1/5th Seaforth Highlanders Battle of Givenchy / Festebeurt June 1915

[rob murray]

a great site well worth checking out as we approach the 100th anniversary of the first action in WW1 by Caithness territorials at Givenchy ( Festebeurt ). The attack happened on the 14th June, 1915. Of the 140 men of 'C' Company ( Wick Thurso and Lybster ) who left the British trenches only 33 escaped unscathed. Killed 39; wounded 68, full story of the horrific events can be found courtesy of Steven Cashmore at http://www.internet-promotions.co.uk/archives/caithness/tradition3.htm
Prior to going to France the seaforths were billited in Bedford and Ive found this site which is a brilliant historical source (the 1/ 5 Seaforths / 51st HD Caithness lads in 5th ) were billeted up to may 1915 in Bedford

http://bedfordhighlanders.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/the-bedford-highlanders-relatively.html (http://bedfordhighlanders.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/the-bedford-highlanders-relatively.html)

[Bystander1]

Thanks for that Rob Murray.

[rob murray]

Below is a list of Caithness and Sutherland men killed or missing at Givenchy on June 15th, 1915 - 'Caithness's blackest day.'



Private George Alexander, Thurso.
Lance Corporal Hugh Cameron, Kildonan and Wick.
Private Donald Cormack, Lybster.
Corporal Peter Duchart, Wick.
Second Lieutenant Donald Dunnett, Thurso.
Private William Dunnett, Wick.
Sergeant Robert Edwards, Clyne.
Lance Corporal Peter Gunn, Lybster.
Private Herbert Harper, Wick.
Private Alexander Henderson, Thurso.
Drummer Gordon Leed, Thurso.
Lance Corporal Donald Macdonald, Thurso.
Private Robert C. Mackay, Thurso.
Private William Mackay, Wick.
Private James Mackenzie, Wick.
Sergeant Ian D. Maclennan, Thurso.
C.Q.M.S. John Macleod, Wick.
Private Charles Manson, Wick.
Lieutenant James Mowat, Lybster and Wick.
Corporal S. Sinclair Munro, Thurso.
Private John Murray, Thurso.
Private George Oag, Thurso.
Corporal Alfred Sinclair, Wick.
Private David Stephen, Lairg.
Private Donald Swanson, Thurso.
Private Robert Sutherland, Clyth.

[rob murray]

On the evening of 16th May, 1916 Lieutenant Ewart Alan Mackintosh and Second Lieutenant Mackay of the 5th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders led a raid on the German trenches in the sector of the front line north-west of Arras. By the end of the night there were sixteen British casualties, which included fourteen wounded and two killed. One of the two dead soldiers was Private David Sutherland an underage ( 16 ) year old from Reay who had both legs blown off his colleques and officer couldnt help him and had to leave him dying in front of the German lines.

Private David Sutherland has no known grave. His name is commemorated in Bay 8 of the Arras Memorial to the Missing at Faubourg d'Amiens military cemetery in Arras.
Ewart Mackintosh was a war poet, this is the poem he wrote on the nighraid. This is the most poignant poem I have ever read…read it, contemplate and give thanks that you will never be in such a situation

Ewart Alan Mackintosh was killed in action 21st November 1917 aged 24

So you were David’s father,
And he was your only son,
And the new-cut peats are rotting
And the work is left undone,
Because of an old man weeping,
Just an old man in pain,
For David, his son David,
That will not come again.

Oh, the letters he wrote you,
And I can see them still,
Not a word of the fighting,
But just the sheep on the hill
And how you should get the crops in
Ere the year get stormier,
And the Bosches have got his body,
And I was his officer.

You were only David’s father,
But I had fifty sons
When we went up in the evening
Under the arch of the guns,
And we came back at twilight -
O God! I heard them call
To me for help and pity
That could not help at all.
Oh, never will I forget you,
My men that trusted me,
More my sons than your fathers’,
For they could only see
The little helpless babies
And the young men in their pride.
They could not see you dying,
And hold you while you died.
Happy and young and gallant,
They saw their first-born go,
But not the strong limbs broken
And the beautiful men brought low,
The piteous writhing bodies,
They screamed “Don’t leave me, sir”,
For they were only your fathers
But I was your officer.

Really emotional stuff, little wonder the officer broke down and sobbed continously leaving a kid with no legs at the hands of the germans.

