Hi all, A document I was just looking at which does not identify an infantry divisional a/tk reg't... but does name the CRA of the division - a Brigadier Bolton. Said division had M10s, so I think it must either have been 3 Division or 50 Division. Does anyone know if one of these divisions had a Brigadier Bolton as their CRA? (I suppose it's possible that they made up the name, but I'm hoping they didn't.)
Brigadier Lyndon Bolton DSO & Bar DL (1899 - 1995) CRA, 15 (Scottish) Infantry Division 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division [British] 1939-1945 British Army Officers 1939-1945 -- B
Wow, that was fast! Of course, that division was the new home of 102 anti rank regiment after 50 division was disbanded.
At the time Brig Bolton was CRA, Anti Tank Unit was 102nd Anti-Tank Regiment RA (Northumberland Hussars) Commanding Officer 00.00.1944-00.00.1945 Lt.Col. R.W. Jelf Served under 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division 05.12.1944-31.08.1945 More info at his link on this site 102 A/T Reg The Northumberland Hussars
I don't see a start date when Bolton became CRA of 15 Div, but 97 Anti-Tank Reg't was the divisional anti-tank regiment up until 5 Dec, 1944.
What is the context? Bolton took over as CRA 15 Scottish Div on 29 June 1944 after his predecessor Brigadier Hilton commandeered a 17 Pounder and was badly wounded trying to take on a tank in Tourville in Op Epson on the 27th. SP batteries of Corps anti-tank regiments were often placed under command of infantry divisions.
Survey of opinions of anti-tank regiments re towed and SP equipment. (End of 1944.) Bolton happened to be there at the time the surveyors talked to the regiment, apparently, so they added his comments.
Brigadier L Bolton DSO was CRA 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division until 11 Sep 45. 102nd (Northumberland Hussars) Anti-Tank Regiment RA served in the division until 4 Feb 46, then on 1 Dec 46 went into suspended animation in Kiel. 21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)