London Scottish Regiment

This from Dr D M Henderson :
9th (Highland) Division and 51st (Highland) Division WW2
The 9th (Highland) Division began the war in the role of home defence as anti-invasion troops on the north east coast of Scotland. As a Divisional sign they wore the First World War badge of a silver thistle on a blue ground.
Their redesignation as the 51st (Highland) Division was more than a challenge for a newly formed force. Instrumental in forming, training and preparing this Division for war were Major Generals Neil Ritchie of the Black Watch and Douglas Wimberley of the Camerons. The Division now wore the “HD” patch and was again formed into Highland Brigades numbered 152, 153 and 154.

 

This photo is definitely from 1945 even if he was 9th by this time he would be wearing HD badges.

 

It has to be 48th Division - Blue macaw on red diamond within a dark blue oval. I can see it now !

He is wearing the two stripes which indicate the second brigade of a division and 2nd battalion is the only one this applies to (from 9/44 to 8/45). I assume the stripes are rifle green.

48th South Midlands division were put on lower establishment in November 1941 and had a training function thereafter.

The thistle on a light background is a puzzle. I can find no reference to it.

Our own Peter G's site shows the macaw badge :-

British Formation Signs

 

do you have a picture of that badge?

 

Sorry Blaydon, just realised and posted the link. Scroll down to 48th.

Rich

 

Just trying to get my head around this all This shot from 1945 with london scottish titles a cap badge that looks more like KOSB than LS a badge at top that I think looks like a GHQ badge and you a 9th badge.

A thistle badge that it seems no one can identify and a bit of a mystery

His medal ribbons indicate service on the continent (france germany star).

 

I don't doubt anything it's just I kind of hoped to get some concrete start points and it just seems to have given me more questions than answers. LOL

 

We can only guess about his service prior to mid 1945. The photograph is only a view of a precise moment. It may be relevant that 2nd London Scottish were drafted into 144th Infantry brigade of 48th Div in September 1944 (from 47th also a reserve div) presumably after their predecessors had been sent to reinforce in Europe. By the time your photograph was taken, some units had already returned from Europe.

Could he have been posted to this training battalion as an experienced NCO possibly with a view to training for the Far East and chosen to wear the more imposing headgear of his former unit for a studio portrait ?

 

Anything is possible I suppose (as they say stranger things happen at sea and he was ex navy)

I have submitted his name to the people at the London scottish org website so hopefully they will give me something in a few weeks.

Even if I had a service number it would help but my uncle I believe has his medals and he is not speaking to anyone else in the family so any details on them are unavailable.

 

I don't doubt anything it's just I kind of hoped to get some concrete start points and it just seems to have given me more questions than answers. LOL

Research is often like that, I'm afraid.

 

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but the thistle flash looks very similar to those worn by the 1st battalion London Scottish with the 56th Division.

A regimental flash perhaps? This is the first photo of it that I have seen worn in conjunction with the 'London Scottish' shoulder titles though.

 

Got me thinking about short attachments I was on the advance party to NI as I was going to take over an Int Office. To look around the area and see how it had changed and the new routines I could attach myself to a patrol. The company commander said you will of course have to wear our headdress. I politely declined and suggested they refer to the Sergeant Major of my battalion, they did and got the answer, you had better stick with your own said the company commander! One of our Sergeant Majors could not abide the the non Guards beret, 'why has that pay clerk got that thing on his head - 'get him on a cadre course' once they had done that they could wear their badge on our beret. Unless a clear photo of the badge is shown in a group photo it would be reasonable to assume they were not attached but guardsmen.