Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research 99/397

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BOOK REVIEWS

Press, 2012) and Peter Simkins’s Kitchener’s Army: The Raising of the New Armies, 1914–16 (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1988). The narrative concerning Highland and Scottish soldiers’ general wartime experiences also does not deviate much from the accepted version such as that seen in Ewen Cameron’s Impaled Upon a Thistle: Scotland Since 1880 (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2010). Where this study distinguishes itself is in its many detailed accounts of personal and shared Highlander experiences drawn from regimental records, personal papers and recordings. The use of primary sources captures the raw experience and emotion of war in a most memorable way. While this is a very detailed study, the lack of a clear overall argument leaves the reader searching for purpose. Those who want to know what this study is about are advised to read the ‘Final Thoughts’ chapter first. It is here that Greenshields’ argument is presented, although it is somewhat awkwardly set up around a discussion of morale. The author ultimately concludes that, despite their unique trappings and traditions, most Highland regiments faced the same problems as the rest of the British Army. Only a distinct, shared cultural identity set the Highland soldiers apart. Most interestingly, the Army often cultivated that identity and it was adopted by non-Highlanders and even by non-Scots. While this is not the focus throughout the book, there are a great many examples of it in the text. When discussing officers’ backgrounds, which were not all that different from the rest of the army, Greenshields notes that Douglas Wimberley took on the persona of a Highlander despite being an ‘incomer’. Another example is Philip Christison, a half-English Lowlander educated in England. Christison fully embraced Highland culture, even learning to speak Gaelic and play the pipes. Distinctiveness was not necessarily an advantage. In the three chapters devoted to kilts, Greenshields is at his best when dispelling romantic notions. For example, there is a wonderfully detailed section on lice and the kilt, which provides a graphic account of the kilted soldier’s particular challenges. Not surprisingly, he adds, that a number of soldiers who were initially enthusiastic about wearing the kilt found it impractical for battlefield conditions. Similarly, the distinctiveness of the bagpipes inspired both jealousy and admiration from other units. However, Greenshields makes their disadvantages apparent. There were, of course, acts of bravery. However, myths circulate around the pipes and, as with the kilt, a sense of Highland culture is expanded to represent Scottishness itself. The chapter on identity capitalises on this discussion, illuminating the overall importance of their cultural identity to Highland units and their uniqueness within the British Army. This discussion of cultural identity, coupled with the author’s passion for the subject and dedication to detail, have produced a well-documented history of the Highland soldiers’ experiences of the First World War. M. K. T HOMPSON Pittsburg State University