Can anyone supply me with the geographical movements of the 2nd Scots Guards for 1940 - 1942 please. Thanks in advance, David.
I have them as follows Western Desert October 41 - February 42 November - SE of Bir el Gubi December - Msus/Agedabia area January - Agedabia February - Gazala line. Always as part of the 22 (renamed 200) Guards Motorised Brigade. All the best Andreas
Here are the movements of the 2nd Scots Guards May 1940 to Dec 1942: HQ Cairo Base Sub-Area – 18 May 1940 to January 1941 The battalion remained in Cairo. HQ Canal Line of Communications Sub-Area – January 1941 to 26 February 1941 In January 1941, the 2nd Scots moved to the Canal under Anti-Aircraft Defences. 22nd Infantry Brigade – 28 February 1941 to 19 March 1941 The battalion joined the brigade at at Qassassin, near Suez. It trained for the next two months in combined operations at the Great Bitter Lake with the brigade in anticipation of operations against Scarpanto Island in the Dodecanese. The battalion helped form G1 and G2 Patrols of the Long Range Desert Group during this period. 22nd Guards Brigade – 20 March 1941 to 1 October 1941 The battalion left Qassassin and moved with the brigade to Mersa Matruh on April 6th, 1941. 4th Armoured Brigade – Attached – 2 October 1941 to 13 December 1941 The battalion entered Libya with the brigade on November 1st for the Crusader battles as the brigade’s motor battalion. 22nd Guards Brigade – 14 December 1941 to 13 January 1942 The battalion served with the brigade in the pursuit of the Akrika Korps into Cyrenaica. 200th Guards Brigade – 14 January 1942 to 5 April 1942 The brigade withdrew back to the Gazala Line. 200th Guards Motor Brigade Group – 6 April 1942 to 24 May 1942 The brigade served on the Gazala line. 201st Guards Motor Brigade Group – 25 May 1942 to 14 June 1942 The battalion fought under the brigade in the Gazala battles. 8th Army – 14 June 1942 to 2 August 1942 On June 14th, 1942 the battalion withdrew to El Daba, then to Amiriya on June 27th and finally to Ikingi Maryut on June 30th, 1942. From June 14th to August 2nd 1942 it formed a composite battalion, 3rd Coldstream Guards/2nd Scot Guards, with two composite companies of 3rd Coldstream Guards and one composite company of this battalion. The composite company consisted of two motor, one carrier, one M-G, and one A-T platoons. HQ British Troops in Egypt – 2 August 1942 to 24 August 1942 The battalion was located at Ikingi Maryut near Alexandria reforming. The 201st Guards Motor Brigade HQ was reformed in Egypt on August 14th, 1942. 201st Guards Motor Brigade – 25 August 1942 to 27 June 1944 The brigade left Egypt on September 15th, 1942 and arrived in Syria two days later. It moved back to Egypt on February 7th, 1943 and arrived three days later.
22nd Guards Brigade – 20 March 1941 to 1 October 1941 The battalion left Qassassin and moved with the brigade to Mersa Matruh on April 6th, 1941. That fits with mine. 4th Armoured Brigade – Attached – 2 October 1941 to 13 December 1941 The battalion entered Libya with the brigade on November 1st for the Crusader battles as the brigade’s motor battalion. I doubt the start date. I would not expect this attachment to have happened that much prior to 1 November. It then entered Libya with the Brigade on November 18, not Nov. 1. 22nd Guards Brigade – 14 December 1941 to 13 January 1942 The battalion served with the brigade in the pursuit of the Akrika Korps into Cyrenaica. Should be Bencol from 17 December (see relevant orders - Bencol was a mixed column formed around but bigger than 22 Guards Brigade). This should be up to probably 28 December. This then should be up to 21 January. 200th Guards Brigade – 14 January 1942 to 5 April 1942 The brigade withdrew back to the Gazala Line. Should be 21 January to 6 February. 200th Guards Motor Brigade Group – 6 April 1942 to 24 May 1942 The brigade served on the Gazala line. Should start 7 February. All the best Andreas
Ps. Thanks for the correction, I had overlooked that 2 SG was attached to 4 Armoured Brigade. All the best Andreas
Andreas: Thanks for the comments. I have the Regimental History but I have not had time to update my summary to reflect any changes based on the history.
