The Highland Division was a formation created by the establishment of the Territorial Force in 1908. Once war was declared in 1914, the Division was first moved to the area of Bedford, where it completed training before moving to France between 30 April and 3 May 1915. It was very soon involved in action.

In early May 1915, the Highland Division was hurried to the defence of Ypres. The enemy had attacked on 22 April 1915, using poison gas for the first time. All available reserves were deployed to stop the Germans taking advantage of the initial surprise. The Division remained in action until moved to the area of Estaires on the River Lys, on 19 May.

The untried battalions were moved into the fighting at The Battle of Festubert while still “practically untrained and very green in all field duties”, according to First Army commander, Sir Douglas Haig.

Units of the Division took part in an unsuccessful attack near Givenchy (the Second Action of Givenchy) on 15 June 1915, and shortly afterwards moved south to the area north of the River Somme. They relieved a French Division near Hamel. At this time, the Highland Division now being considered experienced, various New Army units were attached to it for instruction. Indeed, it had also begun to build a reputation as a hard, fighting formation.

The Division took part in several of the engagements that are now considered to comprise the Battle of the Somme 1916. In particular, it defended against two powerful counter attacks by the enemy against High Wood in late July 1916 (officially, The Attacks on High Wood (second phase of the Battle of the Somme)), and launched a successful attack – capturing the enemy strong hold of Beaumont-Hamel – on 13 November 1916. In this latter action (officially, The Battle of the Ancre (tenth phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)) the Division took more than 2000 prisoners. There is now a Divisional memorial at Beaumont-Hamel.

During December and January in the bitter winter of 1916-17, the Division remained on the Somme in the area of Courcelette.

The next major action was in the opening days of the offensive at Arras, commencing in snow on 9 April 1917. The British Third Army attacked at Arras in compliance with a directive from the new French Commander in Chief, General Robert Nivelle. It was to be a curtain raiser for a larger French attack to the south, along the Chemin des Dames. The Division was part of the opening attack (The First Battle of the Scarpe (first phase of the Arras Offensive) ), which was very successful and made (for the time) an astonishing advance of several miles. They attacked east of Roclincourt, with the Canadian Corps – carrying out a fine feat of arms in capturing Vimy Ridge – on their left. The Division had heavy fighting, but nonetheless met its objectives. (The Second Battle of the Scarpe (second phase of the Arras Offensive)).

After a brief rest, the Division re-entered the line on 15 April, and eight days later took part in another attack, this time near Roeux, where the enemy had strongly fortified the village and nearby chemical works. The fight went on for two days, and despite heavy loss, these places were captured. (The Capture of Roeux (fourth phase of the Arras Offensive) ) The Division was relieved on 31 May, and moved north, again to Ypres.

The Highland Division took part in the opening assault of the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele), on 31 July 1917. (The Battle of Pilckem (first phase of Third Battle of Ypres)). 154th Brigade was in reserve when its two sister Brigades attacked successfully, capturing the front lines and advancing on Langemark. By 5 August, patrols had pushed further forward and across the Steenbeek, a steep sided stream that was vastly swollen by recent torrential rains. The Division was relieved on 7 August.

After two more but less eventful tours in the Ypres area, an attack during The Battle of the Menin Road (third phase of the Third Battle of Ypres) on 20 September 1917. This was a successful assault in the area of Pheasant Trench, but strong resistance at the fortified Malta, Rose and Delta Houses caused many casualties. The Division was relieved again on 25 September.

By early November, the Division had moved towards the battlefield facing Cambrai. The British High Command had decided to attack the Hindenburg Line in this vicinity, using a combination of new tactics. In the event, this proved highly successful and a model for the war winning advance of August 1918 and onwards. Massed tanks, a predicted-fire artillery barrage (before this, it was necessary to fire artillery to see where its shots landed, in order to make necessary adjustments: this meant accurate shooting but having given away all elements of surprise), and new infantry tactics to co-operate with the tanks were all used for the first time.

The Highland Division attacked on 20 November 1917 in the area of Cantaing and Flesquieres. (The Battle of Cambrai). The first day’s assault was an overwhelming success, the new tactics having proved decisive. The reserve units, deployed to continue the assault next day, moved into action at 10am, halting on the Premy Chapel - Graincourt road for the arrival of the tanks, now depleted after the main assault. But the tanks were late in arriving, and the infantry attacked without their assistance, being halted by a storm of machine gun fire. After suffering heavy losses the Division made several more fruitless attacks in the direction of Fontaine-Notre-Dame.

