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6th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
The 6th (Morayshire) Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders was a unit of the Territorial Force, with their HQ at Garmouth, at the outbreak of war they were part of the Seaforth and Cameron Brigade, Highland Division and had their HQ at Elgin. G Coy's Drill Hall was in Lhanbryde (now The St Andrews Hotel) When war broke out in August 1914, they had just departed for annual camp and were at once recalled to home base, they mobilised for full time war service on the 5th of August 1914 and the Division concentrated at Bedford. They proceeded to France on the 2nd of May 1915. The Division concentrated in the area of Lillers, Busnes and Robecq and were rushed to the defence of Ypres, being in action until the 19th of May when they moved to Estaires on the River Lys. The brigade was renamed 152nd Brigade, 51st (Highland) Division. They were in action in the The Battle of Festubert and The Second Action of Givenchy before moving south to The Somme taking over the line near Hamel. In 1916 they were in action in the Battles of the Somme, including the attacks on High Wood and The Battle of the Ancre, capturing Beaumont Hamel, taking more than 2000 prisoners. In 1917 They took part in the Arras Offensive, The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of Menin Road Ridge and the Cambrai Operations. They remained in the Cambrai area until the 21st of March 1918, when the enemy launched an overwhelming attack and the Division were engaged in a fighting withdrawal back to Bapaume. In April they moved north and fought in The Battles of the Lys before a quiet spell at Oppy near Arras, from May to July. They were then in action at The Battle of the Tardenois, The Battle of the Scarpe, The pursuit to the Selle and the Final Advance in Picardy. They were resting the Cambrai-Iwuy area at the Armistice and demobilisation began December.
5th May 1915 On the Move 
6th May 1915 Orders
8th May 1915 Orders
9th May 1915 In Reserve
10th May 1915 In Reserve
11th May 1915 In Reserve
12th May 1915 In Reserve
13th May 1915 In Reserve
14th May 1915 On the March
15th May 1915 In Reserve
16th May 1915 In Reserve
17th May 1915 In Reserve
18th May 1915 Orders Received
19th May 1915 Reliefs
21st May 1915 Trench Work
22nd May 1915 Trench Work
23rd May 1915 Some Shelling
24th May 1915 Intermittent Shelling
25th May 1915 Occasional Shelling
26th May 1915 Intermittent Shelling
27th May 1915 Heavy Shelling
28th May 1915 Quiet Day
29th May 1915 Line Advanced
29th May 1915 Instructions
30th May 1915 Order Received
2nd Jun 1915 Trench Work
3rd Jun 1915 Trench Work
4th Jun 1915 Reliefs Completed
4th Jun 1915 Reorganisation
5th Jun 1915 Quiet
7th Jun 1915 Orders Received
8th Jun 1915 Orders
9th Jun 1915 Preparations
10th Jun 1915 Preparations
11th Jun 1915 Preparations
12th Jun 1915 Orders
13th Jun 1915 Artillery Active
14th Jun 1915 Artillery in Action
14th Jun 1915 Orders
15th Jun 1915 In Action
15th Jun 1915 Attack Made
16th Jun 1915 Attack Made
16th Jun 1915 Attack Made
16th Jun 1915 Orders
17th Jun 1915 Reliefs
18th Jun 1915 Orders Received
19th Jun 1915 Reliefs
19th Jun 1915 Artillery in Action
22nd Jun 1915 Relief Completed
23rd Jun 1915 Trench Work
24th Jun 1915 Orders
25th Jun 1915 Orders Received
26th Jun 1915 Reorganisation
27th Jun 1915 On the Move
28th Jun 1915 HQ Moves
29th Jun 1915 Orders Issued
30th Jun 1915 Mine Explodes
1st Jul 1916 Shelling
2nd Jul 1916 Mine
3rd Jul 1916 Shelling
5th Jul 1916 On the March
6th Jul 1916 Instruction
7th Jul 1916 Instruction
8th Jul 1916 Holding the Line
9th Jul 1916 Instruction
10th Jul 1916 Instruction
10th Jul 1916 Camouflet
11th Jul 1916 Instruction
11th Jul 1916 Shelling
12th Jul 1916 Reliefs
12th Jul 1916 Reliefs
13th Jul 1916 Trench Raid
14th Jul 1916 Relief Completed
15th Jul 1916 On the Move
16th Jul 1916 On the Move
19th Jul 1916 Orders
20th Jul 1916 On the Move
21st Jul 1916 Orders Received
22nd Jul 1916 Reliefs Completed
23rd Jul 1916 In Action
24th Jul 1916 Heavy Shelling
25th Jul 1916 Heavy Shelling
26th Jul 1916 Relief
27th Jul 1916 Attacks Made
28th Jul 1916 Shelling
29th Jul 1916 Heavy Shelling
30th Jul 1916 Attack Made
31st Jul 1916 Consolidation
31st Jul 1916 Report
1st Aug 1916 Instructions
11th Apr 1917 Reliefs Complete
13th September 1917 Operation Order
15th Oct 1917 Preparations
19th Oct 1917 Line Taken Over
13th Nov 1917 In Action
14th Nov 1917 In Action
15th Nov 1917 In Action
16th Nov 1917 Report
21st Mar 1918 Enemy Attack
22nd Mar 1918 Under Pressure
22nd Mar 1918 Under Attack
23rd Mar 1918 Heavy Fighting
24th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
25th Mar 1918 Pressed Back
26th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
31st Mar 1918 Fierce Fighting
9th Apr 1918 Enemy Attacks
11th Apr 1918 Heavy Fighting
12th Apr 1918 Heavy Fighting
13th Apr 1918 In Defence
7th May 1918 Reliefs
7th May 1918 Operational Order No.20
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 with6th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders during the Great War 1914-1918. - Bain James. Pte. (d.31st July 1917)
- Cameron John. Pte.
