Description
Physical description
Cap & badge
Glengarry cap of black wool with blue toori, and white metal regimental badge to the left side.
Label
A Territorial battalion, the 14th (County of London), The London Regiment (London Scottish) were initially raised by Lord Elcho in 1859 as The London Scottish Rifle Volunteers. Composed of Scots living in the London area or of Scottish descent, their kilts were made of 'Hodden Grey' cloth instead of a tartan, said to avoid inter-clan rivalry. In 1914 the 1/14th London Scottish left for France on 15th September and were the first Territorial battalion in action on 31st October at Messines, near Ypres, where they lost 43% casualties - 600 men - on that day alone. The 1/14th remained on Western Front and participated in all of the major offensives, becoming part of the army of occupation on the River Rhine at Cologne. The 2/14th went overseas to France in June 1916, went to Salonika and Palestine (part of the force that captured Jerusalem) and went back again to France. A 3/14th was formed in 1914 as a Reserve Battalion, processing drafts of replacements for the 1/14th & 2/14th battalions overseas.
This example was worn by Sergeant Douglas Dry, 1/14th. Dry, a civil servant, aged 25, enlisted 1st March 1916 and went to France with reinforcements to the battalion 10th November. Images held in the file show that Sgt Dry was a qualified Bomber and had also attended the Lewis Gunner's course (confirmed in his payboook). 1/14th Battalion London Scottish were transferred to the 56th London Division (168th Brigade) in February 1916, therefore Sgt Dry would have been in action at Arras, Neuville-Vitasse, Wancourt Ridge, Ypres and Cambrai (1917); Arras (March 28th), Boiry Becquerelle, Bullecourt, Canal du Nord, Cambrai, Valenciennes and Mons in 1918. Another image of Sgt Dry, taken in 1918, shows him wearing a white officer cadet band to his Glengarry cap, presumably taken in England.
Of interest, among the items presented to the Museum is a German army officer's detachable field service dress epaulette, being that of a Leutnant of 1. Nassauisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 87. Further research might confirm where this regiment was serving on the Western Front and could corroborate the geographical location and period of where a soldier of 1/14th London Scottish met an officer of Inf-Regt 87.
History note
A Territorial battalion, the 14th (County of London), The London Regiment (London Scottish) were initially raised by Lord Elcho in 1859 as The London Scottish Rifle Volunteers. Composed of Scots living in the London area or of Scottish descent, their kilts were made of 'Hodden Grey' cloth instead of a tartan, said to avoid inter-clan rivalry. In 1914 the 1/14th London Scottish left for France on 15th September and were the first Territorial battalion in action on 31st October at Messines, near Ypres, where they lost 43% casualties - 600 men - on that day alone. The 1/14th remained on Western Front and participated in all of the major offensives, becoming part of the army of occupation on the River Rhine at Cologne. The 2/14th went overseas to France in June 1916, went to Salonika and Palestine (part of the force that captured Jerusalem) and went back again to France. A 3/14th was formed in 1914 as a Reserve Battalion, processing drafts of replacements for the 1/14th & 2/14th battalions overseas.
This example was worn by Sergeant Douglas Dry, 1/14th. Dry, a civil servant, aged 25, enlisted 1st March 1916 and went to France with reinforcements to the battalion 10th November. Images held in the file show that Sgt Dry was a qualified Bomber and had also attended the Lewis Gunner's course (confirmed in his payboook). 1/14th Battalion London Scottish were transferred to the 56th London Division (168th Brigade) in February 1916, therefore Sgt Dry would have been in action at Arras, Neuville-Vitasse, Wancourt Ridge, Ypres and Cambrai (1917); Arras (March 28th), Boiry Becquerelle, Bullecourt, Canal du Nord, Cambrai, Valenciennes and Mons in 1918. Another image of Sgt Dry, taken in 1918, shows him wearing a white officer cadet band to his Glengarry cap, presumably taken in England.
Of interest, among the items presented to the Museum is a German army officer's detachable field service dress epaulette, being that of a Leutnant of 1. Nassauisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 87. Further research might confirm where this regiment was serving on the Western Front and could corroborate the geographical location and period of where a soldier of 1/14th London Scottish met an officer of Inf-Regt 87.