Editing Black Watch (section)

=====8th (Service) Battalion=====
The 8th (Service) Battalion was raised in Perth by [[John Forbes-Sempill, 18th Lord Sempill|Lord Sempill of Fintray]] who had previously served with the Black Watch in the [[Mahdist War|Sudan]]. Recruiting commenced on 21 August 1914 and the ranks were filled by 3 September 1914. The 8th was the senior battalion in the [[26th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|26th Infantry Brigade]], which in turn was the leading brigade of the [[9th (Scottish) Division]], the first division of [[Kitchener's Army|Lord Kitchener's New Army]]. As such, the 8th (Service) Battalion can claim to be the vanguard of the "First Hundred Thousand" men in Kitchener's K1 Army. The battalion officially formed at Albuera Barracks in August 1914 before moving to [[Aldershot Garrison|Maida Barracks]] in September 1914. A core cadre of experienced regular and ex-regular officers, warrant officers and non-commissioned officers formed the backbone of the new unit. The enlisted men came mainly from the cities, farms and [[Fife Coalfield|collieries]] of [[Fife]] and [[Angus, Scotland|Forfarshire]]. 16 January 1915 saw the [[26th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|26th Infantry Brigade]] move from Aldershot to Hampshire with the 8th Battalion billeted at Alton. On 22 January 1915 [[Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener|Lord Kitchener]] inspected the battalion, along with the rest of the [[9th (Scottish) Division]] during downpour of rain on Laffan's Plain (now [[Farnborough Airport]]). The battalion marched to [[Bordon Camp|Oxney Farm Camp]] near Bordon on 21 March 1915 to undertake a final musketry course where the 8th Battalion Machine Gun Section obtained the highest score in the brigade. In early May 1915, the battalion received the long-awaited orders to proceed overseas to France.<ref>{{cite book |last=Wauchope |first=Arthur Grenfell |author-link=Arthur Grenfell Wauchope |date=1925 |title=A History of The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in The Great War, 1914–1918, Volume Three: New Army |location=Eastbounre |publisher=Antony Rowe Ltd |pages=3–5 |isbn=978-1-84734-573-8}}</ref>

The machine-gun section and battalion transport led the way, sailing to [[Le Havre]] via Southampton on 9 May with the bulk of the battalion following on 10 May sailing to [[Boulogne]] via [[Folkestone]]. The whole battalion then travelled on by train to [[Arques, Pas-de-Calais|Arques]] near [[Saint-Omer]] arriving in the early hours of 11 May, from here they heard the distant rumble of the guns at [[Second Battle of Ypres|Ypres]] for the first time. The battalion entered the trenches for the first time on 4 July 1915, relieving the 5th (Service) Battalion of the [[Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders]] in the front line East of [[Festubert]], they were relieved in turn on 7 July 1915 by 10th (Service) Battalion of the [[Highland Light Infantry]]. In this short four day introduction to trench warfare, the battalion lost three men killed and seven wounded.<ref>{{cite book |last=Wauchope |first=Arthur Grenfell |author-link=Arthur Grenfell Wauchope |date=1925 |title=A History of The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in The Great War, 1914-1918, Volume Three: New Army |location=Eastbounre |publisher=Antony Rowe Ltd |pages=5–7 |isbn=978-1-84734-573-8}}</ref>

On 25 September 1915, the battalion took a leading role in the opening actions of the [[Battle of Loos]]. During three hard days of fighting at Loos, the battalion lost 19 officers and 492 other ranks either killed or wounded. This included the Commanding Officer Lt Col [[John Forbes-Sempill, 18th Lord Sempill|Lord Sempill]], the Second in Command Major J. G. Collins, three of the four Company Commanders and the [[Regimental sergeant major|Regimental Sergeant Major]] W. H. Black. Another notable casualty at Loos was Captain The Hon. [[Fergus Bowes-Lyon]], the elder brother of [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon]] who would later marry the future King [[George VI]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Wauchope |first=Arthur Grenfell |author-link=Arthur Grenfell Wauchope |date=1925 |title=A History of The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in The Great War, 1914-1918, Volume Three: New Army |location=Eastbounre |publisher=Antony Rowe Ltd |pages=9–15 |isbn=978-1-84734-573-8}}</ref>

The 8th (Service) Battalion spent the rest of the war in the trenches of the Western Front and took part in a number of key battles.

*1916 – [[Battle of Bazentin Ridge]]
*1917 – [[Battle of Arras (1917)|First battle of the Scarpe]], [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Third Battle of the Scarpe]], [[Battle of Passchendale|First Battle of Passchendale]]
*1918 – [[Operation Michael|First Battle of Bapaume]], [[Battle of the Lys (1918)|Battle of Messines]], [[Battle of the Lys (1918)|First Battle of Kemmel Ridge]], [[Battle of the Lys (1918)|Second Battle of Kemmel Ridge]], [[Fifth Battle of Ypres]], [[Battle of Courtrai (1918)|Battle of Courtrai]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Wauchope |first=Arthur Grenfell |author-link=Arthur Grenfell Wauchope |date=1925 |title=A History of The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in The Great War, 1914–1918, Volume Three: New Army |location=Eastbounre |publisher=Antony Rowe Ltd |page=103 |isbn=978-1-84734-573-8}}</ref>

Following the armistice, demobilization began on 27 December 1918 and men were released in batches during the following months. In mid-August 1919 the remnants of the battalion returned to England, sailing from Calais to Folkestone before marching to Shorncliffe where trains were boarded to [[Brocton, Staffordshire|Brocton Camp]]. Demobilization continued and on 15 November 1919, the battalion was reduced to Cadre strength. Following the dispersal of the remaining officers and other ranks, the Commanding Officer, Adjutant and Quartermaster returned to the [[Queen's Barracks|Black Watch Depot]] in Perth where the battalion was officially disbanded in mid-December 1919.<ref>{{cite book |last=Wauchope |first=Arthur Grenfell |author-link=Arthur Grenfell Wauchope |date=1925 |title=A History of The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in The Great War, 1914-1918, Volume Three: New Army |location=Eastbounre |publisher=Antony Rowe Ltd |pages=70–73 |isbn=978-1-84734-573-8}}</ref> During active service between 1915 and 1918 the 8th (Service) Battalion lost a total of 169 officers (69 killed/93 wounded/8 missing) and 3,597 other ranks (1,123 killed/1,673 wounded/510 missing).<ref>{{cite book |last=Wauchope |first=Arthur Grenfell |author-link=Arthur Grenfell Wauchope |date=1925 |title=A History of The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in The Great War, 1914-1918, Volume Three: New Army |location=Eastbounre |publisher=Antony Rowe Ltd |page=84 |isbn=978-1-84734-573-8}}</ref> The bravery of the 8th is reflected in the number of gallantry decorations awarded, this includes 7 [[Distinguished Service Order]]s, 32 [[Military Cross]]es, 38 [[Distinguished Conduct Medal]]s, 6 [[Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom)|Meritorious Service Medals]] and 137 [[Military Medal]]s.<ref>{{cite book |last=Wauchope |first=Arthur Grenfell |author-link=Arthur Grenfell Wauchope |date=1925 |title=A History of The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in The Great War, 1914–1918, Volume Three: New Army |location=Eastbounre |publisher=Antony Rowe Ltd |pages=99–101 |isbn=978-1-84734-573-8}}</ref>