The Division moved briefly out of the Cambrai battlefield for a rest, but was on its way back again when the enemy unexpected struck on 1 December, recapturing virtually all of the ground gained. It arrived in time to help stem the German attack but had missed the brunt of it.

The Division remained in the area until 21 March 1918, when the enemy launched a huge and overwhelming attack on the fronts of Fifth and Third Armies, the Division being in the latter, near Flesquieres. The defensive front around Flesquieres formed a salient and was strongly held by the British. The enemy decided not to attack it frontally, but instead drenched it with gas while attacking on either side. The pressure grew during the day, and from early evening the Division began a fighting withdrawal that took it over the next few days back several miles, through Beaumetz, towards Bapaume. In fighting a number of critical rearguard actions, the losses built up to a total of over 4,900 men. (The Battle of St Quentin (first phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918) and The First Battle of Bapaume (second phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918)).

On 1 April, the Division having been relieved entrained for the Bethune area where it was hoped things would be quieter. Unfortunately, the enemy opened a second phase of his offensive, now called the Battle of the Lys, on 9 April 1918, and the Highland Division moved into defensive positions behind Richebourg Saint Vaast, where it played a key part in beating off incessant attacks, again at great cost: another 2,500 men. (The Battle of Estaires (first phase of the Battles of the Lys)).

Following the heavy casualties sustained during the above action, a composite force consisting of troops from 152nd and 153rd Brigades; RE; 11th (Canadian) Railway Bn; 51st MGC and various other details was formed under Lt-Col. J. Fleming, the Divisional CRE. It held part of the First Army front near Robecq from 12 to 15 April 1918.

At the beginning of May, the Division moved to Oppy near Arras, where it stayed until 11 July in a relatively quiet spell.

However, when a third huge enemy attack opened in the area held by the thinly-stretched French Army south west of Rheims, Sir Douglas Haig agreed to send a British Corps consisting of 15th (Scottish), 34th, 51st (Highland) and 62nd (2nd West Riding) Divisions, to assist. The 51st and 62nd had several days of very heavy fighting, which is now officially known as The Battle of the Tardenois. Fighting took place in the valley of the Ardre, at Marfaux and Mont de Bligny.

By August 1918, the Allies were turning the tables on the fatigued enemy. On 26 August 1918, the Highland Division attacked near Arras and had five successive days of fighting in which it captured the strong points at Roeux, Greenland Hill and Plouvain. (The Battle of the Scarpe (first phase of the Second Battles of Arras 1918)).

It took part in further attacks near Cambrai and across the River Selle, as the Allies pursued their now beaten enemy across Artois.(The Pursuit to the Selle and The Battle of the Selle).

The Division (less its artillery) was withdrawn from the front line on 29 October 1918. It was in the Cambrai area at the time of the Armistice, and moved to Binche in early 1919. Many men, particularly miners, left the Division in December 1918. In February 1919, three battalions (the 1/6th Bn the Black Watch, the 1/4th (Ross Highland) Bn the Seaforth Highlanders and the 1/4th Bn, the Gordon Highlanders) moved to Germany as part of the Army of Occupation.

By March 1919, all other units had been demobilised to cadre strength.

152nd Brigade (1st Highland)

1/4th (Ross Highland) Bn, the Seaforth Highlanders (joined August 1914, left November 1914)

1/5th (The Sutherland and Caithness) Bn, the Seaforth Highlanders (joined August 1914)

1/6th (Morayshire) Bn, the Seaforth Highlanders (joined August 1914)

1/6th (Banff and Donside) Bn, the Gordon Highlanders (joined June 1916). Became 6/7th Bn October 1918.

1/4th Bn, the Cameron Highlanders (joined August 1914, left February 1915)

1/6th (Renfrewshire) Bn, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (joined April 1915, left June 1915)

1/8th (The Argyllshire) Bn, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (joined April 1915, left February 1918)

152nd Brigade Machine Gun Company (formed 16 January 1916, moved into 51 MG Bn 19 February 1918)

152nd Trench Mortar Battery (formed by July 1916)

153rd Brigade (2nd Highland)

1/6th Bn, the Black Watch (joined April 1915)

1/7th Bn, the Black Watch (joined April 1915)

1/4th Bn, the Gordon Highlanders (joined August 1914, left February 1915)

1/5th (Buchan and Formartin) Bn, the Gordon Highlanders (joined August 1914, left February 1918)

1/6th (Banff and Donside) Bn, the Gordon Highlanders (joined August 1914, left November 1914)

1/7th (Deeside Highland) Bn, the Gordon Highlanders (joined August 1914, left October 1918)

The Shetland Companies, the Gordon Highlanders (joined August 1914, absorbed late 1916)

1/6th (Renfrewshire) Bn, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (joined October 1918)

153rd Brigade Machine Gun Company (formed 12 January 1916, moved into 51 MG Bn 19 February 1918)

153rd Trench Mortar Battery (formed by July 1916)

154th Brigade (3rd Highland)

This Brigade was reconstructed from the 164th (North Lancashire) Brigade from the West Lancashire Division on 18 April 1915. It rejoined its original Division in January 1916.

