The Great War Diary of John Bruce Cairnie
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The Great War Diary of John Bruce Cairnie John Bruce Cairnie was born on 22 September 1889 in Thurso, Caithness, the third son of David Dandie Cairnie, a Chemist in the town, and Mary Wilson Bruce. His elder brothers were Robert, born 1886, David Dandie, born 1887. His sisters, Elizabeth and Mary were born in 1891 and 1898. He attended the Miller Institution in Thurso and Edinburgh University, where he graduated MA in 1911 and BSc in 1912. His interests were in Botany and Geology. He then attended teachers' training college. He enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders in September 1914. In October 1917 he sailed to join the 3/4th King's African Rifles with the rank of Lieutenant. His diary starts in 1915. He did not disclose the existence of the diary to his family during his lifetime, and therefore did not participate in the decision to make it public. His son and grandson have chosen to leave the text unmodified. The transcription of the diary for 1915 and 1916 was carried out by J A (Jock) Bruce who grew up in Thurso, Caithness and had set out to write a history of the 5th Seaforths in World War One. Because of the extensive research he had done he was able to provide insight into the persons and situations encountered by J B Cairnie, who, after all, had no idea he was writing for an audience other than himself. Mr Bruce's comments are asterisked through the text. Any comments should be addressed to ([email protected]), or grandson, Bruce Cairnie ([email protected]). In September 1919 he started his teaching career in Golspie and in October 1921 moved south to Ayr Academy. He later moved to Cumnock Academy where he completed his career, retiring in 1953. During his time in Ayrshire he maintained his interest in Thurso by keeping in touch with family and friends and visiting in the summer. He kept in contact with his comrades in the 5th Seaforths by attending the reunions. He died in 1977, and his pawky sense of humour, and warmth of nature are missed by family and all who knew him. In 1930 he married Isabella Moodie and they had a son Alan Bruce Cairnie who moved to Canada in 1967. Two of John Bruce's great-grandsons wrote in 2003, as part of a Royal Canadian Legion competition, the following compositions: What Remembrance Day Means to Me by Angus Cairnie, aged 12. The order comes from the generals; The tanks halt, the only sound is from the gulls. The shells stop, the guns are stilled, The bombs stop blasting, people remember those killed. Memories come, unstoppable as a flood, Weep, weep and free the earth of blood, Tears flow, wash away the sadness. Thousands died to clean the world of badness. War is the knife, blood is the lives and peace the tourniquet, Remember, never forget and feel the pain as battle lines met. Love peace and never let this happen again, Restrain your anger and don't unleash again this pain. Stop the artillery, silence the guns. No need any more to slay the Huns. Call back the tanks, land the planes, Time to stop the advance across the plains. We've stopped the holocaust, The massive total human cost. The time to mourn now is best, More death than we could have guessed. So today is the day that we remember. Because war can be a glowing ember, At the thought of war we stand aghast, And Remembrance Day will always last. Remembrance Day Essay by Malcolm Cairnie, aged 11 A class is sitting in an assembly for Remembrance Day. One kid whispers to another, "What's this Remembrance Day thing about, anyway? The other kid replies, "I think it's something for dead soldiers or something". True. But that isn't the half of it. Remembrance Day is a time to remember the brave men in World War 1 and World War 2 who died fighting against evil and tyranny. Veterans come, too, to pay their respects to their lost comrades. In World War 1, we fought against Germany. In World War 2, we fought the Axis - a group of countries that included Germany, Japan, Italy, and Austria. All of these were formidable enemies, but each time we triumphed. This does not take away the terrible reality of millions of deaths on both sides, and war is equally horrible no matter who wins. Some questions the little kid in the first paragraph might ask are: Why do we wear a poppy? We wear a poppy to honour dead soldiers. Poppies grew on many men's graves so it was adopted as a Remembrance Day symbol. Why do we have a moment of silence? On November 11th the peace treaty for World War 1 was signed. The minute