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5th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders (Queens Own)
The 5th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was raised at Inverness in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army, they joined 26th Brigade in 9th (Scottish) Division.
The Battalion moved to Aldershot for training and in February 1915 went to Bordon. They porceeded to France and landed at Boulogne on the 10th of May 1915. They saw action in The Battle of Loos
in 1915, the Battles of the Somme in 1916, the Arras Offensive, the Third Battle of Ypres and the last phase of the Cambrai operations in 1917. In 1918 the Battalion was in action on the Somme, the Battles of the Lys and The Final Advance in Flanders. The 9th (Scottish) Division was withdrawn for rest in late October and was in billets at the Armistice on the 11th of November. The Division then advanced to the Rhine as part of the occupation force and entered Germany on the 4th of December 1918, based in the Cologne brideghead. In late February 1919, war units left and were demobilised, being replaced by regular troops.
11th May 1915 Motor Vehicles
15th May 1915 Concentration
15th May 1915 Report
15th May 1915 Orders
16th May 1915 Orders
17th May 1915 On the March 
20th May 1915 Respirators
21st May 1915 Instruction
23rd May 1915 Instruction
24th May 1915 Instruction
25th May 1915 Bombs
26th May 1915 Orders
27th May 1915 Working Parties
31st May 1915 Instruction
1st Sep 1915 Instructions
1st Sep 1915 Orders
2nd Sep 1915 Orders
7th Sep 1915 Observation Precautions
10th Sep 1915 Instructions
14th Sep 1915 Instructions
15th Sep 1915 Defence Scheme
17th Sep 1915 Reliefs
21st Sep 1915 Orders
25th Sep 1915 5th Camerons in Action
2nd Oct 1915 5th Camerons at Rest
16th Dec 1916 Comforts Fund
1st Jan 1918 Reliefs
3rd Jan 1918 Enemy Aircraft
4th Jan 1918 Air Raid
6th Jan 1918 Air Raid
7th Jan 1918 Quiet
8th Jan 1918 Harassing Fire
9th Jan 1918 Orders Received
11th Jan 1918 Prisoner
12th Jan 1918 Shelling
13th Jan 1918 Enemy Artillery
14th Jan 1918 Frosty
16th Jan 1918 Poor Conditions
17th Jan 1918 Shelling
18th Jan 1918 Attack Planned
19th Jan 1918 Quiet
20th Jan 1918 Orders
21st Jan 1918 Shelling
22nd Jan 1918 Some Shelling
23rd Jan 1918 Raid
24th Jan 1918 Relief
25th Jan 1918 Fog
26th Jan 1918 Prisoner
27th Jan 1918 Orders Received
28th Jan 1918 Shelling
1st Feb 1918 Foggy
2nd Feb 1918 Reliefs Complete
3rd Feb 1918 Cleaning up
4th Feb 1918 Training
5th Feb 1918 Training
6th Feb 1918 Training
8th Feb 1918 Training
9th Feb 1918 Training
10th Feb 1918 Training
11th Feb 1918 Training
12th Feb 1918 Training
13th Feb 1918 Training
14th Feb 1918 Training
15th Feb 1918 Training
16th Feb 1918 On the Move
18th Feb 1918 Inspection
19th Feb 1918 Training
20th Feb 1918 Training
21st Feb 1918 Training
14th Mar 1918 Attack Expected
23rd Mar 1918 In Action
3rd Apr 1918 In the Line
5th Apr 1918 Divison to be withdrawn
1st February 1919 Company Route March
21st February 1919 Orders received to send 5 Officers and 150 men to 5th Battalion.
23rd February 1919 Brigade Memorial Service for Officers lately died from Pneumonia
2nd March 1919 Church Parades
23rd March 1919 Officers & Men for transfer.
30th March 1919 Lt. P. Austin MC. & 39 O.R. proceed to join 5th Battalion.
1st April 1919 All available men for Army of the Rhine proceed to join 5th Battalion.