1/4th Bn TF, the King's Own (joined April 1915, left January 1916)

1/9th (Highlanders) Bn, the Royal Scots (joined March 1916, left February 1918)

1/8th (Irish) Bn, the King's (Liverpool) (joined April 1915, left January 1916)

2/5th Bn, the Lancashire Fusiliers (joined April 1915, left January 1916)

1/6th Bn, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (joined June 1915, left January 1916)

1/4th Bn, the Black Watch (joined January 1916, left February 1916)

1/5th Bn, the Black Watch (joined January 1916, left February 1916)

1/4th Bn, the Loyal North Lancs (joined April 1915, left January 1916)

1/4th (Ross Highland) Bn, the Seaforth Highlanders (joined January 1916)

1/4th Bn, the Gordon Highlanders (joined February 1916)

1/4th Bn, the Cameron Highlanders (joined January 1916, left February 1916)

1/6th (Renfrewshire) Bn, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (joined August 1914, left April 1915)

1/7th Bn, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (joined August 1914, left December 1914, rejoined March 1916)

1/8th (The Argyllshire) Bn, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (joined August 1914, left April 1915)

1/9th (The Dumbartonshire) Bn, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (joined August 1914, left February 1915)

154th Brigade Machine Gun Company (formed 14 January 1916, moved into 51 MG Bn 19 February 1918)

154th Trench Mortar Battery (formed by July 1916)

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Divisional Troops

1/8th Bn, the Royal Scots (joined 19 August 1915, as Pioneers)

1/6th Bn, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (joined January 1916, left February 1916)

232nd Machine Gun Company (joined 20 July 1917, joined Divisional MG Battalion 19 February 1918)

No 51 Machine Gun Battalion (created 19 February 1918)

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Divisional Mounted Troops

D Squadron , the North Irish Horse (joined January 1915, left May 1916)

1st Highland Divisional Cyclist Company (left 9 May 1916)

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Divisional Artillery

CCLV (I Highland) Brigade, RFA

CCLVI (II Highland) Brigade, RFA

CCLVIII (III Highland) (H) Brigade, RFA (broken up by 21 August 1916)

CCLX (I Lowland) Brigade, RFA (joined 10 November 1915, broken up 28 January 1917)

Highland (Fifeshire) Heavy Battery, RGA (a Battery of 4 4.7-inch guns which left the Division to join IV Brigade, HA on 3 May 1915

IV (Highland) Mtn Brigade, RFA (left from 10 March 1915)

51st (Highland) Divisional Ammunition Column

V.51 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery RFA (joined 18 October 1916; transferred to IV Corps in February 1918)

X.51, Y.51 and Z.51 Medium Mortar Batteries RFA (joined by 28 April 1916; in February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each)

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Engineer Units, RE

400th Field Company (joined Aug 1914, renamed from 1st (Highland) Field Coy)

401st Field Company (joined Jan 1916, renamed from 2nd (Highland) Field Coy)

404th Field Company (formed Sep 14, renamed from 2/2nd (Highland) Field Coy)

3rd (Durham) Field Company (joined 19 September 1915, left 30 January 1916)

51st Divisional Signal Company (renamed from 1st Highland Divisional Signal Company)

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Field Ambulances, RAMC

1st (Highland) Field Ambulance (joined August 1914)

2nd (Highland) Field Ambulance (joined August 1914)

3rd (Highland) Field Ambulance (joined August 1914)

2/1st (Highland) Field Ambulance (joined May 1915)

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51st Divisional Train ASC (redesignated from the 1st Highland Divisional Train - itself made from the Divisional Transport and Supply Column. Composed of 471, 472, 473 and 474 Companies ASC)

245th Divisional Employment Company (joined by 16 June 1917, adopting its number in August)

1st Highland Mobile Veterinary Section

51st Sanitary Section ( left for XVII Corps area by 11 April 1917)

51st Divisional Motor Ambulance Workshop ( joined in FRance by 9 May 1915, left 6 April 1916, absorbed by Divisional Supply Column)