Chapter I
ARMS AND THE MAN
August 1914 to May 1915
The Outbreak of War — Lord Kitchener — "The First
Hundred Thousand" — Composition of the Division —
Training — The King's Message, 10th May 1915
Chapter II
FIRST EXPERIENCES IN FRANCE
May 1915 to September 1915
Move of Division to France, May 1915 — Instruction in
Trench Duties — Bombing and Bombs — Visit by
Field-Marshal Sir J. D. P. French — Festubert — Training
near Busnes — Vermelles — General reasons for Battle of
Loos — The Plan of Battle — Importance of Gas — Task of
the Ninth Division — Duties of the Staff — Major-General
Landon's Plan — Objectives — Preparations — Assembly
Trenches — Communication Trenches — Artillery —
Machine-Guns and Trench Mortars — Arrangements for Gas —
Smoke — R.E. Pioneers, Tools — Medical Arrangements —
Communications — Equipment of the Men
Chapter III
BATTLE OF LOOS
25th to 28th September 1915
Terrain — Preliminary Bombardment, 21st to 24th Sept. —
Action of 28th Brigade — Action of 6th K.O.S.B. — Action
of 10th H.L.I. — Second Attack of 28th Brigade — Reasons
for Failure of Attack — Action of 26th Brigade — Action
of 7th Seaforths — Action of 5th Camerons — The
Supporting Battalions — Situation east of Fosse 8 —
Position of 26th Brigade, 9 a.m., 25th Sept. — Action of
27th Brigade — Pekin Trench evacuated — Situation on
evening of 25th Sept. — Relief of 26th Brigade —
Withdrawal of 27th Brigade — Situation on morning of
26th Sept. — Loss of Fosse 8, 27th Sept. — Evacuation of
Fosse Alley — Counter-Attack by 26th Brigade — Relief of
the Division — Comments on the Battle
Chapter IV
THE SALIENT AND "PLUG STREET"
October 1915 to May 1916
Concentration of Division near Bethune — Major-General
W. T. Furse and Esprit de Corps — New Commanders — Move
to the Salient — Mud — The Reign of the Second
Lieutenant — The Ninth Division School — The Trenches —
Sappers and Infantry — Artillery Retaliation Tariff —
Mining — A.S.C. and Transport — Formation of Machine-Gun
Companies — Gas Attack, 19th Dec. — Rest and Training —
PIoegsteert Wood — 11th Royal Scots Raided — The G.O.C.
and the Offensive Spirit-Sniping and Machine-Guns —
Changes in Command — Artillery and Trench Mortars —
Break up of the 28th Brigade — Arrival of the South
African Brigade — Relief of the Division
Chapter V
THE CAPTURE OF BERNAFAY WOOD, AND THE BATTLES FOR
TRONES WOOD
July 1916
Rest and Training — Move to Somme Area — Traffic of the
Hinterland — Summary of Events, 1915 to 1916 — Reasons
for Battle of the Somme — Nature of the Somme
Battlefield — The Policy of Attrition — Attitude of
Enemy — Movements and Preparations of the Division prior
to the Battle — Work of the R.F.C. — Weather,
Preliminary Bombardment, and Dispositions of XIII. Corps
— Events of 1st July — 27th Brigade Relieves 90th
Brigade, 2nd to 3rd July — Capture of Bernafay Wood, 3rd
July — The Fight for Trones Wood — Orders for the Attack
on Longueval and Delville Wood — The Plans of General
Furse — Brigade Arrangements — Artillery Arrangements
Chapter VI
LONGUEVAL AND DELVILLE WOOD
July 1916
The Assembly — Action of 26th Brigade, 14th July —
Action of 27th Brigade, 14th July — News at D.H.Q. — The
Fight for Longueval, 14th July — Attack on Waterlot
Farm, 14th July — Situation on evening of 14th July —
South Africans Capture Delville Wood, 15th July — The
Fight for Longueval, 15th July — Attack on Waterlot
