1917 and the Scottish Rifles
A heavyweight both in the film industry and the historical world is 1917 directed by Sam Mendes and starring George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman. Without giving away too much of the plot, the film is set in April 1917 during Operation Alberich, the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line following the heavy fighting during the Battle of the Somme. Two young soldiers are sent with a message, ordering the 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment to halt further attacks.
British officers early in the film discuss trying to figure out if the Germans had completely abandoned their positions. While the question ‘where have the Germans gone?’ is explored through these two fictional individuals, it was a real situation facing the BEF in the Spring of 1917. A way which the BEF attempted to answer this question was through the liberal use of raids. One of the most famous photographs not only of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) but of the entire First World War was captured during one of these raids to gather more information on the enemy withdrawal. On 24 March 1917, B and D Companies of the 10th Scottish Rifles were captured by photographer John Warwick Brooke as they advanced to raid the enemy positions in their front.
Raids were commonplace up and down the British lines that Spring, but the one made by the 10th will remain one of the most famous in the history of the British Army solely through the series of photographs taken that day. The Battalion lost 3 Officers and 33 Other Ranks killed, wounded, or missing, most from British shells falling short.
Other battalions of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) experienced this confusing absence of Germans as well. The 2nd Scottish Rifles even served alongside the real 2nd Devons in 23 Brigade, 8th Division. On 15 March 1917, (several weeks earlier than the film is set), their story commenced with the 2nd Devons and 2nd West Yorks advancing upon reports of the enemy retiring in front. The 2nd SR themselves sent out a patrol under Second Lieutenant A.H. Ronan on the 18th finding the village of Moislains completely abandoned. When informed of this the Battalion Commander, Major Colin Robert Hoste Stirling sent forward C Company to take the position. The Scottish Rifles then advanced through Epinette Wood and Aizecourt-le-Bas, which was defended against counterattack on the 25th. That night the 2nd Scottish Rifles was to support the 2nd Devons during a night attack, however, this was called off. Perhaps part of the background for the film?
The 2nd Scottish Rifles continued alongside the 2nd Devons to attack Dessart Wood on 30 March, Gouzeaucourt on 12 April, Villers-Guislains, on 14 April, Gonnelieu, on 21 April, and La Vacquerie on 5 May. It was here that the Hindenburg Line was reached and the clear open warfare of the past few weeks, also seen in the film, was ended. The 2nd Scottish Rifles, while not explicitly depicted in 1917 were certainly nearby. The places in the film while not the factual locations of the 2nd Scottish Rifles, 2nd Devons, and the rest of 23 Brigade, are real and had a Cameronian presence during the Great War.
Écoust-Saint-Mein and Croiselles were both depicted in the film. The latter was being fought over by the 1st and 5/6th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) during the same month in which 1917 takes place. Both attacked towards the village of Fontaine-lès-Croisilles (to the north-east of Croisilles itself) on 14 April. The objective of the Croiselles-Cherisy Road was not reached and both battalions suffered heavy casualties. Notable figures of the Regiment including Captain D. G. Moncrieff Wright, commanding A Company of the 1st were wounded. Acting CSM of D Company, John MacLaren Erskine, v.c. was killed alongside 4 Officers and 39 Other Ranks of the 5/6th. The two battalions of the Regiment would attack again on 16, 23, and 24 April before finally being relieved.
While the story of the film itself is a mix of fact and fiction, exploring the real units and places help connect the story of the regiment to the big screen. The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) were present on the Western Front during the timeframe of the film and took part in many of the actions related to the story. While viewing historical fiction is a form of entertainment, it remains a great tool to encourage the exploration of the actual events which took place!
Comments: 2
My grandfather was in 7th Scottish Rifles and was at Gallipoli.
My wife’s great uncle, James Roy, was in the 5/6th Battalion at Arras. Before the war he was from Edinburgh and had played football on a semi-professional basis for Penicuik Athletic and Broxborn United before being transferred by the latter to the English side, Everton for £65. He played Centre Half and was a First Team Reserve in the 1914-15 season when Everton won the English League. James joined the Royal Scots in late 1915 and at some point was transferred to the Cameronians. He was involved in actions on the Somme in October and November 1916 before being transferred to Arras. He was killed on the 24th April 1917 as part of an attempt to relieve a company of the 4th Suffolks which had been cut off in the Hindenburg Line. His name appears on the Arras Memorial to the missing along with that of his brother Robert, who was in the Cameron Highlanders and his brother in law, Cecil Warner who was in the London Regiment.