[embow]

I am friendly with Colin Campbell who co-wrote a biography of Mackintosh.
Can't Shoot a Man with a Cold: Lt. E. Alan Mackintosh MC 1893 - 1917 Poet of the Highland Division, Colin Campbell and Rosalind Green.
I'll be meeting up with him and others at the end of June as we head for Contalmaison on the Somme for 1st July commemorative ceremonies centred on 16th Royal Scots aka known as McCrae's Battalion or some times the Sportsman's Battalion.I have also been to Mackintosh's grave as it lies in Orival Wood cemetery near Flesquièresa small rural area near Cambrai. In that same cemetery lies James Cormack who came from Smerlie just outside Lybster.

[rob murray]

I am friendly with Colin Campbell who co-wrote a biography of Mackintosh.
Can't Shoot a Man with a Cold: Lt. E. Alan Mackintosh MC 1893 - 1917 Poet of the Highland Division, Colin Campbell and Rosalind Green.
I'll be meeting up with him and others at the end of June as we head for Contalmaison on the Somme for 1st July commemorative ceremonies centred on 16th Royal Scots aka known as McCrae's Battalion or some times the Sportsman's Battalion.I have also been to Mackintosh's grave as it lies in Orival Wood cemetery near Flesquièresa small rural area near Cambrai. In that same cemetery lies James Cormack who came from Smerlie just outside Lybster.

Thats good, the McCraes battalion included Hearts FC footballers didnt they, they have never been forgotten, locally with the passing of time I feel it highly important to highlight the action involving our local boys before it fades into the mists of time.Mackintosh is in my view a great war poet, here he is quite emotionally implicit that as an officer he effectively was a father to his "men".."I had 50 sons".....his pain and anguish over the deaths / wounds...."The piteous writhing bodies", screamed “Don’t leave me, sir"......his obvious highly emotional connection ....",For they were only your fathers But I was your officer" and his frustrating helplessness...O God! I heard them callTo me for help and pity That could not help at al"l. I read that Mackintosh, who was a young man himself, killed at 24, who would have seen his fair share of death, destruction and despair, completly broke down after the raid, weeping uncontrollably because of the situation of having to return to his lines and leave a young boy screaming in pain, alone and abandoned ...“Don’t leave me, sir". as below clearly depicts : My granda was in 5th Seaforths, fought at Beaumont Hamel as an under ager. He came from Olrig. The laddie featured in the poem was from Reay, a photo of the boy ( and he was literally a boy ) is contained in a splendidly researched book by Ali Budge Wick, I think its called Wings of War, I maybe wrong with the title but the book is a social economic history of Caithness at war in WW1. To me this poem is very directly emotional and obviously personal : the most direct emotion is in the following lines :

You were only David’s father,
But I had fifty sons
When we went up in the evening
Under the arch of the guns,
And we came back at twilight -
O God! I heard them call
To me for help and pity
That could not help at all.
Oh, never will I forget you,
My men that trusted me,
More my sons than your fathers’,
For they could only see
The little helpless babies
And the young men in their pride.
They could not see you dying,
And hold you while you died.
Happy and young and gallant,
They saw their first-born go,
But not the strong limbs broken
And the beautiful men brought low,
The piteous writhing bodies,
They screamed “Don’t leave me, sir”,
For they were only your fathers
But I was your officer.

[Bystander1]

`Voices in the Wind by Ally Budge ?

[rob murray]

`Voices in the Wind by Ally Budge ?

Yes thats the one...a great book !

[evelyn]

Interesting story in that book about one Robert Geddes (Grandfather of Spike Tait who you may have a passing aquaintance with Rob :)))). He was interned in Antwerp at the beginning of the war but was allowed home for Christmas one year. If memory serves he had to sign an agreement that he would return after the holiday period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rob murray]

Interesting story in that book about one Robert Geddes (Grandfather of Spike Tait who you may have a passing aquaintance with Rob :)))). He was interned in Antwerp at the beginning of the war but was allowed home for Christmas one year. If memory serves he had to sign an agreement that he would return after the holiday period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Fascinating story Evelyn, good to hear from you....does Spike sign an agreement that he has to turn up at Dounreay everday lo lol lol Seriously stories like these are brilliant and should be commerated /celebrated as they form a large part of the history og Wck