1912 to 1914 - Fort George

Fort George from the north.

On April 24th 1912 the 2nd Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders arrived at their new barracks in Fort George some 8 miles to the east of Inverness.    Fort George was built between 1748 and 1757 in the years following on from the Third Jacobite Uprising of 1745.   It became a base for Highland Regiments and, to this day, it is a functioning Barracks and it is possible to visit as it is also a historic building under the management of Historic Scotland.

Fort George Parade grounds

The Battalion would spend the next two years at Fort George up until the start of World War One.

As an aside, the Bandmaster of the 2nd Battalion A&SH was Kenneth J Alford.  Just before the start of World War One he wrote the famous "Colonel Bogey March" at Fort George (if you dont recognise it then recall the "Bridge On The River Kwai" and listen to the Colonel Bogey March.  According to his widow it was composed whilst playing a round of golf at Fortrose Golf Course (officers were granted membership of Fortrose Golf Course and had to cross the short channel of water by boat).   

During this time John progressed through the ranks from Private, to Lance Corporal and ultimately Corporal. 

In 1913 John took 3rd place in the Scottish Army Rifle Meeting in the "Young Soldiers" section of the "Judging Distance Competition" where "four objects indicated at distances up to 1600yards". He obviously has an aptitude for marksmanship which was probably fundamental to why he was, in 1917, to spend time in Snipers School in France.