Farm, 15th July — Situation on evening of 15th July —
The Fight for Longueval, 16th July — Situation on
evening of 16th July — The Fight for Longueval, 17th
July — Waterlot Farm occupied, 17th July — Situation on
evening of 17th July — Attack of 76th Brigade on
Longueval, 18th July — Great German Counter-Attack, 18th
July — Counter-Attack by 26th Brigade, 18th July —
Situation after 6.15 p.m., 18th July — Events of 19th
July — Relief of the Division — Work of the R.A.M.C. —
Work of the Sappers and Pioneers — The A.S.C. and
Transport Comments on the Battle
Chapter VII
THE BUTTE DE WARLENCOURT
October 1916
Rest and Reorganisation — The Vimy Ridge — The Trenches,
Aug. and Sept. 1916 — Sniping and Raids — Concentration
in III. Corps Area, Oct. 1916 — Summary of events in the
East during summer of 1916 — Nature of the country near
the Butte de Warlencourt — Plans for Operation, 12th
Oct. 1916 — Action of 7th Seaforths, 12th Oct. — Action
of S.A. Brigade, 12th Oct. — Comments on the Action of
the 12th Oct. — Capture of The Pimple, 15th Oct. — Plans
for Operation, 18th Oct. — Action of 5th Camerons, 18th
Oct. — Action of 1st S.A.I., 18th Oct. — Second Attack
by S.A. Brigade, 18th Oct. — Events, 19th Oct. — Relief
of 26th and S.A. Brigades by 27th Brigade, 19th to 20th
Oct. — Events, 20th Oct. — Relief of Division, 25th Oct.
— Difficulties of the R.A.M.C. — Comments on Action
Chapter VIII
ARRAS
November 1916 to April 1917
Promotion of Brig.-General
Scrase-Dickins, 21st Oct. 1916 — Promotion of
Brig.-General Ritchie, 4th Dec. 1916 — General Furse
appointed M.G.O., 1st Dec. 1916 — General Lukin
appointed G.O.C. — NewC.Os. — The Bomb and the Rifle —
Arras — The Trenches — Ninth Division School — Training
and Pamphlets — Life in the Sector — Raid by the 9th
Scottish Rifles, 14th Feb. 1917. — Other Raids — Changes
in the Line — Plans of Allies for 1917 — Preparations
for the Offensive — Task of XVII. Corps — Task of Ninth
Division — Artillery Arrangements-Brig.-General Tudor
and Smoke — The Barrage — Our Air Supremacy Challenged —
The Training of the Men — Daylight Reconnaissance by the
11th Royal Scots, 21st March 1917 — Formations for
Attack
Chapter IX
THE BATTLES OF ARRAS
The Actions of 9th April, 12th April, 3rd May,
5th June 1917
Preliminary Bombardment, 5th to 9th April 1917 — The
Attack on the Black Line, 9th April 1917 — The Attack on
the Blue Line, 9th April 1917 — The Attack on the Brown
Line, 9th April 1917 — Comments on the Action of the 9th
April — The Attack on Greenland Hill, 12th April 1917 —
Action of the South African Brigade, 12th April 1917 —
Action of the 27th Brigade, 12th April 1917 — Comments
on the Action of the 12th April — Action of the 3rd May
1917 — Action of the 26th Brigade, 3rd May 1917 — Action
of the 27th Brigade, 3rd May 1917 — Comments on the
Action of the 3rd May — Action of the 5th June 1917 —
The Division leaves the Arras Sector, June 1917
Chapter X
PASSCHENDAELE, 1917
Actions of the 20th September and the 12th
October
Rest and Training — Move to the Somme, 25th July 1917 —
Description of Sector — Events of August 1917 — A
Suggested Attack — The Passchendaele Campaign — Von
Armin's System of Defence — The "Pill-boxes " —
Description of country near Frezenberg, Sept. 1917 —
Objectives of the Division — Preparations for the
Battle, Sept. 1917 — Action of 27th Brigade, 20th Sept.
1917-Action of the South African Brigade, 20th Sept.
