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The Gordon Highlanders
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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar greatThe Gordon Highlanders
The Gordon Highlanders were first raised in 1794.
Battalions during the Great War.
- 1st Battalion
- 2nd Battalion
- 3rd (Reserve) Battalion
- 1/4th Battalion
- 2/4th Battalion
- 3/4th Battalion
- 5th (Buchan and Formartin) Battalion
- 2/5th (Buchan and Formartin) Battalion
- 3/5th Battalion
- 6th (Banffshire and Donside) Battalion
- 2/6th (Banffshire and Donside) Battalion
- 3/6th Battalion
- 7th (Deeside Highland) Battalion
- 2/7th (Deeside Highland) Battalion
- 3/7th Battalion
- 8th (Service) Battalion
- 9th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers)
- 10th (Service) Battalion
- 11th (Reserve) Battalion
- 1st Garrison or 12th Battalion
- The Shetland Companies
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Dec 2011
Please note we currently have a large backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site.
Those known to have served with The Gordon Highlanders during the Great War.
Select a story link or scroll down to browse those stories hosted on this site.
- Pte. Edward Lyon Alexander Read their Story.
- Pte. James Carnegie (d.26th Sept 1917) Read their Story.
- Pte. Andrew Gove (d.14th Nov 1916) Read their Story.
- Pte. Barclay Johnstone (d.21st Mar 1918)
- Pte. Stanley Jones Read their Story.
- Sgt. James Goodall Mcleod
- Lt. John Rogers D.C.M. (d.13th June 1918) Read their Story.
- Pte. James Slorach Read their Story.
- George Stephens (d.28th Mar 1918) Read their Story.
- Thomas Young Read their Story.
If you have any names to add to this list, or any recollections or photos of those listed, please get in touch.
Thomas Young Gordon Highlanders
Thomas Young from Dunfirmline served with the Gordon Highlanders in the Great War. He and his wife Jenny had four children, Janet, Annie, David and Edwin. Edwin lost his life when HMS Forfar was sunk in 1940.
Lt. John Rogers D.C.M. Gordon Highlanders (d.13th June 1918)
My Great Grandfather, John Rogers D.C.M./Gordon Highlanders 1895-1918 died at the 1st Scottish General Hospital, Aberdeen on the 13th June 1918 of "Cut throat Haemorrhage shock". We believe he was assaulted in Callander possibly a week before. We have tried police and court records but have had no success. Nothing was recorded as far as we know. The Hon. Curator of the Tayside Police Museum believes the the Army would have conducted their own investigations but the Police Sergeant stationed at Callander would certainly have had knowledge of the assault. I have contacted the Scottish National Archives and been to the National Archives, Kew but again had no success. Would anybody have any ideas where I could collect information regarding the assault and his hospital record?
Pte. Stanley Jones 1st Btn. Gordon Highlanders
My husband's father Stanley Jones was born in the parish of Mynyddislwyn, Monmouthshire, Wales, in 1895. Stanley travelled all the way to Perth to join the Gordon Highlanders on 4th August, 1914. Unfortunately his records were lost in the "burnt papers" but we have pieced together his records as far as we can. Stanley was in the Battle of Loos, September 1915 - 13 months in line. Battle of the Somme July 1916 - 7 months in the line. Battle of Arras April 1917v- 5 months in the line - Battle of Paschendele October 4th - November 27th 1917. Stanley was shot and gassed in 1917 and he was sent home to Perth in Scotland then to the hospital in Cardiff.Recently going through his papers we found a faded photograph of a Gordon Highlander, on the back is written James Carnegie (Barry Carnoustie). This gentleman appeared to have been a great friend of his. Researching on the internet we have found that a James Carnegie S/17411 lst Btn. Gordon Highlanders died at the age of 22 on 26th September, 1917 and is remembered with honour on the Tyne Cot Memorial. Stanley was in the lst Btn Gordon Highlanders (service number S/6402) so we think we have found the young James Carnegie in the picture lovingly kept by Stanley in his precious papers of the Great War.
If anyone of James's family would like to get in touch we would be so happy to hear from them.
Pte. James Carnegie 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders (d.26th Sept 1917)
My husband's father Stanley Jones served in the Gordon Highlanders, Recently going through his papers we found a faded photograph of a Gordon Highlander, on the back is written James Carnegie (Barry Carnoustie). This gentleman appeared to have been a great friend of his. Researching on the internet we have found that a James Carnegie S/17411 lst Btn. Gordon Highlanders died at the age of 22 on 26th September, 1917 and is remembered with honour on the Tyne Cot Memorial. Stanley was in the lst Btn Gordon Highlanders (service number S/6402) so we think we have found the young James Carnegie in the picture lovingly kept by Stanley in his precious papers of the Great War.If anyone of James's family would like to get in touch we would be so happy to hear from them.
