History of the Scots Guards (1914–1945)

The 3rd (Reserve) Battalion was re-formed in August, though would not see service abroad, and would remain in the UK for the duration of the war, and was disbanded in 1919.

Both battalions saw very heavy fighting at Ypres and in the surrounding area, which eventually saw over 50,000 British soldiers of the Regular army become casualties, though the British Army held the line against seemingly overwhelming German attacks, stopping the final German attempt to break the Allied line in 1914.

The regiment saw further involvement in the bitter cold month of December, and in that month, on 19 December, Private James Mackenzie of the 2nd Battalion won the regiment its first Victoria Cross (VC) of the war, and the first VC won by the Scots Guards, rather than its predecessor name, the Scots Fusilier Guards.

In March 1915, the 2nd Battalion took part in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, which was a relatively successful engagement, though it did fall short of its expected gains of advancing all the way to Lille.

With no regard for his safety, Lieutenant Boyd-Rochfort shouted to the men to look out, and subsequently rushed to the bomb, grabbed it and duly threw it over the parapet where it instantly exploded.

Both battalions continued to experience heavy fighting throughout September, and into October, and by the end of the Battle of Loos, the regiment had suffered over 500 casualties.

On 15 July, Lance-Sergeant Frederick McNess of the 1st Battalion, led a bombing party under very heavy shell and machine-gun fire.

Despite the severe wounds the Sergeant subsequently made a 'block', encouraged his men and continued to throw grenades until eventually succumbing to the loss of blood.

The Sergeant subsequently reorganised the company and upon noticing a counter-attack developing, he successfully repulsed it by skillfully exploiting machine-guns to his advantage to inflict very heavy casualties on the German attackers.

Sergeant McAulay also carried a considerable distance to a safer location, while under heavy fire, the mortally wounded company commander.

For his actions Corporal Wood was awarded the Victoria Cross, the last VC won by the regiment during the First World War.

Both battalions would remain in the United Kingdom for the majority of the inter-war years where it carried out the usual public duties, though would, at times, be deployed abroad.

In 1935, it was the 1st Battalion's turn to be deployed abroad when it was stationed in Egypt during the tense times between the British Empire and Italy, after the latter had invaded the East African nation of Abyssinia.

The 24th Guards Brigade was then used to protect a number of Norwegian ports from German attack, though all fell by the end of May, and, due to the troubling situation in France, the British Army began evacuating from Norway, which was completed by 8 June.

In May, the regiment saw action at the Battle of Halfaya Pass, which saw British and Commonwealth forces experiencing tough fighting against Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps.

Between October and November the Second Battle of El Alamein took place, which saw General Montgomery's British Eighth Army achieve a decisive victory over the German, which saw them go into full-retreat.

In North Africa, on 6 March, the 2nd Battalion took part in the defensive Battle of Medenine, after the Germans had counter-attacked the Allies, an attack that, if it had succeeded, would have caused the British many problems.

During that month, Captain The Lord Lyell of the 1st Battalion, commanded a company with great dash and valour during engagements between 23 and 27 April, taking part in tremendously heavy fighting against German forces and kept the morale of his troops high.

[citation needed] On 27 April, Captain The Lord Lyell's company took part in the attack on Djebel Bou Aoukaz and were coming under fire from an enemy post, consisting of an 88 mm gun and heavy machine-gun in two separate pits, which was holding the company's advance up.

By May 1943, the battle for North Africa was over, Tunis had fallen, the Allies were victorious and 130,000 German and 120,000 Italian soldiers had surrendered.

At the Battle of Monte Cassino, the 2nd Battalion suffered heavy casualties in tough fighting though it was eventually captured in May 1944.

Back in July 1944, the 3rd (Tank) Battalion landed in France, with heavy fighting still raging in the Normandy area.

The regiment, as in the First World War, proved its professionalism once more, seeing service in North Africa, Italy and across North-West Europe, taking part in some of the British Army's most famous moments.

During the war, just over 1,000 men of the Scots Guards lost their lives and many gallantry awards were won, including a single Victoria Cross.