APPENDIX III:  ORDERS OF BATTLE

 

Junior formations in any army are grouped into progressively more senior formations. The policy behind such groupings changes for many reasons, and the composition of senior formations changed not only during the duration of the 1939-1945 conflict but also during campaigns such as that in NW Europe.

At every level, a formation consisted of:  Headquarters;  combatant units;  support troops.

Support troops could include artillery and engineers, both of which arms were definitely combatant units under many circumstances; signals, medical, transport, ordinance, workshops and several other arms also provided vital support.

The command structure of the Allied Forces in NW Europe changed as the size of the total force became greater. The structure and its progressive changes are shown in the diagram "Shaef Order of Battle".

The 9th fought with many of the infantry divisions of the 21st Army Group, and orders of battle for most of these are included in this Appendix. Sometimes units were replaced during the course of the campaign, and where possible this has been shown.

9 RTR fought to support the following infantry divisions: 15 (Scottish); 43 (Wessex); 49 (West Riding); 51 (Highland); 52 (Lowland); 53 (Welsh); 59 (Staffordshire); 2 Canadian; 3 Canadian.

Also included in this Appendix is the order of battle of 79 Armoured Division, with whose units' support we fought on many occasions.

SHAEF ORDER OF BATTLE:

SHAEF:  Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force

21 AG:  21st Army Group

2 British Army

I Corps

VIII Corps *

XII Corps *

XXX Corps *

1 Canadian Army *

II Can Corps *

 

12 AG:  12th Army Group *

1 US Army

3 US Army *

9 US Army *

 

6 AG: 6th Army Group*

7 US Army *

1 French Army *

 

*Brought into the NW Europe campaign at various times after the invasion of 6 June 1944.

 

 

15 (SCOTTISH) INFANTRY DIVISION                                         15 (S)

 

                44 (LOWLAND) INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   8th Battalion The Royal Scots                                             8 RS

                   6th Battalion The Royal Scots Fusiliers                                6 RSF

                   6th Battalion The King's Own Scottish Borderers                6 KOSB

 

            46 (HIGHLAND) INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   9th Battalion The Cameronians                                           9 CAM

                   2nd Battalion The Glasgow Highlanders                              2 GLAS H

                   7th battalion The Seaforth Highlanders                                7 SEAFORTH

 

            227 (HIGHLAND) INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   10th Battalion The Highland Light Infantry                           10 HLI

                   2nd Battalion The Gordon Highlanders                                2 GORDONS

                   2nd Battalion The Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders          2 A & SH

 

43 (WESSEX) INFANTRY DIVISION                                            43 (W)

            129 INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   4th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry                                   4 SLI

                   4th Battalion The Wiltshire Regiment                                   4 WILTS

                   5th Battalion The Wiltshire Regiment                                   5 WILTS

 

            130 INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   7th Battalion The Hampshire Regiment                                7 HAMPS

                   4th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment                               4 DORSETS

                   5th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment                               5 DORSETS

 

            214 INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   7th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry                                   7 SLI

                   1st Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment                         1 WORCS

                   5th Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry                    5 DCLI

 

49th (WEST RIDING) INFANTRY DIVISION                              49 (WR)

 

            70 INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry                                   10 DLI

                   11th Battalion Durham Light Infantry                                   11 SLI

                   1st Battalion The Tyneside Scottish                                     1 TS

 

                   70 Brigade was replaced on 24 Aug 1944 by

                   56 Brigade, which remained in the Division until the

                   end of the campaign

 

            56 INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers                                 2 SWB

                   2nd Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment                        2 GLOS

                   2nd Battalion The Essex Regiment                                      2 ESSEX

           

            146 INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   1st/4th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry         1/4 KOYLI

                   The Hallamshire Battalion*                                                 HALLAMS

                   4th Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment                              4 LINCS

 

147 INFANTRY BRIGADE

1st Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment†                          1 LEICS

11th Battalion The Royal Scots Fusiliers                              11 RSF

7th Battalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment                 7 DWR

 

Machine gun Battalion: 2nd Battalion,

The Princess Louise's Kensington Regiment                        2 KENS

Reconnaissance Regiment:

49 Reconnaissance Regiment, RAC                                    49 RECCE

                   *The Hallamshire Battalion was originally the 4th

                     Hallamshire Battalion (Territorials) of The York and

                     Lancaster Regiment, and was redesignated in 1924.

