OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE LONDON SCOTTISH ACTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15766, 14 November 1914, Page 7

OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE LONDON SCOTTISH ACTION.

GALLANTRY AND COOLNESS IN DIFFICULT SITUATION EPOCH IN BRITISH MILITARY HISTORY. Wellington, November 12. The Prime Minister has received the following from the High' Commissioner, dated London, November 12: —An eye-witness with the headquarters staff reports: Before a chronological record of the course of events is resumed, a short description may be given of the part in the battle played on October 31 by the Lpndon Scottish. Inference has already been made to the action, and the Commander-in-Chicf's message to the Officer Commanding has been quoted, but no details of what happened were given. The event forms an epoch in the military history of the British Empire, and marks the first time that a complete unit of the territorial army has been thrown into the tight alongside sister units of regulars. Briefly, what happened was this: On Saturday, being ordered to take up a section firing line to support our cavalry, which had advanced to a position under heavy fire of field guns, howitzers and machine-guns, the battalion reached a point where further movement forward was impossible, and there maintained itself until dusk, when it proceeded to entrench. From nine at night till two on Sunday morning the Germans made numerous attacks on the Scottish- line, but all were repulsed by rifle fire. At two o'clock they made a great effort, and assaulted the front and left of the position in great force. A considerable number succeeded by a detour in getting round the flank of the regiment. A large proportion of these wan engaged by the compares in support. The others, penetrating between the first and second lines of trenches, assailed the firing line in the rear, and it was fighting with rifle and bayonet on both its front and rear. A rescrte company, further behind, made bayonet charges against the enemy, who got round, and so prevented the entire development of the movement. The battalion at dawn discovered that large numbers of the enemy had, according to their custom, worked round the flank with machine-guns, and a retirement was accordingly ordered. This was effected under a cross fire from machine-guns, and naturally in an encounter of this nature the battalion suffered heavy loss. Though unable to maintain its position, it acquitted itself with gallantry and coolness in a situation of peculiar difficulty, and inflicted far more damage on the enemy than it received.