5th Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers in August 1914
| Records show that less than a week before war was declared the 5th KOSB was considerably below the full battalion strength of 30 officers and 977 men. When the battalion broke camp on Saturday 1st August there were already rumours of impending war, but little did the men realise that only four days later they would all be gathering again at their respective company headquarters in response to the order for mobilisation issued on the evening of Tuesday 4th August. | 
The telegram sent on 4th August 1914 by battalion headquarters at Dumfries ordering the Langholm detachment of 'B' Company to mobilise. |
As can be imagined, mobilisation created a huge stir throughout the land and Dumfries and Galloway was no different. A browse through the local newspapers of the time reveals a mixture of excitement and concern. The mobilisation of the 5th KOSB was reported almost town by town, as men from the outlying detachments made their way to their respective Company Headquarters and thence to Dumfries. The excitement felt by the people throughout the region caused an upsurge in recruitment numbers for the local companies of the battalion.
The mobilisation of the 5th KOSB was reported almost town by town, as men from the outlying detachments made their way to their respective Company Headquarters and thence to Dumfries. The excitement felt by the people throughout the region caused an upsurge in recruitment numbers for the local companies of the 5th KOSB.
5th KOSB officers upon mobilisation
(as of Army List September 1914 - by rank, then order of precedence)
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Back row: Grierson, McNeill, Clark-Kennedy, Carlyle, Turner, Smith, Penman, Gibson, Douglas, Coventon, Watson, Salmond, Macfarlane, Maxwell, Macrae, McGeorge Front row: Dykes, Crombie, Cunningham, Bell, Youngson, Murray Kerr, Millar, Forde, Anderson, Welsh |
