William Croll
Private
1st Battalion - Royal Highland Regiment
The Black Watch
His Majesty’s call to arms was heeded by many who dwelled among the cobbled streets and brick buildings in Scotland’s coastal city of Dundee. William Croll, a 31-year-old millworker, was among those to proudly dawn a kilt and glengarry in the 1st Battalion of the famed Royal Highlanders or the “Black Watch” as they were known. Yet his previous service in the militia that began in 1903 had hardly prepared him for the realities of modern conflict as he and the other fresh Dundee arrivals discovered upon joining the 1st Battalion in France in late November 1914. The few veteran survivors of Mons attempted to impart upon these reservists and former militia members the skills needed to survive this conflict, though much of it depended on one’s luck. In the waning days of 1914, the refitted Battalion made its way into the freezing and war-scarred trenches of Givenchy. This was an active portion of the front and William kept his peering brown eyes below the earth as the Germans continuously lobbed shells at them (1). Friends became casualties and all quickly learned to follow the old hands advice, which helped keep them alive.
Christmas brought the freezing Scotsmen some joy as they were relieved from the filth of the trenches in the afternoon, receiving Christmas cards from his Majesty, King George (1). Yet even the charitable gift tins from Princess Mary and the well wishes from home did little to ease the suffering experienced in this hellscape so far from Scotland (1). |
Hieland Laddie
Throughout the new year William and the other “Jocks” of the 1st Battalion continued to operate in Northern France under the constant gaze of German artillery. On January 25th, 1915 they were posted near the village of Bethune when urgent orders were received (1). Two platoons from D&B company were quickly dispatched to support an assault on the nearby village of la bassée (1). At 1:00 PM the “Jocks” made their assault in fashion with the bagpipes squealing “Hieland Laddie” and the men surging forward with bayonets fixed (1). The bold kilt clad soldiers charged on open ground and immediately were hit with intense rifle and artillery fire as they moved towards the German trench (1). Casualties were incredibly heavy as the highlanders pressed the advance with two more platoons of the battalion being brought into the fight (1). Their ferocity and fearlessness drove the Germans from their initial trench line, though they regrouped beyond (1). The Scotsmen attempted to continue the assault, some literally crawling through wire and mud under fire (1). After having fought their way some distance beyond the captured trench, the German fire finally overtook them and the remaining "Jocks" dug in until relieved by another regiment (1).
This surreal charge was witnessed by many notable people who idolized it in both newspaper articles and in sketches. Yet the cost in men was unimaginable, especially for the city of Dundee. When the role call was taken, William Croll, was nowhere to be found, his 5’ 2” body having likely been obliterated by artillery or swallowed by the sea of mud. He and roughly a dozen other men from Dundee in the 1st Battalion were among those tragically killed in the assault (2). The brave man’s death leaving a grieving mother and a mourning community who longed for his return which never came. |
Sources:
(1) The National Archives, 1st Battalion Royal Highland Regiment, WO 95/1263/3.
(2) “Slaven James” Roll of Honour, Great War Dundee, https://www.greatwardundee.com/entry/salven-james-8653/
(3) "William Croll” Roll of Honour, Great War Dundee, https://www.greatwardundee.com/entry/croll-william-33297/
(1) The National Archives, 1st Battalion Royal Highland Regiment, WO 95/1263/3.
(2) “Slaven James” Roll of Honour, Great War Dundee, https://www.greatwardundee.com/entry/salven-james-8653/
(3) "William Croll” Roll of Honour, Great War Dundee, https://www.greatwardundee.com/entry/croll-william-33297/