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with5th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders (Queens Own) during the Great War 1914-1918. - Batchan Arnot Ramsay. Pte. (d.19th Jul 1918)
- Blair MID. William. Pte. (d.16th Jul 1916)
- Blanchard Sidney John. Pte. (d.3rd November 1918)
- Clyde MM John Waddell. 2nd Lt
- Cochrane William. Sgt. (d.17th Jul 1916)
- Cochrane William. Sgt. (d.17 July 1916)
- Connelly Patrick. Pte. (d.30th September 1915)
- Cruickshank Alexander. Pte. (d.14th July 1916)
- Deary Robert R. Pte. (d.25th Sep 1915)
- Ferme William. Pte. (d.2nd March 1917)
- Gillies MM. Walter N. Pte. (d.19th July 1918)
- Hamilton James Hendrie. Pte (d.24th March 1918)
- Hogg Hugh. Pte
- Johansen John George. Pte. (d.16th Oct 1916)
- Kelly William. Pte.
- Macdonald Alexander. Pte. (d.12th Oct 1917)
- Macdonald William. Pte. (d.14th Oct 1917)
- MacDonald William. L/Cpl. (d.16th Apr 1918)
- Maciver Donald. Lt.
- Miles Charles. Pte. (d.3rd May 1917)
- Milne Charles William. Pte. (d.25th Sep 1915)
- Munro MM MID George. Cpl.
- Murrison William Harry. Pte. (d.21st October 1918)
- O'Henley Malcolm. Pte. (d.21st April 1918)
- Oatway William. Sgt. (d.3rd Nov 1918)
- Pickard Claude. Pte,. (d.3rd May 1917)
- Pickard Claude Ernest. Pte. (d.3rd May 1917)
- Reid Archibald. Pte. (d.25th Sep 1915 )
- Rodger David Purves Campbell. L/Cpl. (d.18th Jul 1916)
- Rodgers Samuel Loudon. Pte. (d.3rd May 1917)
- Rougvie Walter. Pte.
- Scott John. Pte.
- Sim Robert. Pte. (d.12th October 1917)
- Snowie Hugh Alexander. Pte. (d.23rd July 1918)
- Taylor Andrew Miller. Pte.
- Young Stephen. Pte. (d.16th Jul 1916)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 5th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders (Queens Own) from other sources.
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Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
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Pte. William Kelly 5th Btn. Cameron Highlanders William Kelly served with the 5th Cameron Highlanders.
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Pte. Sidney John Blanchard 5th Btn. Cameron Highlanders (Queens Own) (d.3rd November 1918) Sidney Blanchard died in a field hospital 8 days before Armistice Day and 3 days before his 19th birthday. He is buried at Kazelburg in Belgium.
I would love to know which battle he was fatally wounded in and when he first joined up.
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Pte. William Ferme 5th Btn. Cameron Highlanders (d.2nd March 1917) William Ferme was the son of Jackson Ferme of East Lodge Niddrie Grounds, Portobello, Edinburgh.
He was aged 19 years.
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Pte. Walter N Gillies MM. 5th Btn. Cameron Highlanders (d.19th July 1918) All we are able to find out about Walter Gillies is that he was a runner when he died. Buried at Meteren Military Cemetery
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Sgt. William Cochrane 5th Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (d.17 July 1916)  William Cochrane was born on 14 August 1893, the fourth of six children of George and Helen Cochrane. The family lived at a number of addresses in Edinburgh's southside during William's early years but eventually settled at 188 Dalkeith Road around 1907. Upon leaving school, William followed his father, sister Agnes and older brothers John and George into the printing trade. Younger brothers David and Edward would later follow suit. Following a lengthy apprenticeship, William became a stereotyper, producing stereotype plates for use in the printing process.
He was 21 years old and unmarried when he enlisted in Edinburgh on 7 September 1914, shortly after the outbreak of war. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders and deployed to France in 1915, landing at Boulogne on 10 May, followed by his brother David (6th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders) on 9 July 1915.
