21 November 1915:

After some 7 months at the Front, Louis arrives back at Home in Broughty Ferry. It must have seemed like different world and yet it was only a few days travel away.

Yet the reason for coming home was to pursue a commission as a junior officer. These men were expected to lead from the front so had a short life expectancy- and Louis would have seen this at first hand in the previous 7 months.

20 November 1915:

'Saw Walter. Left for home by 11.30pm'

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19 November 1915:

'Arrived Southampton 7.30AM &left by 10.20 for London &arrived Waterloo at 1.Richmond in afternoon then reported at Reg. hdqtrs. Spent evening with Hollingworth and stayed night in Wellington.'

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18 November 1915:

'Reached Havre 9.30pm after 22 hours in train with 10 in carriage. Sailed from Havre by mail packet at 1AM.'

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17 November 1915:

'Paraded at hdqtrs morning to go home re commission. Walked 16 kilos from Laventie to Bethune. Left Bethune at 11.30pm for Havre. 10 in carriage.'

Louis's authority to travel came from the Headquarters of the Scots Guards where he had paraded in the morning. It was signed in the field on 17 November by Lieut Col. Cator.




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16 November 1915:

'Relieved at night by Welsh Guards &went into reserve billet in ruined farm. Rain during night.'

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15 November 1915:

Fatigues clearly continuing.
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14 November 1915:

'Shifted from Merville to 'Lonely Erith fort near Laventie. Hard frost. Lot of fatigue.'

The other forts were Elgin, Eglise and Road Bend. These appear to all form parts of the trenches into which the men moved. They were taking over from the The King's Royal Rifles and Grenadier Guards and the trenches were in disrepair. hence the fatigues. One man killed by snipers.

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13 November 1915:

Parades were cancelled because of the weather. However the battalion diary notes there was a gas demonstration in the afternoon.

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12 November 1915:

Presumably by now Merville was no longer out of bounds as Louis comments that he went into the town in the evening.

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11 November 1915:

Still billeted in Merville. Letters to Aunt Jessica and Beath.

10 November 1915:

'In Merville, the town out of bounds'

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9 November 1915:

'Left Cantrine and marched to Merville. Billeted in road of unfinished houses. Heavy rain.'

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8 November 1915:

'Cockneys' milking escapade' 

No further explanation by Louis.

7 November 1915:

'Church parade.
Field PCs. Raymond, Norrie, Jessica,and Smeaton. Wrote Raymond'



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6 November 1915:

'Route march round canal and Busnes. Very cold. Frost in morning.'

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4 November 1915:

'Route march through Busnes'

3 November 1915:

'Hot bath and clean clothing. First for......
Wrote Walter.'

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2 November 1915:

'Rain all day . No parades.
Field PC to Beath and Jessica.

28 October 1915:

'Marched off to be inspected by the King but cancelled on the way because of the rain. 
Heard afterwards of King's accident'

The King had been inspecting troops earlier in the day when his horse reared at the sound of the cheering troops, throwing the King and the rolling on top of him . Reports suggest the injuries suffered by The King were significant and long lasting.

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27 October 1915:

'In billet. Rifle inspection only'

26 October 1915:

'Fair again. Relieved at night. Division marched back about 15 miles to Coutrain beyond Chocques2 kilos from Liliers. Nos 3 & 4 platoons got lost. Finished journey in motor wagons.
Wrote Norrie and Jessica.'

The battalion diary comments that the guides that were meant to be 'picqueting' the roads 'put the company wrong'. They arrived in billets at 3.30am.

25 October 1915:

'Rain all day. Wading about in trench. Out for rations at night. Dam cold.'

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24 October 1915:

'On fatigue at night carrying up barbed wire, stakes, sacks in heavy rain. Rotten.

23 October 1915:

'Saw Brig General Hayworth re. commission at Brigade HQ. Went into trenches reserve line behind quarry. Bills and Welsh in front. Apparently this is an ex French trench and has been badly strafed.'

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22 October 1915:

In billet. Letter to Beath.

21 October 1915:

In billet. Letter to Raymond.

20 October 1915:

'In billet. Speech from Lord Cavan about attack.'

19 October 1915:

'Relieved at night by Coldstreams. Another heavy shelling just before coming out. Back to reserve billet in Seally La Bourse.
Starforth went home for commission in 6th B.W.'

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18 October1915:

'Still in firing line. Lot of shells and trench mortar coming over. Six men of No.3 platoon buried.
Communication trench behind my sentry post shelled heavily in the evening. Wood and I nearly strafed.'

This is the only mention Louis makes of 'Wood'. There appear to have been at least two Woods in the Scots Guards in France at the time. One would have been Harry Blanshard Wood who joined the 2nd Battalion in August 1914 and was with the Battalion at this time in Loos.

