Tyneside Scottish Brigade
Encyclopedia
The Tyneside Scottish Brigade was raised in 1914 as part of Kitchener's Army
. Officially numbered the 102nd (Tyneside Scottish) Brigade, it contained four Pals battalion
s from Newcastle-on-Tyne.
First World War infantry
brigade
. It was formed be men from the Tyneside
area of England and even though it was called a Scottish brigade they accepted any nationality. The request to the War Office
to form the brigade was originally turned down but after a visit to Newcastle upon Tyne
by Lord Haldane on 10 October 1915, permission was granted. The complete Tyneside Scottish Brigade of four battalion
s was raised by 16 November 1915. Reports of bodies of men and groups of miner
s marching ten miles into the city to enlist are common.
The brigade's four battalion
s were known as the 1st to 4th Tyneside Scottish. When taken over by the British Army
, these became battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers as the:1st Tyneside Scottish (20th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers), 2nd Tyneside Scottish (21st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers), 3rd Tyneside Scottish (22nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers) and the 4th Tyneside Scottish (23rd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers). The reserve battalions were the 29th and 33rd (Reserve) Battalions (Tyneside Scottish).
.
Kitchener's Army
The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, Kitchener's Mob, was an all-volunteer army formed in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of hostilities in the First World War...
. Officially numbered the 102nd (Tyneside Scottish) Brigade, it contained four Pals battalion
Pals battalion
The Pals battalions of World War I were specially constituted units of the British Army comprising men who had enlisted together in local recruiting drives, with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbours and work colleagues , rather than being arbitrarily...
s from Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Origins
The Tyneside Scottish Brigade was a BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
First World War infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
. It was formed be men from the Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
area of England and even though it was called a Scottish brigade they accepted any nationality. The request to the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
to form the brigade was originally turned down but after a visit to Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
by Lord Haldane on 10 October 1915, permission was granted. The complete Tyneside Scottish Brigade of four battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s was raised by 16 November 1915. Reports of bodies of men and groups of miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
s marching ten miles into the city to enlist are common.
The brigade's four battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s were known as the 1st to 4th Tyneside Scottish. When taken over by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, these became battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers as the:1st Tyneside Scottish (20th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers), 2nd Tyneside Scottish (21st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers), 3rd Tyneside Scottish (22nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers) and the 4th Tyneside Scottish (23rd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers). The reserve battalions were the 29th and 33rd (Reserve) Battalions (Tyneside Scottish).
Memorial
A memorial was dedicated to the fallen of the Tyneside Scottish Brigade, at La Boiselle for their part in its capture. It was unveiled by Marshall FochFerdinand Foch
Ferdinand Foch , GCB, OM, DSO was a French soldier, war hero, military theorist, and writer credited with possessing "the most original and subtle mind in the French army" in the early 20th century. He served as general in the French army during World War I and was made Marshal of France in its...
.