 16 December , 2005 Share Posted 16 December , 2005 I bought this the othe week, and is in my "to be read" pile. Looks like an excellent book, thanks for the review. I think I'll put it nearer the top of the pile... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMcNay Posted 27 January , 2006 Share Posted 27 January , 2006 Just thought I'd bump this back to the top by saying I'm about halfway through and utterly enthralled. A great book, I can't recommend it enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 27 January , 2006 Share Posted 27 January , 2006 It is on my list as well. Have you read the War Diary online as well? Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMcNay Posted 27 January , 2006 Share Posted 27 January , 2006 I've not read it yet, but I'll have a look at it once I've finished the book out of interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPCLI Posted 27 January , 2006 Share Posted 27 January , 2006 Just thought I'd bump this back to the top by saying I'm about halfway through and utterly enthralled. A great book, I can't recommend it enough. Hi David, Thanks for bumping this back up; I missed it the first time round. Shame, I could have put it on my Christmas list. I will order it from Amazon, they are selling it for £13.99 at the moment (£6.00 off). As a matter of interest (and because I've not got much patience), could you check appendix 2 for Cpl. Andrew Muir, M.M., 6230/332961. I just want to make sure that he is listed and is shown as having been awarded the MM. I started a thread on him a few months ago and eventually tracked down his MM citation; wish I'd known the book was in progress at the time, I could have passed on the details. Thanks, Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMcNay Posted 30 January , 2006 Share Posted 30 January , 2006 Just noticed your post Stuart. Yes, he is listed, and yes it mentions his MM. Gives his dates of serving as "1917". He isnt mentioned in the main text. Cheers, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPCLI Posted 30 January , 2006 Share Posted 30 January , 2006 Just noticed your post Stuart. Yes, he is listed, and yes it mentions his MM. Gives his dates of serving as "1917". David, Thanks for that - 1917 fits in with what I know. He was awarded the MM for his actions during the Battle of the Lys, April 1918. 25 MMs and 1 bar to the MM were awarded to men of the 1/9th HLI for their deeds over those few days. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 3 February , 2006 Share Posted 3 February , 2006 GAC,is spot on about this book,i got it some time ago,bloody good stuff,one of the best that ive read,bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxy Posted 3 February , 2006 Share Posted 3 February , 2006 To purchase from Amazon Remember to log on via a link on 'The Long, Long, Trail'; more coppers for Chris. Roxy More about how/why here: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...showtopic=45907 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David McDonald Posted 7 February , 2006 Share Posted 7 February , 2006 Thanks for the info. about this book. My paternal Grandfathers cousin, William Sharp, served with the 9th.Battalion (Glasgow Highlanders) H.L.I. He was killed in action at High Wood on 15th July 1916 so the book would be of considerable interest to me. If I order the book from Amazon I will do so via the Long Long Trail website link. I did not know that the site benefitted as a result and will bear that in mind for any future orders. On the subject of the H.L.I. and books I believe there is a book called Courage Past about the 9th. H.L.I. which I would be keen to obtain. Has anyone read it? Is it easy to obtain? David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolus Posted 8 February , 2006 Share Posted 8 February , 2006 "Courage Past", by Alex Aiken, was self-published in 1971 and has always been hard to find. But it's a good book - albeit concentrating only on the 9th HLI's experiences at High Wood in mid July 1916, where Alex's uncle was one of those seriously wounded. "Come On Highlanders!" by Alec Weir, just published, and which draws on the late Alex Aiken's book as a source, deals with the 9th HLI's involvement in the entire war and thus incorporates the events at High Wood along with a great deal more. Private 4934 William Sharp is listed in an appendix to "Come On Highlanders!". He is one of the "missing of the Somme" with no known grave, commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David McDonald Posted 11 February , 2006 Share Posted 11 February , 2006 Thanks for the information Dolus. I have just received COME ON HIGHLANDERS which I ordered from Amazon via the Long Long Trail website and I am about to make a start on it. Hopefully I will be able to track down a copy of Courage Past at some point. Thanks again for the info. David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMcNay Posted 8 March , 2006 Share Posted 8 March , 2006 It is on my list as well. Have you read the War Diary online as well? Aye Malcolm Malcolm, I've just printed off the War Diary, and wil probably dip into it a few times to get a fuller description of some of the events in the book. Interesting o find out more about the two officers who are transferred out of the battalion for being "unpopular". The author of "Come On Highlanders" declines to name them for fear of upsetting any surviving family. However, his transcription of the diaries prints their names in full.... I also printed off "Shoulder to Shoulder". It'll be good to get another voice for many of the events in "Come On Highlanders" David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Armstrong Custer Posted 21 April , 2006 Author Share Posted 21 April , 2006 David, I've just logged on for the first time in ages and found your pm, to which I've replied; though I fear it will probably have come too late to be of use to you. And I'm pleased to see from your earlier post above that you concur with my view of 'Come On Highlanders!', it is wonderfully done, isn't it? Regards, GAC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSF Posted 14 June , 2006 Share Posted 14 June , 2006 Just finished the book. If you've not read it yet, give yourself a treat. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audax Posted 14 June , 2006 Share Posted 14 June , 2006 I hadn't come across this title before, I have read Alex Aitken's book and must go and track down a copy through Amazon. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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