The 5th Battalion formed part of the 26th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division, known coloquially as the Jocks and Springboks, after the 1st South African Infantry Brigade joined the Division in 1916. The Division was engaged in major fighting on the Western Front, including The Battle of Loos (in which the 5th Camerons suffered horrific casualties), The Battle of Albert and The Battle of Bazentin Ridge. William attained the rank of Sergeant. He was killed in action on 17 July 1916, when the 9th Division engaged German forces in Delville Wood, adjacent to the village of Longueval. He has no known grave, but is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier 15, Face B.
Brother David was hospitalised after sustaining gunshot wounds in July 1917 but following treatment at St Omer, Etapes and Boulogne, he rejoined his battalion in December the same year. He eventually returned home safely to Edinburgh in January 1919. His first child, born in 1929, was named William in honour of his brother.
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L/Cpl. William MacDonald 5th Battalion Cameron Highlanders (d.16th Apr 1918) William MacDonald is my Great Great Uncle. Born in December 1881 at Rosehaugh Shepherd's House, on the Black Isle North of Inverness, he grew up on the family's croft at Ardmeanach at Milbuie, north of Rosemarkie. Family tradition has it that William emigrated to Australia early in the 20th century where he worked as a shepherd on the sheep stations. He is believed to have been engaged to be married in Australia.
He was living in Inverness and at the outbreak of War immediately signed up to join the newly formed 5th Cameron Highlanders. This was the first of the Kitchener's New Army battalions of the Camerons, commanded by Cameron of Locheil himself.
The Battalion was part of 26th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. 5th Camerons saw action at Loos (where they were all but wiped out), Arras, the Somme, Passchendaele, Ypres and the Lys Offensive. It was during the last of these that William was killed, on 16th April 1918. The Battalion were holding a position South East of St Eloi when they came under heavy artillery fire. This heavy bombardment lasted from 0430hrs until 1230hrs, when the enemy made an attack on the line, which was resisted. The fighting was over in an hour. There are no records of when William was killed, or how, but it is assumed that he fell during the defence of the line during this attack, which has gone down in history as a minor skirmish in the lead up to the First Battle of Kemmel, a little distance to the West.
He is commemorated on the War Memorial at the gate to Fortrose Cathedral and on the Tyne Cot Memorial. His brother, Archibald, received the memorial plaque or Dead Man's Penny, which currently hangs in my home.
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Pte. Patrick Connelly 5th Btn. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (d.30th September 1915) Patrick Connelly landed with the Battalion at Boulogne on 10th May 1915. He died of wounds received at Hohenzollern Redoubt during the Battle of Loos, aged 25.
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Lt. Donald Maciver 5th Btn. Queen's Own Highlanders Donald Maciver was born and brought up in Maryhill, Glasgow. He was a keen footballer and played for Shakespear Street School when he was a pupil. Later he played for Cambuslang Rangers where he was highly acclaimed as a defender.
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Pte. Arnot Ramsay Batchan 5th (Service) Btn. Cameron Highlanders (d.19th Jul 1918) Arnot Batchan was born on the 11th December 1891, in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.Having enlisted into the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) on the 4th of September 1914, Arnot was transferred to the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders on the 6th November 1914. Arnot returned to Edinburgh to marry Elizabeth D. White, at St. Mungo's church, on the 23rd March 1917. He returned to the 5th Battalion and is listed as 'Killed in action, somewhere in France or Belgium' on the 19th July 1918.
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L/Cpl. David Purves Campbell Rodger 5th Btn. Cameron Highlanders (d.18th Jul 1916) My great uncle S/18599 Lance Corporal David Rodger was killed 18th July 1916 aged 19 years at Delville Wood and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial. He was born 8 September 1896 at Tennant Street, Leith, Midlothian the son of William Cochrane Rodger and Isabella Fraser Brand Campbell. His medal card shows he entered the Theatre of War in France on 11th of October 1915.His brother, my grandfather Thomas Rodger served with 7th Royal Scots and was involved in the Gretna Train Disaster on 22nd May 1915. Fortunately, he was one of the few who survived. He had a foot injury. He served in the Dardanelles and in France, however, was transferred to the Labour Corps because of the injured foot.
