Thursday 22 January 2015

Mittens for Lochiel’s Camerons


From the Glasgow Herald, January 21, 1915.

COMFORTS FOR THE TROOPS

Lochiel’s Camerons. — We have received the following appeal on behalf of Lochiel’s Camerons:—Will you kindly allow me to appeal in your paper for money to provide 1200 pairs of mittens for the 5th Battalion Cameron Highlanders, of which my son, Lochiel, is Colonel.  Should any of your readers care to supply me with the mittens direct I should be very glad to receive them.  The need is urgent as they are badly required before the battalion goes to the front.—Margaret Cameron of Lochiel, 51 Montagu Square, London, W.

[Cameron of Lochiel is the hereditary chief of Clan Cameron. Douglas Walter Cameron of Lochiel, who was Chief in 1914, was a professional soldier who had fought in the South African War, though had retired from the army by 1914.  In August 1914, he was asked to form a new battalion of the Cameron Highlanders, as part of Kitchener's New Army.  In his letter to the Glasgow Herald asking for recruits, he said that he wanted to raise a thousand Highlanders for his battalion, but that as Highlanders were by then scattered all over the face of the earth, recruitment was open to "any young man of Highland birth or parentage, of good physique and having good teeth, between the ages of 19 and 30."  The battalion had been training in the U.K. so far, but went to France in 1915.]

2 comments:

  1. I haven't been commenting, but am thoroughly enjoying these posts. I saw the Scottish National War Memorial 'Rolls of Honor' for some of these regiments on a visit to Edinburgh in November. So sad.

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    1. Thanks for your comment. I'm focussing on the war as experienced by the people at home, rather than what was happening at the front, but of course you do wonder what happened to all these men later.

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