Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)


Aurel Sercu

Recommended Posts

A double question about this regiment.

1. If a soldier marked a piece of equipment (clothing, spoon, razor, groundsheet, etc.), by carving or writing in (aniline) pencil his name + unit (battalion and rgt.), what would he write (if not in full) ?

Something like : 2 Cam, or 2 SR, or 2 Sc.Rif. ?

This question could also be asked as : what was (is) the official abbreviation of this regiment ? Though I am very well aware that soldiers might use unofficial abbreviations as well.

2. Who can tell me where the 2nd Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) were mid June 1915 ? (According to the mother site : 9 May 1915 = Aubers Ridge.)

Aurel Sercu

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aurel,

2. Who can tell me where the 2nd Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) were mid June 1915 ? (According to the mother site : 9 May 1915 = Aubers Ridge.)

Ray Westlake's BRITISH BATTALIONS 1915:

Took over No. 2 Section 11th. Relieved 16th and to Rue du Bacquerot. To 'F' Lines 21st, Rue du Bacquerot 27th. Located in 'F' Lines throughout June and at Rue du Bacquerot. Moved into Division Reserve on Rue du Bruges 27th.

Arthur

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mileham's The Scottish Regiments has a photo of 2nd Scottish Rifles at arms inspection Estairs sector June 1915 and officers of 2nd SR being addressed by Col C B Vandeleur in a farm April 1915.

Aye

Malcolm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(...) a photo of 2nd Scottish Rifles at arms inspection Estairs sector June 1915 and officers of 2nd SR (...)

Thanks, Malcolm,

And referring to the first part of my question...

You write "SR" ! Is that an abbreviation you took from the caption, or one you 'invented' yourself ? Or does it seem to you that SR is commonly used in books and other sources ?

Aurel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aurel,

If you check out the Cameronians in the 'Tommies' section on this site, you'll see a photograph of a group of them with a newspaper whose headline says

" 5th SR etc, etc, etc."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aurel

The official designation was S.R. and this appears stamped on the rims of medals to men from the regiment I have from the Great War.

However, the two regular battalions insisted on calling themselves by different names. The 1st Battalion (the former 26th Foot) always referred to itself as 1st Battalion The Cameronians, on account of their origins when they were formed in 1689 from a sect of extreme Covenanters known as "Cameronians", who disliked William of Orange because he had not signed the Covenant, in Scotland. The 2nd Battalion always referred to itself as "2nd Battalion, The Scottish Rifles" as they were decended from the old 90th (Perthshire) Light Infantry and did not wish to be associated so closely with the religious connections of the 1st Battalion! This situation began in 1881 when the 26th and 90th were joined together to form the new regiment and both battalions did not seem to get on that well with eachother right up to the time when they were amalgamated in 1948.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Andrew

My understanding was that the Cameronians were formed from followers of Richard Cameron, a Covenanter preacher, who had been killed by the dragoons of James VII and therefore were raised in support of William III. Certainly their first action was at Dunkeld fighting highlanders supporting the exiled king.

I also think that the 1st Battalion were also referred to as the Cameronians while all other battalions, not just the 2nd, were know as Scottish Rifles.

Trooper

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is it possible for one of our SR [!] experts to give a run-down on what the SR battalion called itself, what the Extra Reserve battalion called itself, what the TF battalions called themselves, and what the Service battalions called themselves, vis-a-vis the Cameronians/ Scottish Rifles internal family disagreement?

The August 1914 Army List titles the regiment 'The Cameronians [scottish Rifles].

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In his book "The war the infantry knew" Capt. Dunn refers to 2RWF being in the line with the Cameronians, and 5 S.R, during the first half of 1915. They were in the Bois Grenier area and 5 S.R are referred to as a Territorial force. He also makes reference to the extreme dislike that the two relevant C.Os had of each other.

Garth

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although the Regiment was the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) up until the second world war I always took it that the term Cameronians was used by the 1st Bn only and all other battalions used the title Scottish Rifles. By the time of the Second World War I think it was common to describe all battlions of the Regiment as Cameronians.

(A not very flattering nickname I've read somewhere taken from the 'SR' shoulder titles was the 'Scabby Rabs')

I know that up until amalgamation in 1948 the 1st and 2nd Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders referred to themselves as the 91st and 93rd so I wouldn't be surprised if the Cameronians / SRs called themselves the 26th and 90th.

Adam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 26th Cameronians were raised in 1689 under the leadership of the Earl of Angus and soon showed their mettle against the followers of the Stuarts in the heroic defence of Dunkeld where, 1,200 strong, they repulsed with great loss four times their number.

The "Cameronians" honour in their title is to the memory of Richard Cameron, one of the most notable of the Covenanters, whose efforts to defend the Presbyterian Faith led ultimately to his capture and death in 1680.

It was originally intended that the regiment should be organised in some degree on the model of a Presbyterian congregation, that each company should provide an elder and that each man should carry a Bible.

The pipers of the 1st Battalion wore a distinctive badge of the Mullet or Star with a scroll below bearing the name "The Cameronians."

The third 90th was the regiment raised in 1794 as the " Perthshire Volunteers," and were trained as a light infantry regiment as soon as raised, and for some years were the only corps of the kind in the British Line. This later became the second battalion of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), and at the time when so re-named enjoyed the distinction of being the oldest existing Light Infantry regiment in the British Army.

The sporrans and dirks of the pipers of the 2nd Battalion carried a reproduction of the coat of arms of the City of Perth.

Here is a link to images of the Cameronians(Scottish Rifles) War Memorial in Glasgow. It is one of the most stunning sculpture works I have seen in a long time.

http://www.glasgowsculpture.com/pg_images....sub=cameronians

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...