Kilts in the trenches

[brewerpaul]

Thought I would share a photo gallery from The Gurardian online. The gallery is "The first world war in stereoscope... photographs from the front line" and you need to scroll to the last photo to see the one of all the Highlanders in the trenches. Make sure to view all the photos, they are quite incredible. Link provided below.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/gal...line?CMP=fb_gu

[Tasty Rabbit]

That is a great photo - especially with the dog in it - thanks for sharing !

[neloon]

My father was at Cambrai with the Gordons in 1917 and was set alight by a flammerwerfer (flame thrower). He was able to remove his flaming kilt as he escaped from the melee but had to lie in a bath in hospital for a year during the healing process - no antibiotics in those days. But a plus point for the kilt!
Alan

[WillowEstate]

Brewerpaul, thanks for posting the link, very appropriate for this Remembrance Sunday.

Very brave men, "Lest we forget".

[opositive]

i am grateful that i have not gone to war, and i am grateful for those who went to protect me. thank you

[James Hood]

Eternal honour and gratitude to those who fought for freedom.

Eternal personal sorrow for humanity, that far, far, far beyond horrific-tragic, preventable war was ever fought.

[OC Richard]

Amazing photos!

My Grandfather also spent a year in hospital recovering from wounds, in his case suffered at the battle of Chantigny. Everybody back home pretty much gave him up for dead, the war being over for a year and no word from him. But in 1919 he just came walking up the holler one day, in uniform, to claim the hand of his fiancée.

[James Hood]

Side note to the fighting at Cantigny; a USA 1st Division Reserve artillery officer there was Robert McCormick (related to the International Harvester dynasty McCormicks), later to be Publisher of the Chicago Tribune newspaper.

Col. McCormick left a trust whereby his estate in Wheaton, Illinois, west of Chicago, "Cantigny," became a museum (the mansion) and military museum (1st Division Museum). Inside the museum are 1:1 scale exhibits like a WW I trench (being crossed by a St. Chamond tank) and WW II, Vietnam and modern tributes to the US Army's 1st Division. Worth seeing if you come to Chicago.

There is also an armoured vehicles park with a "history of US tanks," with real FT-17, M3 light, M4A3E8 Sherman, T26E4 Pershing, M41 Walker, M47, M48, M60 Pattons, an M551 Sheridan which was in Desert Storm and an M1 Abrams.

Cantigny serves as the host site for numerous events from art faires to reenactments to Shakespeare in the Park to the enormous annual. "Rockin' For The Troops" each summer.

Honour and thanks to your relative. What men!

[OC Richard]

Thanks for the info! And sorry about the misspelling, it was from my faulty memory.

This must be the museum!

http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/m...y/default.aspx

Yes my Grandfather was in the 1st Division. He used to say that his unit was "1" all the way down the organizational chart- I'm not sure what he meant by that. (When I look at the chart online, it lists the 1st Machine Gun Company. Perhaps that was his unit.)

He was a machine-gunner, and says that his machine-gun unit first went over to France ahead of the Division, and was attached to a French division. He had the highest praise for the courage of the French soldiers and was honoured to serve with them.

Before going to France he participated in the Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa. His machine-gun unit provided covering fire for the last charge ever made by US Cavalry.

[Cerebite]

Side note to the fighting at Cantigny; a USA 1st Division Reserve artillery officer there was Robert McCormick (related to the International Harvester dynasty McCormicks), later to be Publisher of the Chicago Tribune newspaper.

Col. McCormick left a trust whereby his estate in Wheaton, Illinois, west of Chicago, "Cantigny," became a museum (the mansion) and military museum (1st Division Museum). Inside the museum are 1:1 scale exhibits like a WW I trench (being crossed by a St. Chamond tank) and WW II, Vietnam and modern tributes to the US Army's 1st Division. Worth seeing if you come to Chicago.

There is also an armoured vehicles park with a "history of US tanks," with real FT-17, M3 light, M4A3E8 Sherman, T26E4 Pershing, M41 Walker, M47, M48, M60 Pattons, an M551 Sheridan which was in Desert Storm and an M1 Abrams.

Cantigny serves as the host site for numerous events from art faires to reenactments to Shakespeare in the Park to the enormous annual. "Rockin' For The Troops" each summer.

Honour and thanks to your relative. What men!

I was in Wheaton for four years and did not know that was there. Thanks for the information and the link lest we forget our history.