Places > Morayshire roll of honour

FOREWORD
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" of Le-Cateau station on the 18th inst. They were looking magnificent and I was glad to hear
" that a draft was on its way to join them so as to replace their losses.
" The attack of the station was a very fine performance and less determined troops would
" hardly have succeeded. I went over the ground myself the other day and so struck was I with
" the strength of the hostile position and the great gallantry displayed by the Scottish Horse in
" the capture of it, that I went personally to the Battalion to thank them, for they deserved it.
" I cannot often find time to do this, but Scotland has done so much towards winning this War
" that I always do what I can to show them how much we appreciate their services."
The fact that the highest percentage of voluntary enlistments early in the war, was credited
to the North of Scotland, is due I have claimed, to the antecedents and fighting instincts of the
race. It is to the undying honour of Morayshire that in 1914, with a battalion of infantry over
1,000 strong and a squadron of yeomanry of 140, it furnished, as was freely mentioned at the time
more men for the local forces in proportion to its population than any other county in Great Britain.
We can make a further claim which, substantiated by figures, proves that the sons of Moray were
heroes in the fight. The number of decorations awarded to Morayshire greatly exceeds the average
for the United Kingdom. I am indebted to Mr. John B. Mair, M.V.O., O.B.E., Chief Constable of
the County, for the following list of decorations awarded to Morayshire men and women, which he
has compiled from the returns : —
Victoria Cross
. .
.
. . . •
2
Distinguished Service Order
. .
• 14
Bar to D.S.O.
• • .
I
Military Cross
. ^
. 60
Bar to M.C.
. .
. 8
D.C.M. and D.S.M. .
. . •
• 69
Bar to D.C.M.
. . . .
• 3
Military Medal
. .
. 209
Bar to M.M.
.
. 21
Foreign Decorations.
. • •
• 37
O.B.E.
• . •
• 3
M.B.E.
• • •
2
Mentioned in Despatches (from 1 to 5 times)
• 125
Distinguished Flying Medal
1
Mons and Gallipoli S
tars .
.
.
. 181
736
Assuming that the population of the United Kingdom is 45,000,000 and that the
population of this County is 43,000, Morayshire's quota of awards should be : — V.C.'s
.5, D.S.O.'s 8.5, M.C.'S 35.3, D.C.M.'s 23.4, and M.M.'s no, whereas the awards received
by Morayshire men and women exceed these numbers by : — V.C.'s 1.5, D.S.O.'s 5.5,
M.C.'s 22.7, D.C.M.'s 45.6, and M.M.'s 99.
It would be a fascinating task to record instances of personal heroism that would live in the
minds of future generations. But the policy of secrecy pursued in the Great War was responsible
for hiding such incidents from public knowledge, and it would be invidious to attempt to lift that
veil even though we could appraise the relative distinction of the many deeds of bravery. It has
been written, " The world knows nothing of its greatest men," and the same may be said of our
brave soldiers. Those who received decorations do not comprise all " the heroes of the fight."
Many men, equally deserving, have been left unrecognised because their daring deeds were not made
known, or their claims not put forward by superior officers. It is well that the public should under-