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Pte. Robert Sim 5th Btn. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (d.12th October 1917)  My great uncle, Robert Sim, was killed on 12th of October 1917 on the first day of the battle for Passchendaele, during Third Battle of Ypres. He is commemorated at the Tyne Cot memorial. Sadly, there was very little left of him due to the terrible conditions and the fierce bombardment that the soldiers were facing.
I believe Robert had returned to the front after a break from duty. I am pretty sure that he was directly hit by artillery fire (possibly a howitzer round). Also his personal belongings were, unfortunately, lost so there s not much information to go on - just notes that were passed to me from my late aunt Margaret before her death around 2011. We went to visit her for the last time at her house in Harrogate.
He was in the 5th Battalion of the Cameron Highlander's (known as the Queen's Own Regiment). This was predominantly made up of Canadian infantry.
Robert lost his brother Walter "Wattie" the year before in the Battle of the Somme. He is commemorated at Thiepval.
I went to both memorials to pay my respects in February 2016. Such a solemn experience that I will cherish forever. Without these men's actions we would not be living in a free democracy.
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Pte. Samuel Loudon Rodgers 5th Btn Cameron Highlanders (d.3rd May 1917)  During 2016 a group of army cadets visited the WW1 battlefields - prior to going they were tasked to nominated a soldier killed during the conflict this soldier could be a relative, someone who came from the same town, or possibly the same surname as themselves but whoever they selected would be Their Soldier with the view they would visit their soldiers grave or memorial and lay a remembrance cross and say hello, one of the cadets Mel Rodgers told us of a relative killed during the conflict, Pte SL Rodgers 5th Cameron Highlanders aged 22 killed in May 1917
In Scotland 51 Brigade (Army) hold a competition annually called the Alban Sodger allowing cadets to do a presentation the Great War. Mel and a fellow cadet Connor Mullen used her relative as their named soldier as part of the competition they won the initial selection for the Glasgow and Lanarkshire Battalion which put them forward to the main competition, which was held in Edinburgh Castle. Their presentation won them first place on the brigade competition.
A point was made that we would visit Pte Rodgers grave whilst we were on the tour, the grave was at Duisans Military Cemetery, Etrun near Arras, after being diverted due to road works we arrived at the location. We had compiled a folder on her soldier including copies of the 5th Bn Cameron Highlanders War Diary covering the events leading up to the attack when Samuel was killed. On arrival we debussed and visited the grave, it was quite emotional but our aim had been achieved. Mel positioned her cross and large poppy on Samuels grave and this was the chance for Mel to eventually say hello to Samuel on behalf of her family, this was a lovely closure from finding out about Samuel, using him for her presentation, winning the Alban Sodger competition to finally visit his grave.
Medals Awarded to Pte Samuel Rodgers for service in World War One were Victory Medal and British War Medal
Submitted by SMI R Bell, Glasgow Lanarkshire Army Cadet Force on behalf of the Rodgers family
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Pte. John "Jock" Scott 5th Btn. Cameron Highlanders  In December 1914, five months after the start of the Great War, my grandfather, John Scott, known as Jock, volunteered for service as a private with the 5th (Service) Queens Own Cameron Highlanders a new battalion, formed as part of Kitchener's Army. He was immediately posted to Aldershot for training and was later transferred to France as part of the 26th Brigade in the 9th (Scottish) Division. He first saw action at the Battle of Ypres in April and May 1915.
Four months later, Jock was posted to Loos where he sent a postcard to his fiance, Nan Wighton, on 16th of September 1915. The words were brief and simply read: "Just a P C to let you know that I am getting on all right and keeping well. Hope this finds you keeping well. Jock"
Following the commencement of the Battle of Loos on 25th of September 1915, the 5th Camerons were heavily involved in the early fighting, particularly in the assault on Hohenzollern Redoubt. However, the attack went badly wrong and they suffered horrific casualties. Jock was hit in the leg by a large piece of shrapnel and had to crawl over a mile back to the allied lines. However, he would later say that he was one of the lucky ones, since many of his friends and comrades either didn't survive or were maimed for life.