- Cruikshank John. Pte.
- Dowsett William Gilbert Bailey. Pte. (d.28th August 1918)
- Duncan Peter. Pte. (d.13th Sep 1916)
- Edwards VC Alexander. Sgt. (d.24 Mar 1918)
- Edwards VC. Alexander. Sgt. (d.24th March 1918)
- Grant MM. James Alexander. A/Sgt.
- Hay Arthur Sydney Lennox. L/Cpl. (d.4th April 1918)
- Mann Alexander David. 2nd Lt. (d.20th Nov 1917)
- Mcaskill Marcus Mcleod. Pte. (d.16th Apr 1917)
- McDougall MM. William. Sgt.
- McIntosh Duncan. L/Cpl (d.9th April 1917)
- McRae James. Sjt. (d.22nd March 1918)
- Menzies Charles James. Pte. (d.9th Apr 1918)
- Moon Philip Edward. Pte. (d.28 April 1916)
- Shaw Thomas. Pte (d.9th Apr 1918)
- Smith Joseph. L/Cpl.
- Souter Andrew. Pte (d.March 1918)
- Steedman John. Pte. (d.16th May 1917)
- Walker Richard John. Sgt. (d.2nd June 1916)
- Williams Thomas. Cpl.
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 6th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders from other sources.
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Sgt. Alexander Edwards VC. 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders (d.24th March 1918)  Alexander Edwards was killed in action on the 24th of March 1918, aged 32. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France, he was the son of A. Edwards, of Stotfield, Lossiemouth. Alexander was born at Drainie, Morayshire.
An extract from The London Gazette, dated 14th Sept., 1917, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery in attack, when, having located a hostile machine gun in a wood, he, with great dash and courage, led some men against it, killed all the team and captured the gun. Later, when a sniper was causing casualties, he crawled out to stalk him, and although badly wounded in the arm, went on and killed him. One officer only was now left with the company, and, realising that the success of the operation depended on the capture of the furthest objective, Serjt. Edwards, regardless of his wound, led his men on till this objective was captured. He subsequently showed great skill in consolidating his position, and very great daring in personal reconnaissance. Although again twice wounded on the following day, this very gallant N.C.O. maintained throughout a complete disregard for personal safety, and his high example of coolness and determination engendered a fine fighting spirit in his men."
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Sgt. Richard John Walker 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders (d.2nd June 1916) My great uncle, Richard Walker from Forres, Morayshire, Scotland was only 19 when he killed by a German sniper on 2nd of June 1916. He is buried in Maroeuil British Cemetery in France.
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Pte Andrew Souter 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders (d.March 1918) I never knew my Uncle Alex Souter. He was my grandma's eldest son (my mum's brother). I have a sporran that has been handed down to me. It was given to my grandma by a local soldier returning from the Second Battle of Arras in the belief it was her sons. I have since found out it is not a Seaforth motif on the sporran and maybe the Cameron Highlander's motif as they amalgamated at some time. I also had the dead man's penny for my uncle and my maternal grandfather, who was killed in the war, also my paternal grandfather of whom I cannot find any trace of his death.
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L/Cpl Duncan McIntosh 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders (d.9th April 1917) Duncan McIntosh served with 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders. I have found a photograph of a wooden cross with an inscription showing my great uncle's details and date of death.
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Pte. Peter Duncan 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders (d.13th Sep 1916) Peter Duncan was my great uncle, the eldest brother of my grandmother. He and his younger brother, Andrew joined the Seaforth Highlanders on the 4th of August 1914 and by 1916 were fighting in France. Unfortunately, Peter was killed in action in September 1916. His headstone can be found in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres.
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Cpl. Thomas Williams 6th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders Only through this website have I found out about my grandfather Thomas Williams. Mum didn't really know him as he died when she was 6. I've been looking into his records and information is being released like layers of an onion falling away over the last few years. I found out he was born in New Jersey. I have military records telling me this but no birth certificate.
He was 20 in 1901, he was 5'6" had grey eyes and brown hair. A slim build with a 34 inch chest and he first enlisted in Belfast, The Royal Irish Fusiliers, where he served in the Boer War. I have a short attestatiion record in his records for this. He was awarded 3 medals, The Queens South Africa medal, The Kings South Africa medal and The Kandahar medal.
