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5/6th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
The 5/6th Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was formed on the 29th of May 1916 when the 5th Cameronians merged with 6th Cameronians to become 5/6th Battalion and became part of 19th Brigade, 33rd Division.
They saw action in the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the Arras Offensive, on the Hindenburg Line, the Flanders Coast and in the Third Battles of Ypres in 1917, the Third Battles of Ypres, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy in 1918.
17th Jul 1916 Under Shellfire The 5/6th Cameronians attacked High Wood on the 16th July 1916. They assembled behind village of Bazentin Le Petit on 17th July when they were hit by a very heavy shrapnel bombardment. 76 men and 3 officers wounded, mostly in the legs. They were sheltering in small caves dug out of a high bank. Packed in tightly, could not pull their legs in.
30th Mar 1918 Falling Back
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Sgt. John Erskine VC 5th/6th Btn. D Coy. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (d.14th April 1917) John Erskine was killed in action on the 14th of April 1917, aged 23. Commemorated 6 on the Arras Memorial in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France, he was the son of the late William Erskine, of Dunfermline, and of Mrs. Elizabeth Erskine, of 1 East Savile Rd., Edinburgh.
An extract from the London Gazette, dated 4th Aug., 1916, records the following :- "For most conspicuous bravery. Whilst the near lip of a crater, caused by the explosion of a large enemy mine, was being consolidated, Actg. Serjt. Erskine rushed out under continuous fire with utter disregard of danger and rescued a wounded serjeant and a private. Later, seeing his officer, who was believed to be dead, show signs of movement, he ran out to him, bandaged his head, and remained with him for fully an hour, though repeatedly fired at, whilst a shallow trench was being dug to them. He then assisted in bringing in his officer, shielding him with his own body in order to lessen the chance of his being hit again."
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Pte. Gavin Hamilton 5th/6th Btn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (d.15th Mar 1919) Gavin Hamilton was buried in Strathaven Cemetery.
Gavin was brought back home with serious wounds and he eventually died in Dykebar Hospital. Was Dykebar Hospital used for WW1 soldiers who were severely wounded as it was a sanitarium?
This hospital is in Paisley, Scotland.
Update: Dykebar was originally a sanitarium but was converted to a military hospital in 1916.
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Pte. George Lynn 5/6th Btn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (d.26th Oct 1918) George Lynn was killed in action on the 26th of October 1918, aged 22. He is buried in the Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension in France.Vivienne Anne Clifford Lynn
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L/Cpl. John Meldrum 5th/6th Btn. Scottish Rifles  John Meldrum was born 1881 in Grantown on Spey, his father was John Meldrum (a baker) and mother, Justina Grant (daughter of Peter Grant, shoemaker of Grantown on Spey). The family moved to Glasgow sometime after 1901 John served in the 2nd Boer War with the Mashonaland Division of the British South Africa Police. He then joined the Scottish Rifles serving with the 5th/6th Battalion until 1917 when he suffered a wound and was gassed. He then joined the Royal Flying Corps in Dec 1917 and served again in France until March 1919 as an MT Fitter. When he joined the Royal Flying Corps he transferred to Royal Air Force and his date of birth is noted as 1884 and not 1881. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa 1899-1902 with 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (1185 Tpr., B.S.A.P.) late issue, British War Medal (3632 L. Cpl. Scottish Rifles), Victory Medal (3632 L.Cpl. Scottish Rifles), Special Constabulary Long Service, G.V.R. 2nd issue (John Meldrum) His younger brother James served with the 5th (City of London) Battalion of the London Rifle Brigade and was killed in action on 15th August 1917.
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Pte. Fred Govan 5th/6th Btn. B Coy. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (d.14th April 1917) Fred Govan was a great uncle of mine, who was 21 when he was killed at Arras. Sadly, I am unaware of any photographs or stories about him, as the family are all gone.
I am a piper and knowing my great uncle gave his life, has inspired me to do more research and also play at war memorials.
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