search for vehicles used by 8Bn Royal Scots

Discussion in 'User Introductions' started by Robin Shaw, May 12, 2019.

  1. Robin Shaw

    Robin Shaw Member

    Hi everyone, found your site while doing some research. I am an ex-soldier, working towards a Ph.D in modern history. To this end, I am looking for any details of vehicles used by 8 Battalion Royal Scots during the battles around the Normandy area in 1944.
    I have a grainy photo of a Universal Carrier and a picture of a Daimler Scout Car with the correct vehicle markings. If there are any members out there with any references, please let me know. Thank you for your help
     
  2. Gary Kennedy

    Gary Kennedy Member

    If you're just after vehicle types (and not info as detailed as census numbers) the authorised transport of an Inf Bn in June 1944 was;

    5-cwt cars (8)
    2-seater cars (3)
    4-seater car (1)

    15-cwt trucks (28)
    3-ton lorries (13)

    Universal carriers (19)
    Universal carriers (for 3-inch mortar) (7)
    Loyd carriers (12)

    Motorcycles, solo (27)
    Bicycles (33)

    A Daimler scout car shouldn't really feature on the holdings of an Inf Bn unless it was part of an Armd Div, but obviously units of all armies had a habit of acquiring items.

    Gary
     
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  3. Robin Shaw

    Robin Shaw Member

    Thanks Gary, just what I was looking for. AFAIK, 8 Royal Scots were part of an Infantry Division, (15 Lowland Scottish)so obviously "acquired" the said scout car
     
  4. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    Hi Robin,

    If you find any photos of 8 RS vehicles it would be great to see them.

    Regards

    Tom
     
  5. Robin Shaw

    Robin Shaw Member

    Hi Tom, hope this helps...
    https://youtube/qIkukMyFT9Q

    dbcf7749019d7abe9a0f430787cc2708.jpg
    8RS "borrowed" Dingo, note correct Unit Sign and AOS (55 on Red Ground).
    f948a81d9ba97759a13a12494aaf88c9.jpg
    8 RS Resting beside their U/C's


    PHOTO-P237-300x193.jpg 8RS & Kangaroo - Holland

    large_000000.jpg
    8RS (Note Tartan diamond above LCpl's stripe) on Universal Carrier

    PHOTO-P241-300x202.jpg 8RS Hitching a ride!
     
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  6. Swiper

    Swiper Resident Sospan

    8 Royal Scots were part of 44 (Lowland) Brigade, 15th Scottish Division (to avoid confusion with 52nd Lowland Division).

    The Dingo is probably acquired by Delacombe to improve liaison with armour (given his familiarity), you rarely see them with Inf Bns for obvious reasons.

    I've not noticed much about them acquiring captured vehicles at the end of the campaign, as many others from XII Corps did.
     
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  7. Robin Shaw

    Robin Shaw Member

    Tom OBrien, found a few more courtesy of a mate.
    8a0d504954c33e7b787df231fea058d1--division-guns.jpg U/C's of 8RS

    800px-IWM-BU-1389-Ram-Kangaroo-Blerick-19441203.jpg
    RAM Kangaroo attached to 8RS in Blerick, Netherlands

    PHOTO-P249-300x204.jpg 8RS moving towards Osnabruck

    Hope these are of some use to you. A colleague of mine who served with 1RS has some other information which may be helpful when I can get hold of him.
     
  8. KevinT

    KevinT Senior Member

    I think the 1st and 3rd photos show carriers with 57 AoS, isn't that 6th Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers?

    cheers

    Kevin
     
  9. Robin Shaw

    Robin Shaw Member

    KevinT cannot see AoS on 1st, very faint on 3rd. I am however, happy to agree that AoS on 3rd is KOSB not RS as first thought. I believe the reference in the photo is showing 8RS marching while 6KOSB are carrier-borne.
     
  10. Gary Kennedy

    Gary Kennedy Member

    My curiosity was raised by the pic of the scout car with an Inf Bn and I had a quick look at the AFV returns I have available for a few periods in 1945. 15th (Scottish) Division actually showed six scout cars, three each of Humbers and Daimlers, for mid January 1945. There's absolutely no clue whatsoever as to which units held them, just they were in the Div.

    I didn't do a full search through but they had similar numbers into April 1945. None of the other Br/Cdn Inf Divs showed any, excepting 52nd (Lowland), which were linked to their Recce being on a different WE when they were a 'mountain' formation.

    Pure speculation on my part, so don't go repeating it, but 15th were a Mixed Division while in the UK, consisting of 44 Inf Bde, 46 Inf Bde and 6 Gds Tk Bde (from Jan-Sep 1943), so I did wonder if there was a link to their brief time as a Mixed Div? The circumstances might get a mention in the War Diaries of the relevant Inf Bns.

    Nice pics

    Gary
     
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  11. Robin Shaw

    Robin Shaw Member

    I have now found reference to 8RS using LVT-4 Buffaloes in their push through Walcheron Island to the Rhine!

    peck-battle_crossrhine14.jpg
    the caption reads, "The transporter on the left carries one of the amphibious 'Buffaloes' used by the 8th Royal Scottish Battalion.'
     
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  12. Gary Kennedy

    Gary Kennedy Member

    They would be 'rentals' rather than their own vehicles; all the LVTs were handled by units of 79th Armoured Division, same as the Kangaroo APCs detailed above.

    Gary
     
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  13. Robin Shaw

    Robin Shaw Member

    Yeah, sort of guessed that would be the case. Can't have infantry acting like squids on a permanent basis. Incidentally, prior to the attack on Walcheron, the 79 Armd Div schlepped in with their carpet layers and other funnies to ease the route onto the island.
     
  14. Robin Shaw

    Robin Shaw Member

    800px-7th_Royal_Tank_Regiment_supporting_8th_Royal_Scots_28-06-1944.jpg
    Cromwell of 7RTR supporting infantry of 8RS at Caen, 1944
     
  15. Gary Kennedy

    Gary Kennedy Member

    I think that's a Churchill, which is what 7RTR used in Normandy.

    Gary
     
  16. Robin Shaw

    Robin Shaw Member

    Of course it is, that's the trouble as you get older; your brain does one thing and your hands say something else.
     
  17. Robin Shaw

    Robin Shaw Member

    Hi Gary Kennedy - found this picture while trolling t'interweb, clearly showing reconnaissance regt markings (41 on blue over green) and 15 Infantry Division markings. I realise this is a rebuild, but Broncos Models produce a 1/35 scale model of the Humber MkIV Armoured Car, with the same decals! Hope this helps.
    Humber_MK_IV_007.jpeg
     

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