the order 'Cease fire' was given, a silence fell over all. Today we use these two minutes to think about peace. Why did these men go to war? There were various reasons. Some went for the salary. Others went for the adventure and excitement. Then some went to be with family and friends. Many went to fight for their country and freedom. Whatever the reason, we can be sure there are more dead soldiers than veterans. War is a gruesome prospect, and we must always try to find a better way. Most minor conflicts can be settled by negotiations, but sometimes war is necessary. Whatever any soldier does, he or she must only fight for freedom and justice. So before you go rampaging off to battle, think. Is there anything else we can do to help? Do we have to kill? There is almost always a solution other than violence, and it is up to us to find it. 1915 (5th Seaforths) IN THE RANKS The origins of the 5th Seaforths lay in the Sutherland Highland Rifle Volunteers, raised in Sutherland and Caithness in 1859/60 as part of a country wide enthusiasm for part-time soldiering inspired by fears of French invasion. In 1908 the old volunteer force became the Territorial Force and the SHRV became the 5th (Sutherland and Caithness Highland) Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders (TF). They were mobilised on 4 August 1914 and together with the 4th (Ross Highland) and 6th (Moray) Battalions, Seaforth Highlanders and the 4th Queens Own Cameron Highlanders, from Inverness-shire, they formed the Seaforth and Cameron Brigade of the Highland Division. After a couple of weeks spent improving coastal defences at Cromarty (which protected the naval base at Invergordon) the brigade moved with the rest of the division to Bedford, where they were billeted in private houses. The commitment made by TF soldiers pre-war was to serve for home defence only. On the outbreak of war most men made the additional commitment to serve overseas although some, for various reasons (age, business or family commitments, etc.), chose not to. In September 1915 a second battalion of the 5th Seaforths was formed, as it was in all TF regiments. The 'first line' battalion - 1/5 Seaforth - at Bedford contained men willing to serve overseas; the 'second line' or reserve battalion - 2/5 Seaforth - at Golspie consisted of men who had not signed the overseas commitment, were not fit for overseas service and recruits surplus to the requirements of the first line battalion. It had always been expected that the TF would require 6 months training before being fit for overseas operations. In fact, 1/4 Seaforth went overseas in November 1914 and 1/4 Camerons in February 1915, being replaced in the brigade by 1/6 and 1/8 Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. TF infantry battalions were, at the outbreak of war, still organised in eight companies - an organisation little changed from Napoleonic times. Regular battalions had adopted a four company organisation in 1913. Judging by his regimental number (3471) John Bruce Cairnie enlisted in September 1914. The popular image of men flocking to the colours on 4 August 1914 isn't really accurate - the peak of recruiting was actually a few weeks after the outbreak of war. At the start of the diary he was serving in E Company (the pre-war Thurso company) as a Lance Sergeant - this was an appointment, not a rank. His actual rank was Corporal; a Lance appointment was usually a prelude to further promotion. January 1915 19 January 1915 Company drill from 9:30 to 1 p.m. It would get rather feding up if we had much of it. An hour of 'cross-tig' relieved the monotony. In the afternoon, bayonet fighting for NCOs, and then a lecture by Sergt-Major*. Very busy all evening and got up to orderly room by 11:30. *Sergeant Major Donald Sutherland, pre-war regular instructor with the Wick company and appointed Sergeant Major on 20 Nov 14 when the previous incumbent was commissioned. 20 January 1915 Wakened by reveille. Mac* lazy as he hadn't been in bed till 2:30 a.m. Route march to Turvey, somehow I felt less fit than usual. The company marched well going out, but coming in when No. 1 section were leading there was no step in it. 20 men on the sick-list this morning, mostly with chest-colds. No cases of measles in our Company today, but one death in 'G'**. The Colonel*** and Maj Sinclair**** left for a fortnight at home tonight. Still there is no word of leave for us. *Ian Douglas McLennan, Bank clerk from Thurso, where his father was a minister. Joined 5th Seaforth pre-war, killed in action (KIA) 15 Jun 15.