View source for 9th (Scottish) Division

{{Short description|Infantry division of the British Army during the First World War}}
{{For|the similarly numbered formation in the [[World War II|Second World War]]|9th (Highland) Infantry Division}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= 9th (Scottish) Division
|image=British 9th (Scottish) Division Insignia.png
|caption=
|dates= 21 August 1914{{snd}}16 March 1919
|country={{flagcountry|UKGBI}}
|allegiance=
|branch={{army|United Kingdom|23px}}
|type= [[Infantry]]
|role=
|size=[[Division (military)|Division]]
|command_structure=
|current_commander=
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=[[World War I|First World War]]
:[[Battle of Loos]]
:[[Battle of the Somme]]
::[[Battle of Delville Wood|Capture of Longueval]]
::[[Battle of Le Transloy]]
:[[Battle of Arras (1917)]]
:[[Battle of Passchendaele]]
:[[Ludendorff Offensive]]
:[[Battle of Messines (1917)|Battle of Messines]]
:[[Battle of Bailleul]]
:[[Battle of Kemmel Ridge]]
:[[Battle of Scherpenberg]]
:[[Battle of the Lys Salient]]
:[[Battle of the Lys (1918)|Fourth Battle of Ypres]]
:[[Battle of Courtrai (1918)|Battle of Courtrai]]
:[[Battle of Ooteghem]]
|notable_commanders=
|anniversaries=
}}
The '''9th (Scottish) Division''', was an [[infantry]] [[Division (military)|division]] of the [[British Army during World War I|British Army during the First World War]], one of the [[Kitchener's Army]] divisions raised from volunteers by [[Herbert Kitchener|Lord Kitchener]] to serve on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] during the [[World War I|First World War]].

After the [[1st Infantry Brigade (South Africa)|1st South African Infantry Brigade Group]] joined in early 1916, the division was known [[colloquial]]ly as the ''[[Scottish people|Jock]] and [[Springbok]]s''.

== History ==

===Background===

A 9th Division had been formed for service during the [[Second Boer War]], and was commanded by [[Henry Edward Colvile]].<ref>Louis Creswicke, South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 6, p. 160</ref> In 1902, a 9th Division was as formed and was commanded by [[Edward Pemberton Leach]],<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=27434|page=3254| date=16 May 1902}}</ref> but it was broken-up at some point prior to the start of the war.

=== First World War ===
In the [[Battle of Loos]], notable for being the first battle in which British forces used poison gas, the 9th (Scottish) Division assaulted the [[Hohenzollern Redoubt]], the 5th Camerons suffered horrific casualties, and [[Corporal]] [[James Dalgleish Pollock]] gained a [[Victoria Cross]] for his actions.

[[File:Bagpiper Battle of Bazentin Ridge 14-07-1916 IWM Q 4012.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Bagpipes|piper]] of the 7th (Service) Battalion, [[Seaforth Highlanders]] leads four men of the [[26th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|26th Brigade]] back from the trenches after the attack on [[Longueval]], [[France]], July 1916.]]
The 9th (Scottish) Division took part in major fighting during the Somme offensive. Notably it relieved the [[30th Division (United Kingdom)|30th Division]] at Montauban and later attacked German positions at Bernafay Wood, where it succeeded in capturing vital objectives and forcing a German withdrawal. In the Somme offensive, the 9th (Scottish) Division liberated the village of [[Longueval]]; the village now has a statue of a Scottish piper at its crossroads that commemorates this fact (see [[Caterpillar Valley Cemetery]]) and also other pipers who served in the [[World War I|First World War]].

==Order of battle==
The division comprised the following brigades:<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Chris |title=9th (Scottish) Division |url=http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/9th-scottish-division/ |website=The Long, Long Trail |access-date=24 November 2018}}</ref>

; [[26th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|26th Brigade]]
* 8th (Service) Battalion, [[Black Watch|Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)]]
* 7th (Service) Battalion, [[Seaforth Highlanders]] ([[Ross-shire]] Buffs, [[Duke of Albany]]'s)
* 8th (Service) Battalion, [[Gordon Highlanders]] (''transferred to [[15th (Scottish) Division]] 7 May 1916'')<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Chris |title=Gordon Highlanders |url=http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/gordon-highlanders/ |website=The Long, Long Trail |access-date=24 November 2018}}</ref>
* 5th (Service) Battalion, [[Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders]]
* [[Bolton Rifles|1/5th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment]], [[Territorial Force]] (TF) (''joined December 1915 left January 1916'')
* 10th (Service) Battalion, [[Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders]] (''transferred from 27th Brigade 6 May 1916, transferred to [[32nd Division (United Kingdom)|32nd Division]] 17 February 1918'')
*26th Machine Gun Company (''formed 29 January 1916 left to move into 9th Battalion [[Machine Gun Corps]] (M.G.C.) 1 March 1918'')
*26th Trench Mortar Battery (''joined 15 June 1916'')

