James Syme Drew

James Syme Drew was born on 1 September 1883[1] in Manchester,[2] England, the youngest son of Thomas Auchterlonie Drew of Fallowfield, a master calico printer,[3] and Elizabeth Beatrice Jane (née Syme), daughter of James Syme Esquire – manager of the British Linen Banking Company, Scotland.[4]

Lowerhouse Printworks, Burnley. c1830

Although the Drew family was of Scottish ancestry (at least 6 generations on both sides[5]) in the early 1870s, Drew's grandfather, Alexander of Dalmonach and Blairmore (1815 – 1899), relocated his printing business to Lowerhouse Printworks in Burnley, establishing offices in Glasgow and Manchester.[6]

Drew's father Tom, who was a director of the family printing business in Burnley, settled in the suburbs of Manchester, at Oak House, Fallowfield.[7]

Drew entered Harrow School in 1897, joining his elder brother, Alexander Southerland (1879 – 1970), at Mortons; House Master, Charles Colbeck of Lemmington (1847 – 1903).[8]

Whilst at Harrow, Drew engaged with a variety of sporting activities including swimming, football, hurdles, and high-jump.[9]

In October 1899, Drew was promoted to Lance-Corporal in the school's Rifle Company,[10] perhaps providing the inspiration for a military career. Indeed, Drew's time at Harrow was cut short when he responded to his country's call for soldiers in late 1900.[11]

In January 1901, at the age of 17 years and 4 months, Drew was admitted to Sandhurst Royal Military College as an infantry officer cadet. In December of the same year, Drew passed his final examinations, with honours and exemplary conduct.[12][13]

On 17 January 1902, Drew was appointed to a commission as 2nd lieutenant with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders.[12]

2nd Battalion, The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. Tientsin, China, 1908-1909

In 1902, Drew joined the 2nd Cameron Highlanders in Gibraltar,[14] and was subsequently stationed in Crete in 1903,[15] and Malta in 1904.[16]

Drew was promoted to full lieutenant on 26 April 1905, as the 2nd Battalion relocated to Pretoria, South Africa, serving under Colonel H H L Malcolm.[17] Drew was stationed with Malcolm in Pietermaritzburg, Natal, during the Zulu Rebellion of 1906.[18] In 1907, Drew remained in South Africa, stationed at Robert Heights, Pretoria, now serving under Lieutenant-Colonel M S Riach.[19]

In 1908 the Battalion left Robert Heights and headed for China, on board the R.I.M.S. Hardinge.[20] Drew was stationed with the 2nd Cameron Highlanders at Tientsin, China.[21]

In 1910 the Battalion relocated to Bangalore, India where it remained until 1914, when it moved to Poona, shortly before returning to England as war broke out across Europe in August 1914.[22]

The 5th Cameron Highlanders spent their first two months of the war in reserve but by the end of June were in the trenches in the vicinity of Festubert.[29] Drew found the state of the trenches to be bad, "being both unsafe and insanitary".[30]

Battle of Loos; British attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt; a cloud of smoke and gas in the centre and on the left.

Drew fought with the 5th Cameron Highlanders in the Battle of Loos, notable for being the first battle in which the British used poison gas and the first mass engagement of New Army units. The following excerpt from the Battalion War Diary details the events of the first hour of the attack on Fosse No 8,[31] starting from Vermelles on 25 September 1916:[32]

6.40 am: The Battalion advanced in three lines as follows: A & B in two lines of half companies, third line C company, fourth line D company in Battalion Reserve, with HQ lines and Machine Gunners in the rear.

7.10 am: First two lines reported to have passed first German trench, i.e. Little Willie. D company were then sent forward to occupy German main line trench, Fosse Trench.

7.30 am: Battalion HQ advanced. It was found that the whole line of advance was enfiladed by heavy machine gun and rifle fire from Mad Point and Madagascar. This fire had caused very heavy losses, practically having wiped out the first two lines. With HQ, the remains of D Company and the other lines pushed forward and reached the southwest corner of the Corons.

7.40 am: From here the advance through the cottages was unopposed and the forward end of the Corons was reached without further loss. Immediately after, some 250 of the 8th Black Watch arrived in our support.