Pte. Andrew Gove 7th. Bn "C" Coy. Gordon Highlanders (d.14th Nov 1916)
KIA at Beaumont Hamel. Age: 19 years
Pte. James Slorach 1st/4th Battalion Gordon Highlanders
James mobilized august 5th -7pm at Robert Gordon College sent for garrison duty to Stoneywood Naval Wireless Station 3pm- -august 5thReturned to Aberdeen 8pm-aug 7th
Joined Aberdeen for Perth 7am-9th
Started field training and route marching till aug 13th
Left perth for bedford midnight aug14th arrived bedford 8pm-aug15th started general training for over seas service
Signed for service abroad voluntary by appeal of Earl Kitchener -sept
Highland Division formed in Bedford and inspected by General Sir Ian Hamilton -Oct inspected by HM George V in December 1915
Had embarkation leave Feb 15
Left Bedford for Southampton 6pm-19th Feb
Left Southampton 6pm 19th Feb
Anchored off Le Harve, France on morning of feb 20th
Proceed to camp (Le Harve) after dinner at docks 12noon stayed 2 nights and one day at camp Le Harve
Had 38 hour journey in cattle trucks detrained at Bailull in North France noon 23 feb and proceeded to billets (the north vineyards) and stayed overnight in same town
Started marching 9am for the village of "La Clytte" across the Belgian frontier, arrived there the same day 4pm weather bitterly cold "La Clytte" 5km+ from firing linr =3 and a half miles inspected and addressed by General Smith-Dorrien
Were taken on strength of 3rd Division 8th Brigade -26th feb and recognized as the "sister" battalion to the 1st Battalion of the Gordons.
Went to trenches for the first time on night of the 29th with two different battalions 1st Gordons and 2nd Suffolks had no casualties after
Had 6 days rest and went to trenches further to right on the front of Messines Ridge had first man killed there.
After 6 days rest 10 men of transport go to frontline with battalion & I went with "B" coy. and do 6 days & come back for 6 days and same again in march.
April Germans start gas attacks and 3rd Div.called upon 4th Gordons to proceed to "hill 60" and B Reserve to the Canadians (1st Contingent)
April 3rd take up position on Memin Road in front of Ypres which was burning furiously.
June, battalion does 26 days in frontline and has 15 hours bombardment from Germans about 90 casualties.
June 16th 9th Brigade attacks "D" Coy and 4th Gordons go over on right at "Y" woods and is almost wiped outby machine gun fire.
Sept 24th 8th Brigade composed(for attack only) of 1st gordons,4th Gordons and 2nd Royal Scots, 1st Royal Scots Fusilliers inspected by Lord Kitchener (eve of Battle of Loos)
Sept 25th Battle of Loos 4th Gordons have terrible casualties reduced to 4 officers and 150 men - former strength 16 officers and 750 men
The battle station position - Sangutary Wood right of Ypres (loss 600 men and 12 officers)
Sept 28th another 10 days of trenches without reinforcements
Oct leave the line for rest billets by rail to Ceeke.
Nov.1 leave ceeke on 7 days pass arrive in Aberdeen after a disagreeable passage
Tueday leave aberdeen for France
Sunday after painful leave of 4 days
December arrive back in France after delay and rejoin Battalion after further delay at Reninoghelst in Belgium
Dec Battalion does poneer for 2 months on account of low strength.
1916 Feb granted another rest at Éperlecques, France
Feb20th celebrate anniversary of arrival in France
Feb 26th leave 3rd Div.farwell speech from General Haldane.March on St Omer and train to Somme - after 24 hrs jounery 6 transport men lose train detrained and march via Valley of Somme and reach Corbie ground covered with snow and very cold meet 51st Div and relieve 4th Camerons in 154th Brigade
After a week's rest proceed by road marching to Arras a distance of 200 kms taking almost 2 weeks to complete.
Relive French troops at Rocklincourt and hold the line there until July.
First transport man killed behind Vinney Ridge. I.along with other 3 men, do work on light railway behind vinney ridge for two months and have one man killed and one man wounded and two mules killed,
End of July take road for Somme arrive at village of Fricourt which had fallen to the British 2 days before.
Battalion proceeds to...
This is where the dary ends James 's thoughts : Where have all the young men gone? gone to a graveyard every one, when will they ever learn- when will they ever learn
Pte. Edward Lyon Alexander 5th Battalion (Buchan & Formartin),D Company Gordon Highlanders
My grandfather, Edward Alexander volunteered for the 5th Battalion (Buchan & Formartin),D Company Turriff, Gordon Highlanders in 1914. I think he was wounded in 1915. He was transferred to the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers & Labour Corps. I am trying to find out why he would have been transferred and if there are any records of him in the Inniskillings.
George Stephens Seaforth Highlanders (d.28th Mar 1918)
George Stephens was my Grandad he enlisted in Invergorden Rosshire. I have no photos of him at all. He fought in France and Flanders. He was formerly in the Gordon Highlanders.
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F.W. Bewsher
The Highland Division was one of the pre-war Territorial divisions. Its HQ was in Perth with brigade HQs in Aberdeen, Inverness and Stirling. On mobilization the division moved down to its war station in Bedford where it remained, carrying out training till embarking for France in May 1915. During this period six of its battalions were sent to France, three in November 1914 and three in the following March, replaced by two Highland battalions and a brigade of four Lancashire battalions; it is not clear whether the latter were required to wear kilts. They were transferred to the 55th (West Lancashire) Division when that division reformed in France in January 1916 and were replaced, appropriately, by Scottish battalions. It was in May 1915, just as the division arrived in France, that it was designated 51st and the brigades 152nd, 153rd and 154th; by the end of the war the 51st (Highland) Division had become one of the best known divisions in the BEF.More information on:
History of the 51st (Highland) Division 1914-1918
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