; [[27th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|27th Brigade]]
* 11th (Service) Battalion, [[Royal Scots|Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)]]
* 12th (Service) Battalion, Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
* 6th (Service) Battalion, [[Royal Scots Fusiliers]] (''transferred to 15th (Scottish) Division 7 May 1916'')<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Chris |title=Royal Scots Fusiliers |url=http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/the-royal-scots-fusiliers-in-1914-1918/ |website=The Long, Long Trail |access-date=24 November 2018}}</ref>
* 10th (Service) Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (''transferred to 26th Brigade 7 May 1916'')
* 6th (Service) Battalion, [[King's Own Scottish Borderers]] (''transferred from 28th Brigade 6 May 1916'')
* 9th (Service) Battalion, [[Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)]] (''transferred from 28th Brigade 6 May 1916, transferred to the [[14th (Light) Division]] in February 1918'')<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Chris |title=Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) |url=http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/cameronians-scottish-rifles/ |website=The Long, Long Trail |access-date=24 November 2018}}</ref>
*27th Machine Gun Company (''formed 23 December 1915, left to move into 9th Battalion M.G. C. 1 March 1918'')
*27th Trench Mortar Battery (''joined July 1916'')

; [[28th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|28th Brigade]]
(''The 28th Brigade was broken up in May 1916 and replaced with the 1st South African Brigade. It reformed in September 1918'')
* 6th (Service) Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers (''transferred to 27th Brigade 6 May 1916'')
* 9th (Service) Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (''transferred to 27th Brigade 6 May 1916, returned September 1918'')
* 10th (Service) Battalion, [[Highland Light Infantry]] (''transferred to South African Brigade 6 May 1916'')
* 11th (Service) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry (''transferred to South African Brigade 6 May 1916'')
*2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers (''transferred from South African Brigade 13 September 1918'')
* 1st Battalion, [[Royal Newfoundland Regiment]] (''joined September 1918'')
*28th Machine Gun Company (''formed 3 January 1916 transferred to South African Brigade 6 May 1916'')
*28th Trench Mortar Battery(''joined 11 September 1918'')

; [[1st South African Brigade]]
(''Replaced the 28th Brigade in May 1916 and was replaced in turn by a reformed 28th Brigade on 13 September 1918'')
* 1st Regiment, South African Infantry (''merged with 2nd and 4th Battalions on 24 April 1918 as the South African (Composite) Regiment, regained separate identity on 1 September 1918'')
* 2nd Regiment, South African Infantry (''merged with 1st Battalion, reformed 1 September 1918'')
* 3rd Regiment, South African Infantry (''disbanded 18 February 1918'')
* 4th Regiment, South African Infantry (''merged with 1st Battalion, reformed 1 September 1918'')
* 10th (Service) Battalion, [[Highland Light Infantry]] (''transferred from 28th Brigade 6 May 1916, merged with 11th Battalion on 14 May 1916 forming 10/11th Battalion and transferred to 15th (Scottish) Division'')
* 11th (Service) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry (''transferred from 28th Brigade 6 May 1916 merged with 10th Battalion'')
*3/4th Battalion, [[Royal West Kent Regiment]], TF (''joined 6 June 1917, left 15 June 1917'')
*[[10th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment#3/10th Battalion|3/10th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment]], TF  (''joined 6 June 1917, left 23 July 1917'')
*2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers (''joined 26 April 1918, transferred to 28th Brigade 13 September 1918'')
*9th (Service) Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (''joined 21 April 1918, transferred to 28th Brigade 12 September 1918'')
*28th Machine Gun Company (''transferred from 28th Brigade 6 May 1916 left to move into 9th Battalion M.G.C. 1 March 1918'')
*South African Trench Mortar Battery (''joined 13 June 1916'')

