Royal Scots Fusiliers

Royal Scots Fusiliers during World War 1

After the Boer War, the British war minister, Richard Haldane, created the British Expeditionary Army (BEF), in case it was necessary to take part in a foreign war. By August 1914, there were about 120,000 soldiers in the BEF. On the outbreak of the First World War, it was decided to send Sir John French and four infantry division to Belgium. By October 1914 the BEF had seven infantry and three cavalry divisions in France and Belgium. In December the British Expeditionary Army was divided into the First and Second Army. A Third Army was created in July 1915 and a Fourth Army in March 1916. Sir John French remained in charge until December 1915, when he was replaced by Sir Douglas Haig. 1914 August 14th: Battle of the Frontiers begins. The Battle of the Frontiers refers to a series of four battles occurring from August 14, 1914 through September 7, 1914. The Battle was fought on a grand scale with Germany and France each committing 1,000,000 to the cause. The line of battle stretched from the Swiss Frontier to Mons in Belgium. The four battles included in the Battle of the Frontiers were; the Battle of Lorraine (August 14 – September 7), the Battle of Ardennes (August 20 – 25), the Battle of Charleroi (August 22-23), and the Battle of Mons (August 23). WW1 Battalions of The Royal Scots Fusiliers The Royal Scots Fusiliers sent 8 battalions abroad during the Great War: – 1st and 2nd RSF (Regular); 4th and 5th, (Territorial); 6th, 7th, 8th and 12th (New Army)

1st Battalion:

August 1914: The Battalion was based in Gosport in Hampshire and part of 9th Brigade, 3rd Division. 14 August 1914: With the BEF Landed at Le Havre, France and took part in numerous major and small battles throughout the war. They saw action in: 23 -24 August 1914: The Battle of Mons. 24 August – 05 September1914: Retreat from the Mons including the Rearguard action of Solesmes. 26 August 1914: Battle of Le Cateau. 06 – 09 September 1914: The Battle of the Marne. September 1914: The Battle of the Aisne, (13 Sept’ Passage of the Aisne and 20 Sept’ actions on the Aisne Heights) October 1914: Battle of La Bassee. November 1914: The First Battle of Ypres. They took part in the Winter Operations of 1914-15, June 1915: The first attack on Bellewaarde. July 1915: Actions at Hooge. September 1915: The second attack on Bellewaarde. 05 April 1916: In the same Division Battalion transferred to 8th Brigade. February 1916: Took part in The Actions of the Bluff. 27 March 1916: In Action at St Eloi Craters. July 1916: Now at The Somme for The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, The Battle of Delville Wood and The Battle of the Ancre. April – May 1917: They were at The Arras Offensive Arras, seeing action at Battles of the Scarpe and The Battle of Arleux. September 1917: Had by now moved north to the Flanders and were in action during The Battle of the Menin Road and Battle of Polygon Wood during the Third Battle of Ypres. November 1917: Were in action at The Cambrai operations. 20 November 1917: Carried out a major subsidiary action at Bullecourt. 1918: They were in action on The Somme, in the Battles of the Lys, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Battle of the Selle. November 1918: After the Armistice the 3rd Division, as part of the Occupation Force advanced into Germany.