"SCOTLAND FOR EVER."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15821, 19 January 1915, Page 7

"SCOTLAND FOR EVER."

GORDONS MAKE HISTORY.

CHARGE INTO HAIL OF FIRE.

HALF THEIR NUMBER FALL.

London. January 16.

Sergeant-Major Hands, of the Gordon Highlanders, in a letter, narrates that the Gordons were ordered to storm some trenches loopholed and fitted with barbed wire entanglements while the Royal Scots seized a wood nearby. After a hot fire from 270 British guns for 45 minutes the Gordons charged through a hail of machinegun and rifle fire. M«n dropped in heaps, but the Tartans"' kept on with the desperate struggle. They won the front German trenches.

When the Gordons mustered in a dip within 20yds of the main German position it was found that 55 per cent, of the men had fallen. The corps then retreated, carrying their •wounded, but Field-Marshal French and two generals who witnessed the charge said the Gordons had made history, and accomplished more than was expected. Sergeant-Major Hands adds: " Dargai was a mere fleabite to this."

The storming of the Dargai heights by j '.he Gordon Highlanders in the Tirah campaign against the Afridis on the north-west frontier of India, has thus been described by Sir William Lock hart, •who liad command of the campaign.— "The Gordon Highlanders 'went straight up the hill -without check or hesitation. Headed by their pipes and led by Colonel Matthias, with Major Mac bean on the right, and Lieutenant A. F. Gordon on his left, this splendid battalion marched across the open. It dashed through a murderous fire, and in 40 minutes had iron the heights, leaving three officers and 30 men killed or wounded" on its way. The first rush of the Highlanders was deserving of the highest praise, for they had just undergone a very severe climb, and had reached a point beyond which other troops had been unibla to advance for over three hours. The first rush was followed at short intervals by a second and third, each led by officers, and as the leading companies went up the path for the final assault, the remainder of the troops streamed on in support, but few of the enemy waited for the bayonet, many of them being shot down as they fled in confusion.'"