New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-05
CALL CRACK TROOP
-FOUR FLUSHERS"
British Officers Say "Play
to Grandstand" Nearly
Brought Disaster.

| Especial Correspondence 10 The Tribune.
London, March 15.-The charge Of
( the London Scottish, territorial regi-
ment, on the German trenches at Ypres
/ several months ago has given rise to
ugly rumors. Despite the fact That
/ Sir John French said that this regi-
ment-the first of the territorials 10
20 into action-had done conspicuous
work. the officers and men who have
returned from the front have spread
abroad the impression that the gal
liant conduct" was in reality -four
! flushing"
As a result, the London Scottish are
now spoken Of as the greatest grand
stand" players Of the British troops;
and the gossip has it that Sir John
French hoped to gloss over the scan
dal, and at the same time put heart
into other territorial regiments, by re-
counting the glorious deeds Of the FIRST
to take the field.
The most trustworthy story yet told
was related to The Tribune representa-
tive bv n member Of the British SER
vice. who asserted that i had come
from officers who participated in the
rescue of the London Scottish. OF
this territorial regiment. which in
cludes many London bank clerks and
others who consider themselves above
the ordinary territorial levies, he said:
THE London Scottish received or
ders TO take trench facing the posi-
ton which they were occupying. There
was much concern among officers OF
other regiments as well as of the Gen
cral staff itself 20 see how these terri
torials would act under fire.
"The charge was made. A few of the
London Scottish fell but the regiment
swept VIGOROUSLY on to the German
trench and put the Germans there to
rout. 1t was so easily and quickly done
that the territorials became imbued
with the idea that they could take any
number of trenches.
Instead of holding the trench they
captured, as ordered to do, they went
for the next one, not seeming TO real
ize that they had taken only on end
of the first trench, but as soon as they
had swept on the Germans in the other
section of this trench moved over into
the one just captured BY the terrific
rails and opened a murderous fire from
behind. The territorials were thus
caught between two fires, and the
'grandstand' play had brought them
face to face with humiliation.
AT this juncture the 10Th Camerons
Highlanders and the Argyll and Suth-
erland Highlanders were ordered to
the rescue, and a bloody fight took
place. | have been told by officers of
the 10th Camerons that they lost more
men in that one action rescuing the
territorials than in any other single
engagement of the war. II you ask a
member of this regiment what he
thinks of the London Scottish YOU will
be lucky If you escape with drub-
bing.
The great deeds of this regiment Of
tcrritorials may be fine reading for
their admirers in London, but the men
who know the circumstances Of the
fight, and know how two regular regi-
ments had to go 70 the rescue, do not
ioin in the acclaim with which the
territorials are received
The London Scottish are London's
nride, and il is the ambition of every
Young clerk of Scottish descent to join
thi. unit o: the territorial force.