1917 — Death of Brig.-General Maxwell, 21st Sept. 1917 —
Comments on the Action of the 20th Sept. 1917 — Training
— Objectives for the 12th October 1917 — Action of the
12th Oct. 1917 — Comments on the Action of the 12th Oct.
1917 — Relief of the Division, 24th Oct. 1917
Chapter XI
PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE
October 1917 to 21st March 1918
Role of the Division in 1917 — Situation at close of
1917 — Move to the Coast, Oct. to Nov. — Division
Transferred to Somme Area, Dec. — Training, Feb.
1918-9th Machine-Gun Battalion Formed — General Lukin
leaves the Division, March 1918 — The Ninth's Sector —
The Forward Zone — The Battle Zone — The Rear Zone — The
Scheme of Defence — The Enemy's Intentions —
Ludendorff's Plan
Chapter XII
GERMANY'S SUPREME EFFORT
21st to 29th March 1918
Hostile Bombardment, 21st March — Loss of Gauche Wood,
21st March-Loss of Chapel Hill, 21st March — South
Africans Recapture Chapel Hill, 21st March — Retreat to
the Battle Zone, 21st March — The 22nd March — Loss of
Chapel Hill, 22nd March — Withdrawal to Brown and Green
Lines, 22nd March — Retirement of the South African
Brigade, 22nd March — Retirement of the Highland
Brigade, 22nd March — The Boundary Question, 22nd March
— Retreat to East of Moislains, 23rd March — Orders for
Retreat to Ridge west of Bouchavesnes, 23rd March — The
Retreat, 23rd March — Events, 23rd to 24th March —
Retreat of the Lowland Brigade, 24th March — The Last
Stand of the South Africans, 24th March — Retreat of the
Highland Brigade, 24th March — Comments on the Fighting
of the 24th March — VII. Corps Transferred to Third
Army, 25th March — Events, 25th March-Events, 26th March
Events, 27th March — Relief of Division, 27th to 28th
March-Work of the R.A.M.C. — Work of the A.S.C. —
Comments on the Action of the Ninth — The Division "
Mentioned "
Chapter XIII
THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE IN FLANDERS
April 1918
Failure of German thrust against Amiens — General Tudor
Appointed G.O.C., 28th March — Division in Line near
Wytschaete, April-Nature of the Defences — German
Attack, 10th April — Counter-Attack of the South
Africans at Messines, 10th April — German Attack, 11th
April — Events, 12th to 15th April — Retreat to the
Corps Line, 15th to 16th April — Germans Capture
Wytschaete, 16th April — Counter-Attack of Seaforths at
Wytschaete, 16th April — Events, 17th to 24th April —
German Attack, 25th April — Action of the 12th Royal
Scots and 6th K.O.S.B., 25th April — Work of the
Machine-Gunners, 25th April — Action of Seaforths and
Camerons, 25th April — Relief of Division, 26th April —
Comments on the Fighting
Chapter XIV
METEREN AND HOEGENACKER RIDGE
May to September 1918
Moral of the Troops — The Press — Review of Situation at
end of April, 1918 — The Division at Meteren, May —
Nature of the country and the Defences — Events, 25th
May to 19th July — Preparations for an Attack on Meteren
— A Series of Mishaps — Action of South African Brigade,
19th July — Action of Highland Brigade, 19th July —
Remarks on the Operation — Brig.-General Kennedy leaves
the Division, 27th July — Events, 25th July to 18th
August — Plans for Capture of Hoegenacker Ridge —
Capture of Hoegenacker Ridge, 18th August — Relief of
Division, 25th August — South Africans leave the
Division, 13th Sept. — Newfoundlanders join the Division
— Failure of German designs in France — The " Turn of
the Tide " — Preparations for Attack on 28th Sept. —
Objectives of the Division ....
Chapter XV
FROM YPRES TO LEDEGHEM
28th September to 14th October 1918
Passchendaele Ridge carried, 28th Sept. — Capture of
Becelaere — Situation at close of 28th Sept. — Orders
for Advance on 29th Sept. — Action of the 28th Brigade,
29th Sept. — The Camerons join in, 29th Sept. — Action
of the 27th Brigade, 29th Sept. — Situation at close of
29th Sept. — Events, 30th Sept. — Orders for Advance on
1st Oct. — The Capture of Ledeghem and Rolleghem
Cappelle, 1st Oct. — The German Counter-Stroke, 1st Oct.
