ed the disbanding of an H.L.I.
Battalion in the 32nd Division. The Battalion selected was the junior
one, the 17th. General Blacklock expressed in very generous terms his
admiration for the Battalion, and for all that it had done, and
expressed his sorrow and regret that so fine a unit had to be broken
up, and the officers, non-com. officers and men serving in it would be
drafted to other H.L.I. Battalions, which would necessitate, in many
cases, the breaking up of what had been very long friendships.

Early in January, 1918, it had been decided by the War Office to adopt
the three Battalion per Brigade system throughout the British Army,
and this resulted in the disbandment of many Battalions which had seen
much service abroad, and had won a name for themselves in France.
Perhaps the chief Battalion in the whole army to be disbanded was the
17th Service Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry, and the
disbandment of this Battalion came as a bitter blow, not only to those
who were serving in the Battalion at that time, but also to those who
had served in it at some time or other in the past and possibly to
those who were looking forward to serving with it in the future.

Needless to say all ranks of the Battalion were deeply disappointed at
the Commander-in-Chief's decision, which was received as a calamity.
The highest traditions of the Battalion had been maintained
throughout, and the esprit de corps and good comradeship of all ranks
made the news almost unbearable.

As soon as the official notification arrived the Battalion was
relieved by the First Battalion, the Dorset Regiment, and was
withdrawn to Hospital Camp near Woesten where the disbanding was to be
carried out. From then onwards an enormous amount of work fell on
everybody, especially on the Adjutant, Captain Dunsmuir, M.C., who was
responsible for compiling the rolls of the different drafts, which
were to proceed to the various H.L.I. Battalions in France, comprising
the 10/11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th, and 18th Battalions.

On the 11th of February the first draft, consisting of about seven
officers and 200 other ranks marched out of camp to the tune of the
pipes en route for the railway station at Boesinghe, where it
entrained and proceeded to join the 10/11th Battalion H.L.I. Although
there was much cheering as the train steamed away, yet there were many
men with sad hearts at leaving the Battalion they had served in from
the beginning, which had be