We know this because he subsequently won a VC in 1918:

The citation in the London Gazette reads:

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during operations at the village of St. Python, France, on 13 October 1918. The advance was desperately opposed by machine guns and the streets were raked by fire. His platoon sergeant was killed and command of the leading platoon fell to him.
The task of the company was to clear the western side of the village and secure the crossing of the River Selle. Command of the ruined bridge had to be gained, though the space in front of it was covered by snipers. Corporal Wood boldly carried a large brick out into the open space, lay down behind it, and fired continually at these snipers, ordering his men to work across while he covered them by his fire. This he continued to do under heavy and well-aimed fire until the whole of his party had reached the objective point.

He showed complete disregard for his personal safety, and his leadership throughout the day was of the highest order. Later, he drove off repeated enemy counter-attacks against his position. His gallant conduct and initiative shown, contributed largely to the success of the day's operations.

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17 October 1915:

'Attacked German trench on left & right through old communication trenches. All bomb work. Could not get through. Lost lot of men. Jewson killed and two or three officers. German trench called Big Willie. Gottwaltz killed."

On this day 3 officers from the 2nd Battalion Scots Gurads were killed and 20 men, including Corporal John S Jewson from London and Charles Raymond Gottwaltz , born in Cardiff and from Leeds.

16 October 1915:

'In firing line. Attack by German bombers at night first on the left &later on the right '

plus drawing of the Hollenzellorn redoubt and the German line  showing their trench- Big Willie.

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15 October 1915:








'In post. Digging until midnight'

14 October 1915:

"Moved to place near La Bourse in morning and into firing line at night near Hulluch. Relieved Staffs  (word?)& Sherwoods who both attacked without success. Lot of dead to shift out of trenches. This part of the Hohenzellorn redoubt.'

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13 October 1915:

'In reserve for attack today. Ready to move at one hours notice.

Wrote Beath'

12 October 1915:

Moving billets following shelling . From Vermelles to Vedrenes per Louis. ( Verquigneul per the Battalion diary).

11 October 1915:

'In billet. Transport shelled in field behind us.

Wrote McMullin.' 

10 October 1915:

'On fatigue again at night carrying gas to firing line. 2nd Micks in front line.
Wrote Raymond'

9th October 1915:

'Relieved in afternoon by 4th Bills and came back to billet in Vermelles. Started off again at 5pm on fatigue carrying cylinders of gas to firing line. Back to billet again at 2am Sunday morning after being lost in the trenches for hours.'

The Battalion diary notes that the gas cylinder carrying party numbered 184, and that it returned to billets at 1.30 and 2.30am.

The battle of Loos was the first time the British Army had used gas. In April it had been used by the Germans, and the British responded for the first time on 25 September at Loos. Chlorine gas was used. At this time it was merely let loose- the first time it was used the wind changed and much of it blew back over the British troops. Subsequently it was fired into the enemy troops.  

Not certain who the 4th Bills were ( Grenadier Guards?)

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8th October 1915:

'Attack by Germans near Vermelles Right flank &F Co. rushed up in evening to support Grenadiers and 1st Battalion. Nothing doing. Long night in 2nd line.

7th October 1915:

'Went sick with cold,excused. Company on fatigue at night carrying stuff to trenches.
Wrote Eben. and Smeaton. Field PC to Raymond'

6th October 1915:

'In reserve at Vermelles. Caught bad cold. Shells falling in town. Convoy from Raymond. Heaven!'

5 October 1915:

Relieved at night. Very open road coming out.Constant shelling all day. Back to reserve billet in Vermelles. Nothing hot for 2.5 days. Damn wet and cold!

Field PC to Raymond.

4 October 1915:

On this day while the Brigadier was inspecting around the trenches a shell exploded burying several men who were subsequently dug out unhurt.

3 October 1915:

"Went into trenches at Hulloch carried up bombs. In meandering order for some hours. Narrow trench . No dug outs. Wrote Beath.'

The battalion diary notes that G and LF Companies were in the Front line with RF and F in support. ( Louis in RF?). Relief only at 3.45 am, and the next day's entry notes that a lot of bomb throwing kept the Germans quiet.  The bombs no doubt that Louis had been transporting up the previous day.

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2 October 1915:

Letter to Raymond Harley.

1 October 1915:

Further respite in La Bourse.

30 September 1915:

Billeted in the garret of a house in La Bourse.

The casualties for the Battalion were 113 injured, 17 killed.

29 September 1915:

Rain again. Relieved about midnight by King's marched back to ruined housesat Vermelles. Deuce of a lot of dead horses and broken carts on the road.

The Battalion diary notes the incessant rain , and that by this stage the men had had no sleep for 3 days. It also refers to the relief battalion as the 22nd London Regiment. It was due at 6.30pm but relief only eventually occurred at 1.30am. It is remarked that despite the incessant rain and lack of sleep, the men remained cheery.

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28 September 1915:

"Stood to arms all day. Some troops in front of us surrendered. Few Germans came on with bombs but were repulsed. Very wet all night long. No grub, no sleep damned uncomfortable. Saw lot of troops badly shelled on our left in wood."