Following field surgery in France, Jock was returned to the United Kingdom for further treatment and recuperation at Swinton Grange Red Cross Hospital in Malton in North Yorkshire. After he was wounded, Jock was no longer fit for combat duties but his war was not over. He was assigned to the Cameron Labour Corps, which carried out a whole range of defence works duties in the UK and in overseas theatres, especially in France and Flanders.
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Pte. Alexander Macdonald 5th battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (d.12th Oct 1917)  My great uncle, Alexander Macdonald, was 17 years old when he joined the Army. He had tried when he was only 16 years old, but his mother found out and he had to wait until he was 17.
Alexander was born at Culloden Ross & Cromarty, he was one of twelve children. His parents were Hector Macdonald of Skye & Christina MacRae. Alexander left many memories his time in service and we have many photographs of him alone and also with his unit during his years from 1913 to 1917. One comment on a photo with his unit " Aye smiling"
First he joined the Lord Lovat Scouts, then transferred to the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. He was called Sandy by his family.
His brother Kenneth also died in 1917 from war wounds, at least his mother was able to say goodbye to Kenneth, he was her first born child. He was 25 and married. His daughter, Ivy, was born three months after his death.
Alexander was one of 200 men who died on that dreadful day at Passchendaele, Belgium on 12th of October 1917. His name appears in the Roll of Honour page 543 at the Cameron Highlanders Museum. Alexander is remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial Cemetery, the largest War Cemetery in the world, where almost 12,000 souls are buried.
Alexander was 21 years old when he died, he was greatly loved by his family, his many photographs, in particular, the one on his horse was on display in his parents home alongside one of his brother Kenneth, for future generations to admire and give eternal thanks to their sons and the many many brave men & women who gave their lives, to enable us to have the freedom we have today.
Their memories will live on forever. I have inherited all the photographs, my cousin has his medals
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Pte. Stephen Young 5th Btn Cameron Highlanders (d.16th Jul 1916) Stephen Young served with the 5th Btn (Queens Own) Cameron Highlanders.
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Pte. William Blair MID. 5th Btn . Cameron Highlanders (d.16th Jul 1916) William Blair was Mentioned in Dispatches 31st of May 1915. He died of wounds on the 16th of July 1916.
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Pte. Alexander Cruickshank 5th Btn. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (d.14th July 1916) Alexander was the son of James Emslie Cruickshank and Isabella Smith Cruickshank (nee Jamieson) of 146 Brook Street, Broughty Ferry, Forfarshire. He was one of eight children. He was the only one of the family to die in the war. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
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Pte. William Harry Murrison 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (d.21st October 1918) William served with the 5th (Service) Battalion. Formed at Inverness in August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 26th Brigade in 9th (Scottish) Division. Moved to Aldershot and in February 1915 went to Bordon. Landed at Boulogne on 10 May 1915.
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Pte. Claude Ernest Pickard 5th Battalion Cameron Highlanders (d.3rd May 1917) My great great grandfather's brother was Claude Pickard, who was only 22 when he died in May 1917. As far as I know, he had a friend he enlisted with, and we know certain things about the family and our ancestors but for the most part his life remains a mystery, and how and exactly where he died are unknown to us.
We know the basics, he was apparently born in Shafton, in Yorkshire, he was born in 1895 thereabouts, and also had a few brothers and lots of sisters. I would love to find out more about him, or any pictures if anyone knows of a relationship to him at all.
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Sgt. William Oatway 5th Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (d.3rd Nov 1918) My great uncle, William Oatway, served with the 5th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in WW1.
I have no details of his service but know that he died of his war wounds at home in Manchester just days before the end of the war on November 3 1918. He was buried in the family grave in Philip's Park Cemetery, Manchester and is commemorated on the war memorial there, as well as on the Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh castle.
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Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
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History of the 9th (Scottish) Division John Ewing
The division’s record is graphically described in this history - what Field Marshal Lord Plumer in his foreword referred to as “a record of wonderful development of fighting efficiency.” There are useful appendices giving the Order of Battle, command and staff lists with the various changes; a table showing periods spent in the line, with locations; a table of battle casualties and the VC citations. The maps are good with adequate detail for actions to be followed.
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