After his discharge he met my gran in Scotland somehow. They married in 1910 in Glasgow, my home town.
He worked in a sewage work with chemicals in Dalmarnock and he and my gran, along with their eldest daughter, lived in Hutchestown in Glasgow. Formerly known as Gorbals. Over the next few years his records show he was sent home then re- admitted to hospital. Over his last few weeks. The medical officers start to call him the man in his notes. Not a patient or a soldier but a person. He had an honorable discharge by then. They say he looked Gravely Ill, he had several tumours, one on his neck and they drained it but they discovered it had revealed deep vessels. He died of massive haemorrhage on 11th of November 1922.
Mum stayed with her brother, sister and mother till 1928 when she lost her mum as well. You will understand there wasn't much for mum to tell. She used to say he was an Irish American and even now I can't figure out how this young man who was born in New Jersey, America, moved back to Ireland, met and married my gran and died in Scotland.
I am so proud of him and I am a great grand mother myself. I am now paying my respects to him every November. I thank the poor house medical staff who were there for men like my grandad.
RIP Grandpa
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Pte. Charles James Menzies 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders (d.9th Apr 1918) My grandmother's brother, Charles Menzies was killed in France on 9th of April 1918 in the La Bassee region during the German Spring Offensive of March and April 1918. He served with the 6th Seaforth Highlanders. His best friend also died around the same time and place, they had been choir boys in church in Perth, Scotland. Two candlesticks bearing each of their names are still on the altar in the church where they were in the choir, in Perth.
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Pte. William Gilbert Bailey Dowsett 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders (d.28th August 1918) Gilbert Dowsett received a Military Discharge on 10th March 1917, after injuries suffered in a gas attack.
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Sgt. William McDougall MM. 32nd Btn. Machine Gun Corps William McDougall was originally with the 6th Btn Seaforth Highlanders before transferring to the M.G.C. on the 12th of October 1916. He won the Military Medal in France but I can not find the citation. He was Gazetted March 17 1919 and also qualified for the British War Medal (which I have) and the Victory Medal.
If anyone can add more information it would be appreciated.
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L/Cpl. Joseph Smith 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders According to the Moray Roll of Honour my grandfather, Joseph Smith, enlisted in Elgin on 13th of October 1914. As he was born on 4th June 1899 that would have made him 15 years 4 months & 9 days old at the time.
The Roll of Honour only states that he served in France. I would really like to know what such a youngster could have been doing to have earned a promotion to L/Cpl before he was demobbed.
One thing is for sure, he enlisted as a boy but demobbed as a man.
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L/Cpl. Arthur Sydney Lennox Hay 1st/6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders (d.4th April 1918) Arthur Hay died on 4th of April 1918, aged 32 and is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery in France.
He was the son of John Walker Hay and Martha Jane Hay, of Florida Villa, Duff Avenue, Elgin, Morayshire.
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Sgt. Alexander Edwards VC 1/6th (Morayshire) Btn. Seaforth Highlanders (d.24 Mar 1918)  Alexander Edwards was a was born in Stotfield, Lossiemouth, Morayshire. He was the son of a fisherman and became a cooper working in the herring fishery. He served with the 1/6th (Morayshire) Bn, the Seaforth Highlanders, 51st Highland Division having joined the battalion at Elgin in July 1914. Edwards was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at the Battle of Pilckem Ridge.
An extract from "The London Gazette," dated 14 September 1917, recorded the following:
"For most conspicuous bravery in attack, when, having located a hostile machine gun in a wood, he, with great dash and courage, led some men against it, killed all the team and captured the gun. Later, when a sniper was causing casualties, he crawled out to stalk him, and although badly wounded in the arm, went on and killed him. One officer only was now left with the company, and, realising that the success of the operation depended on the capture of the furthest objective, Serjt. Edwards, regardless of his wound, led his men on till this objective was captured. He subsequently showed great skill in consolidating his position, and very great daring in personal reconnaissance. Although again twice wounded on the following day, this very gallant N.C.O. maintained throughout a complete disregard for personal safety, and his high example of coolness and determination engendered a fine fighting spirit in his men."
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Pte. John Cameron 1/6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders My grandfather, John Cameron joined up in September 1914. He was in the First Battle of the Somme with the 1/6th Seaforth Highlanders. He was shot in both legs on the 15th of June 1915. He lived to 85 years old and he told me plenty stories about the war. He said when they attacked the German lines in the early morning all the Germans could see was the white legs of the men as they all wore kilts.
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Pte. Marcus Mcleod Mcaskill 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders (d.16th Apr 1917) I am trying to find out what happened to Marcus Mcaskill, he died of wounds and is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery. My husband and I went to visit him this summer and the whole family would like to find out where he was stationed, and if possible a record of his military service. I have tried just able every where but can only find out that he died of wounds but nothing else. Please can anyone help me?
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