Northumbrian Gunner: Glasgow

Monday 29 August 2016

Glasgow - Cathedral

The Glasgow Cathedral was built before the Reformation and developed from the 12th Century onwards. Within the Cathedral are many memorials which reflect British military history.

Glasgow Cathedral

The period following the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 was one of colonial expansion and lead to the establishment of garrisons throughout the Empire. The loss of life in the colonies resulted from disease and small wars.

Lieutenant Donald Campbell
Died in Walwan East Indies 26-Feb-1836

Major William Middleton
Scots Dragoon Guards
Died India 18th April 1859

Major Alexander Dunlop Anderson
75th Punjab Pioneers
Died Afghanistan 3rd December 1875

Captain George Lyon Walker Grierson
Royal Horse Anderson
Died Cholera Lucknow 19th October 1892

The only involvement of the British Army in an European conflict was in the Crimea in 1854 when French and British forces fought the Russia Army.

3rd Sutherland Highlanders
Crimean War 1854

Highland Light Infantry

In 1881 the Childers reforms continued the earlier Cardwell reforms with the formation of multi-battalion regiments. The Highland Light Infantry were formed from the 71st and 74th of Foot, the 74th becoming the 2nd Battalion HLI, the City Regiment of Glasgow

The 2nd Battalion HLI saw action at the Battle of Tel el-Kebir in September 1882 during the Anglo-Egyptian War.

74th Highlanders
Egypt 1882 Tel El Kabir

Another memorial commemorates the actions of the HLI on the North West Frontier in 1895.

HLI Memorial
North West Frontier 1895

In 1899 War broke out in South Africa between the Boers and the British, the conflict would last two years.

HLI
Boer War Memorial

During the First World War the Highland Infantry fielded twenty three battalions. The 2nd Battalion was part of the original British Expeditionary Force, landing at Boulogne 14th August 1914, (2nd Division, 5th Brigade). The 1st Battalion served mainly in the Middle East, as did many of the Territorial first line Battalions. The second line Battalions served in Ireland. The HLI raised eight New Army Battalions and another three Reserve Battalions.

HLI
Memorial to those lost from 23 Battalions
during WW1

The Cathedral also contains other memorials form the First World War. These include the Cameronian Rifles, the Cathedral Congregation and a memorial to 4 brothers Anderson lost in the war.