— The Work of the Gunners, 1st Oct. — Remarks on Action
of 1st Oct. — Summary of German defeats in other parts
of the Line, Sept. to Oct. — Objectives for 14th Oct.,
1918 -Obstacles to our Advance — The Assembly, 13th to
14th
Chapter XVI
FROM LEDEGHEM TO THE SCHELDT
14th October to 27th October 1918
Action of the 14th Oct. — Fine work of the Gunners, 14th
Oct. — Plans for Renewal of Advance, 15th Oct. — Action
of 27th Brigade, 15th Oct. — Plans for crossing the Lys,
16th Oct. — K.O.S.B. cross the Lys, 16th to 17th Oct. —
Events, 17th Oct. — Result of the Operations in Flanders
— Objectives for 20th Oct. — Preparation for crossing
the Lys — The crossing of the Lys, 19th to 20th Oct. —
Action of the 20th Oct. — Events, 21st Oct. — Action of
the 22nd Oct. — Capture of Ooteghem-Ingoyghem Ridge,
25th Oct. — Relief of Division, 27th Oct. — Comments on
Operations since 28th Sept.
Chapter XVII
CONCLUSION
28th October 1918 to 15th March 1919
Events leading up to the Armistice, 11th Nov. 1918 — The
March to the Bridgehead — The Division in Germany — End
of the Ninth Division, 15th March 1919 — Value of the
Administrative and Supply Services — The Work of "Q"
Branch — The Ordnance Department — The Padres — The
Co-operative Spirit
Appendices:
I – Table showing
Order of Battle of the Ninth (Scottish) Division
II – Table showing the periods spent in the line
III – List of Commanders and Staff
IV – Casualties of the Ninth Division
V – Victoria Cross Awards
VI – Summary Work Done by Sappers and Pioneers in
Preparation for the Battle of Arras
VII – List Showing Material Issued and Salved by the
Ordnance Department
VIII – Divisional Institutes and Canteens
Index
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Landscapes
From Water-colour Sketches by Captain F.
E. Hodge, late R.F.A.
Menin Gate, Ypres Frontispiece
Festubert
Loos
Lawrence Farm (Sketch of his Battalion H.Q. by
Lieut.-Col. the Right Hon. Winston S. Churchill)
Ploegsteert Wood
Delville Wood
Ablain St Nazaire, Notre Dame, and Vimy Ridge
Butte de Warlencourt
Arras (view in the town), West Gate
Arras (view outside town), battle front, April 1917
Havrincourt
Zonnebeke from the Frezenberg Ridge
St Julien, Artillery H.Q. " Pill-box
Nieuport Bains, looking
towards German Lines
Gonnelieu from Gouzeaucourt
Wytschaete, from Vierstraat
Kemmel and Ypres from the Frezenberg Ridge
Meteren
" Pill-box" near Ledeghem
Ingoyghem and Ooteghem, " The Last Ridge"
PORTRAITS
Major-General G. H. Thesiger, C.B., G.M.G.
Lieut.-General Sir W. T.
Furse, K.C.B., D.S.O.
Major-General Sir H. T.
Lukin, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O.
Major-General H. H. Tudor,
C.B., C.M.G.
MAPS
At End of Book
1. Loos.
2. The Somme, Longueval, and Delville Wood.
3. The Butte de Warlencourt, October 1916.
4. Arras : Action of 9th April 1917.
5. Arras : Actions of 12th April to 5th June 1917.
6. Passchendaele : Action near Frezenberg, 20th
September 1917.
7. Passchendaele : Action near St Julien, 12th October
1917.
8. The Retreat on the Somme, March 1918.
9. Wytschaete and Kemmel, April 1918.
10. Meteren and Hoegenacker : July and August 1918,
11. The Final Advance, September to October 1918.
