04/11/2026
As the First World War unfolded, thousands of men from the Highlands travelled south for training before heading to the front. The regiments of the 51st Highland Division were based in Bedford, while the Lovat Scouts trained at Huntingdon, Skegness and Kimbolton. By autumn 1914, around 17,000 men had arrived in Bedford, rising to almost 22,000 as new recruits joined the ranks.
With so many soldiers to accommodate, men and officers were billeted wherever space could be found, often in private homes. Entire streets were allocated to individual battalions, yet overcrowding and fuel shortages were common. Schools, church halls, parks and the surrounding countryside were transformed into training grounds for drills, route marches, shooting practice and trench warfare exercises.
Military supplies struggled to keep pace with the rapid expansion of the army. Uniforms, weapons and equipment were often in short supply, and soldiers sometimes shared or swapped items so that one man could appear properly dressed in a photograph to send home to loved ones.
📸 Group of territorials, pre-1914. Far right: Billy Ross, Portree. Courtesy of Billy Mackinnon.
📄 Billet ticket.
An Cogadh Mòr: Remembering the Great War in Skye and Lochalsh is currently on display at the Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre in Portree. Running until December 2026, the exhibition explores the profound impact of the First World War on the communities of Skye and Lochalsh.