'''Divisional Troops'''
*6th (Service) Battalion, [[Bedfordshire Regiment]] (''left March 1915'')
*6th (Service) Battalion, [[Leicestershire Regiment]] (''left April 1915'')
*9th (Service) Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (''joined December 1914, became Divisional Pioneer Battalion early 1915'')
*10th Motor Machine Gun Battery (''joined 30 April 1915, left 11 June 1916'')
*197th Company, M.G.C. (''joined 19 December 1916, left to move into 9th Battalion M.G.C. 1 March 1918'')
*9th Battalion, M.G.C. (''formed 1 March 1918 absorbing the brigade MG companies'')
*11th Motor Machine Gun Battery (''joined 7 October 1918, left 7 November 1918'')
*Divisional Mounted Troops	
**B Squadron, [[Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry|1/1st Glasgow Yeomanry]] (''joined 15 May 1915, left 10 May 1916'')
**9th Divisional Cyclist Company, [[Army Cyclist Corps]] (''formed 1 December 1914, left 26 June 1916'')
*9th Divisional Train [[Royal Army Service Corps|Army Service Corps]]
**104th, 105th, 106th and 107th Companies
*21st Mobile Veterinary Section [[Royal Army Veterinary Corps|Army Veterinary Corps]]
*212th Divisional Employment Company (''formed by 23 June 1917'')

'''[[Royal Artillery]]'''
*L Brigade, [[Royal Field Artillery]] (R.F.A.)	
*LI Brigade, R.F.A.	
*LII Brigade, R.F.A. (''left 8 January 1917'')
*LIII (Howitzer) Brigade, R.F.A. (''broken up 11 September 1916'')
*9th Divisional Ammunition Column R.F.A.
*[[9th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery]] (''left 16 May 1915'')
*V.9 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery R.F.A. (''joined May 1916, left February 1918'')
*X.9, Y.9 and Z.9 Medium Mortar Batteries R.F.A. (''joined April 1916; on 13 February 1918, Z broken up and distributed among X and Y batteries'')

'''[[Royal Engineers]]'''
*63rd Field Company
*64th Field Company
*90th Field Company (''joined January 1915'')
*9th Divisional Signals Company

'''[[Royal Army Medical Corps]]'''
*27th Field Ambulance
*28th Field Ambulance
*29th Field Ambulance (''left May 1916'')
*South African Field Ambulance (''joined May 1916, left 13 September 1918'')
*2/1st (East Lancashire) Field Ambulance (''joined 26 September 1918'')
*20th Sanitary Section (''left 29 March 1917'')

==General Officers Commanding==
Commanders have included:<ref>[http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf Army Commands] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705211343/http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf |date=5 July 2015 }}</ref><ref name="Becke">{{cite book|last=Becke|first=A. F.|year=1938|title=Order of Battle of Divisions Part 3A: New Army Divisions (9-26)|location=London|publisher=His Majesty's Stationery Office|page=3}}</ref>
* 27 August – 11 October 1914 Major-General [[Colin Mackenzie (British Army officer)|Colin Mackenzie]]
* 11 October – 26 October 1914 Brigadier-General Spencer Scrase-Dickens (acting)
* 26 October – 31 December 1914 Lieutenant-General [[Sir Charles Fergusson, 7th Baronet|Sir Charles Fergusson]]
* 31 December 1914 – 21 January 1915 Brigadier-General Spencer Scrase-Dickens (acting)
* 21 January – 8 September 1915 Major-General [[Herman Landon]]
* 9 September – 27 September 1915 Major-General [[George Thesiger]]
* 27 September 1915 Major-General [[Edward Bulfin]] (temporary)
* 28 September 1915 – 2 December 1916 Major-General [[William Furse]]
* 2 December 1916 – 4 March 1918 Major-General [[Henry Lukin]]
* 4 March – 13 March 1918 Brigadier-General [[Henry Hugh Tudor]] (acting)
* 13 March – 16 March 1918 Major-General [[Cyril Blacklock]]
* 16 March – 24 March 1918 Brigadier-General Henry Hugh Tudor (acting)
* 24 March – 28 March 1918 Major-General Cyril Blacklock
* 28 March 1918 – 1919 Major-General Henry Hugh Tudor

==See also==
{{Portal|United Kingdom}}
* [[List of British divisions in World War I]]
* [[British 9th (Highland) Infantry Division]] (for World War II)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=The History of the Ninth (Scottish) Division 1914–1919 |last=Ewing |first=J. |year=2001 |orig-year=1921 |publisher=John Murray |location=London |edition=Naval & Military Press |url=http://access.bl.uk/item/viewer/ark:/81055/vdc_100022558494.0x000002 |access-date=31 December 2014 |isbn=1-84342-190-9}}

==External links==
* [http://www.1914-1918.net/9div.htm The British Army in the Great War: The 9th (Scottish) Division]
* [http://delvillewood.com/cemeteries/9th%20Scottish%20Division%20Memorial.htm The 9th Scottish Division Memorial]

{{British Army Divisions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:09 Infantry Division}}
[[Category:Infantry divisions of the British Army in World War I]]
[[Category:Kitchener's Army divisions]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of Scotland]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1914]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1919]]
[[Category:1914 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1919 disestablishments in the United Kingdom]]