Lieutenant Colonel Angus Douglas-Hamilton V.C.

Lieutenant Angus Falconer Douglas-Hamilton, V.C., Commanding 6th ( Service) Battalion, Cameron Highlanders. He was killed in action in France on 26th September, aged 52, on the second day of the Battle of Loos. He had been born in Brighton in 1863 to Major General Octavius and Katherine Douglas Hamilton and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Dud Corner, Loos, France. He was the husband of Anna Mackenzie Douglas-Hamilton of Muir of Ord, Rossshire. He won his Victoria Cross that day and the citation in the London Gazette read” For most conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when commanding his Battalion during operations on 25th and 26th September 1915 on Hill 70. On the 26th when the Battalions on his right and left had retired, he rallied his own battalion again and again and led his men forward four times. The last time he led all that remained, consisting of about 50 men in a most gallant manner and was killed at their head. It was mainly due to his untiring energy and leadership that the line at this point was enabled to check the enemy’s advance”. He had been commissioned into the Cameron Highlanders from Sandhurst in 1884 and served with his Battalion in the Sudan, Gibraltar, Malta, South Africa, North China and India. He retired from the Army in 1912 and was living in St Mary’s, Weirbank, Melrose when War was declared. As he was on the Reserve list of Officers he was recalled to the Colours and in November he was appointed to command the 6th (Service) Battalion, Cameron Highlanders with whom he went to France in 1915. The Battalion was part of 45 Brigade of the 15th ( Scottish) Division and the Battle cost the Camerons over 400 casualties.  The first photo shows Highlanders marching up to the line before the Battle. The second photograph shows the village of Loos after capture. The third shows Hill 70 looking from the outskirts of Loos and the fourth shows the Camerons in the attack.