By 9 am the only officers of the 5th Cameron Highlanders remaining were the commanding officer, Lochiel, and the Adjutant, Drew; together with about 80 NCOs and men, they combined with the 8th Black Watch and formed a mixed force of about 300 odd men who held part of the forward end of the Corons, in a trench and part of the left flank, with the 7th Seaforths on the right. During the day the enemy shelling in the Fosse became more intense but there was no sign of a counter attack. At 8 pm, orders were received that they would be relieved by a battalion of the Northamptons and by 1.30 am the following morning the 26th Brigade had indeed been relieved by the 73rd Brigade.[33]

Trench map depicting the Hohenzollern Redoubt.

The next day, the 5th Cameron Highlanders were in their old positions in the front line trenches. Reserve soldiers, including machine gunners and 4 officers of the battalion, were called up, making the strength of the Battalion in the front line about 150 rank and file.[34]

In the morning of 27 September, the 26th Brigade sent some 100 men up to the Hohenzollern Redoubt to strengthen the 73rd Brigade. At 3 pm, the 26th Brigade charged the redoubt on the right at Dump Trench and when the remnants of the 5th Cameron Highlanders reached the redoubt they were finally blocked by the number of their own troops in the redoubt. Drew's analysis of the effectiveness of the action was captured in the Battalion War Diary: "This charge undoubtedly had a great moral effect on our own troops in front – it also took the Germans by surprise, many of whom fled."[35]

The Battle of Loos was a complete failure for the British. The cost of the operation in casualties for the 5th Cameron Highlanders was great: 18 officers (9 killed, 9 wounded); 644 other ranks (72 killed, 416 wounded, 156 missing).[36] However, this was dwarfed by the total number of British casualties – almost 60,000 during the course of the main and subsidiary attacks.[37]

In January 1916, Drew was mentioned in the Despatches[38] of Field Marshall John French,[39] gained the Military Cross for his actions in the battle,[40][41][42] and was appointed to be the brigade major of the 26th (Highland) Infantry Brigade.[43]

In June, Drew was mentioned in the Despatches[44] of Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig and was awarded the rank of Brevet Major.[45]

Cameron Highlanders having a dinner in a dugout in a trench at Contalmaison, September 1916. © IWM (Q 4133)

In July 1916, Drew's 26th Brigade took part in the Battles of Albert, Bazentin Ridge and Delville Wood. In the autumn of 1916 the 26th Brigade saw more action during the Battle of Le Transloy.[46]

In January 1917, Drew was again mentioned in Haig's despatches[47] and was promoted to the rank of major.[43]

Drew left the 9th (Scottish) Division in February to take up a Staff appointment[43] with the 15th (Scottish) Division, who would take part in the Battle of Arras and the Battle of Passchendaele.[46]

In June, Drew was once again mentioned in Haig's Despatches.[48]

In October, Drew took up a staff appointment with the XVIII Army Corps[43] for the Second Battle of Passchendaele.[49]

In December, Drew was again mentioned in Haig's Despatches,[50] for distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty during the February to September 1917 period, for which he gained the Distinguished Service Award.[51]

In March 1918, Drew was given the rank of temporary Lieutenant-Colonel and took up a Special Appointment as Chief Instructor at the Senior Officers' School, Aldershot.[43][52]

On 3 November 1918, Drew was back in France, serving with the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division[43][52] who had recently taken part in the final Battle of Cambrai.[53]

On 5 November, the Royal Naval Division, as part of XXII Corps, First Army began a three-day advance into Belgium, known as the Passage of the Grande Honnelle, a final phase in the Hundred Days Offensive that virtually ended the First World War.[54]

9th (Scottish) Division crossing the Hohenzollern bridge. Cologne, Germany, 12 December 1918

On 14 November 1918, following the Armistice, Drew was appointed to Chief of Staff with the Incomparable 29th Division,[43][52] who were "to march into Germany to occupy the Rhine bridgehead".[55]

In December, the 29th Division met up with Drew's old 9th (Scottish) Division in Cologne.[56] On 27 February, with the imminent formation of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR), Drew's Staff appointment with the 29th Division came to an end.[57]

In July 1919, Drew was again mentioned in Haig's final Despatches of the First World War.[58]

For his distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty during the First World War, Drew was mentioned in despatches on a total of six occasions:

• John French: 1/1/16[38]
• Douglas Haig: 15/6/16,[44] 4/1/17,[47] 15/5/17,[48] 11/12/17[50] and 5/7/19.[58]