While there is no definitive public registry listing the number of official histories for every Canadian regiment, the 48th Highlanders’ history is notable for being officially and comprehensively chronicled by several of its own.
“The Red Watch: With the First Canadian Division in Flanders” This book was published in 1916 and written by the 15th Battalion’s first Commanding Officer Col J.A. Currie. It is an account of the 15th Battalion from its raising in 1914 to when Currie left command following the gas attack during the battle of 2nd Ypres in April 1915. The book is out of print but a FREE e-book version was created by Project Guttenberg.
Captain Kim Beattie was a pivotal figure in the recorded history of the 48th Highlanders, serving not only as a soldier but as the regiment’s primary historian. He was one of the youngest Canadian soldiers to enlist in the First World War, spending his 16th birthday in the trenches. He was wounded at Passchendaele at the young age of 18. Following his service, he became a press relations officer for the 1st Canadian Corps during the Second World War.
Beyond his military career, Beattie is best known for authoring two official histories of the 48th Highlanders: “The 48th Highlanders of Canada 1891-1928” and “Dileas: A History of the 48th Highlanders of Canada 1929-1956.” He wrote from personal experience, bringing to life the stories of the men who fought and died. These books, which are featured in the museum’s display case, are invaluable to the regimental history, providing a firsthand account of the major conflicts and peacetime activities of the 48th.
The book “Family of Volunteers, An Illustrated History of the 48th Highlanders of Canada,” covers the period from the founding of the Regiment in 1891 to the 110th Anniversary in 2001. It was written by HCol Geordie Beal (Ret’d), the current curator of this museum, and copies are for sale in the museum.
