Formed in 1868 and possessors of a proud history by the outbreak of the First World War, the men of the 9th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion, the Highland Light Infantry, were at the heart of the cataclysmic events that unfolded between 1914 and 1918 on the Western Front. One of the first Territorial units to be rushed to France in 1914, they participated in almost all major British battles including the Somme in 1916 and Ypres in 1917. Some 4500 men served with the Glasgow Highlanders during WWI, although the composition of the battalion changed over four years of fighting, as original members were replaced. Alec Weir draws upon first-hand accounts to produce this account of ordinary men from all walks of life who confronted and mastered trench warfare.
"Weir has done a great job in retrieving the lost history of his (and my!) grandfather's regiment."—Ian Hislop
