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The Battle of Loos

The Battle of Loos. Who was involved Why did it happen? Scottish battalions involved Artillery bombardment Gas attack Confusion and indecision Slaughter Outcome of the battle. Scottish involvement. 35,000 Scots involved Half the 72 infantry battalions involved had Scottish names

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The Battle of Loos

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  1. The Battle of Loos • Who was involved • Why did it happen? • Scottish battalions involved • Artillery bombardment • Gas attack • Confusion and indecision • Slaughter • Outcome of the battle

  2. Scottish involvement • 35,000 Scots involved • Half the 72 infantry battalions involved had Scottish names • Out of 21,000 dead, 1/3 from Scotland • England’s loss was national while Scotland’s was personal

  3. Why did it happen? • Unnecessary and unwanted? • Divert the German forces away from a planned French attack. • Worries that Kitchener’s recruits were untrained – wanted to wait till 1916 • General Haig worried about flat land devoid of cover • French appealed directly for Kitchener for the attack to go ahead

  4. Scottish battalions involved • 6 divisions • 3 from regular army mostly made up from Scottish battalions • 1 T A battalion] • 2 made up of volunteers – 9th and 15th Scottish

  5. Initial bombardment • Chlorine gas released from canisters • Unsuccessful due to the artillery bombardment? • Wind changed? • 10th Highland light infantry were gassed • King’s Own Scottish Borderers held up by gas and shellfire

  6. Piper Daniel Laidlaw • Encouraged KOSBies ‘ower the bags’ • Played even when wounded and lying on the ground • Later awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery

  7. Confusion and indecision • Germans pushed back at many points • Casualties enormous • Sir John French, commander of BEF, in charge of reserve troops • Reluctant to send in new Kitchener troops who had just marched 40 miles in heavy rain • German reinforcements had arrived, barbed wire was replaced, and there was no gas cover • German machine guns cut down troops in their thousands

  8. Slaughter • Battle officially carried on until 18th October 1915 but only really lasted 3 days • Scots suffered heavy losses and gained a reputation as feared and aggressive fighters • Sir John French replaced as a commander by Douglas Haig

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