f Sheria 68

Operations in Palestine, 1917-1918 106

Trench System on the Somme 134

The Lys Sector 142

THE FIFE AND FORFAR YEOMANRY

CHAPTER I

AT HOME--1914-1915

August 4th, 1914, marks the end and also the beginning of two great
epochs in the history of every Territorial Unit. It marked the close
of our peace training and the beginning of thirteen months' strenuous
war training for the thirty-seven months which we were to spend on
active service abroad.

The Fiery Cross which blazed across the entire Continent caught most
people unawares and unprepared--but not so our headquarters. Our
mobilization papers had already been made out and were despatched
immediately on the outbreak of war. Each one of us was bidden to
report forthwith to his Squadron Headquarters, and while we kicked our
heels there, officers were scouring the country for horses. Soon these
came in of every sort and shape, and in a week's time the Regiment was
concentrated at Blairgowrie.

The headquarters of the Regiment was at Kirkcaldy, the four Squadrons
A, B, C, and D having their headquarters respectively at Cupar,
Dunfermline, Dundee, and Forfar. The recruiting area comprised the
counties of Fife, Forfar, Kinross, and Clackmannan, and there was also
a troop in Stirlingshire within a few miles of Loch Lomond. The rest
of the Highland Mounted Brigade, to which the Regiment belonged, was
pure Highland, consisting of two regiments of Lovat's Scouts, the
Inverness Battery, R.H.A., and a T. and S. Column and Field Ambulance
hailing also from Inverness. On changing to War Establishment, D
Squadron dropped out and was divided amongst A, B, and C, with the
exception of Lieut.-Colonel King who went to Remounts, and Captain
Jackson who became Staff Captain on the newly formed Brigade Staff.

The Regiment was fortunate in having about a week at Squadron
Mobilization Centres before uniting at Blairgowrie, and a pretty
hectic week it was for most of us. The most rapid bit of work must
have been that of D Squadron, whose men were distributed amongst the
other squadrons, fully equipped, in about three days. This squadron
was also called upon to provide the various details, such as mounted
police, who were required on mobilization to report to the Highland
Territorial Infantry Division, t