 

                   † 1 LEICS replaced 6 DWR on 6 July 1944

 

 

51 (HIGHLAND) INFANTRY DIVISION                                       51 (H)

 

 

          152 (HIGHLAND) INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   2nd Battalion The Seaforth Highlanders                                        2 SEAFORTH

                   5th Battalion The Seaforth Highlanders                                         5 SEAFORTH

                   5th Battalion The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders                  5 QOCH

 

          153 (HIGHLAND) INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   5th Battalion The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)           5 RHR

                   1st Battalion The Gordon Highlanders                                          1 GORDONS

                   5th/7th Battalion The Gordon Highlanders                                    5/7 GORDONS

 

          154 (HIGHLAND) INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   1st Battalion The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)            1 RHR

                   7th Battalion The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)           7 RHR

                   7th Battalion The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders                     7 A & SH

         

 

 

52 (LOWLAND) INFANTRY DIVISION                                                 52 (L)

 

          155 (East Scottish) Infantry Brigade

 

                   7th/9th (Highlanders) Battalion, The Royal Scots                          7/9 RS

                   4th Battalion, The Kings Own Scottish Borderers                         4 KOSB

                   5th Battalion, The Kings Own Scottish Borderers                         5 KOSB

 

          156 (West Scottish) Infantry Brigade

                   6th (Lanarkshire) Battalion The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)       6 CAM

                   7th Battalion, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)                           7 CAM

                   4th/5th Battalion The Royal Scots Fusiliers                                   4/5 RSF

 

          157 (HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY) INFANTRY BRIGADE

                 5th Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry                                        5 HLI

                 6th Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry                                        6 HLI

                 1st Battalion, The Glasgow Highlanders,

                     Highland Light Infantry                                                               1 GLAS H

 

          Machine gun Battalion: 7th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment             7 MANCH

 

 

3 (WELSH) INFANTRY DIVISION                                                          53(W)

 

          71 INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   4 Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers                                                 4 RWF

                   1 Battalion Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry             1 OBLI

                   1 Battalion Highland Light Infantry                                                1 HLI

 

          158 (ROYAL WELCH) INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   7 Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers                                           7 RWF

                   1 Battalion The East Lancashire Regiment                                     1E LAN R

                   1/5 Battalion The Welch Regiment                                                1/5 WELCH

 

          160 (SOUTH WALES) INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   6 Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers                                           6 RWF

                   4 Battalion The Welch Regiment                                                   4 WELCH

                   2 Battalion The Monmouthshire Regiment                                     2 MONS

 

          Machine gun Battalion

                   1st Battalion The Manchester Regiment                                        1 MANCH

 

2 CANADIAN INFANTRY DIVISION                                                     (2 CAN)

 

                   Toronto Scottish Regiment (Machine gun Battalion)                      TSR

                   8th Recconnaissance Regiment                                                     8 CAN RECCE

 

          4 CANADIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   Royal Regiment of Canada                                                           RRC

                   Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)                    RHLI

                   The Essex Scottish Regiment                                                        ESR

 

          5 CANADIAN INFNATRY BRIGADE

                   Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment of Canada)                     RHR of C

                   Calgary Highlanders                                                                     CH

                   Le Régiment de Maisonneuve                                                       RDM

 

          6 CANADIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal                                                             FMR

                   Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada                            QOCH of C

                   South Saskatchewan Regiment                                                     SSR

 

3 CANADIAN INFANTRY DIVISION                                                     (3 CAN)

                   The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa

                            (Machine Gun Battalion)                                                     QHD

                   7th Recconnaissance Regiment                                                     7 CAN RECCE

 

          7 CANADIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   Regina Rifle Regiment                                                                  RRR

                   Royal Winnipeg Rifles                                                                  LRC

                   1st Battalion The Canadian Scottish Regiment                               1 CSR

 

          8 CANADIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   Queens Own Rifles of Canada                                                     QOR CAN

                   Le Regiment de la Chaudiere                                                        LRC

                   North Shore Regiment                                                                 NSR

 

          9 CANADIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE

                   Highland Light Infantry of Canada                                                HLI CAN

                   Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry Highlanders                              SD & GH

                   North Nova Scotia Highlanders                                                    NNSH

 

79 ARMOURED DIVISION

 

Note:           This Division consisted of specialized armoured units. More and more units joined the 79th as the NW Europe campaign wore on, and the order of battle below shows the Division at probably its greatest strength, just before the crossing of the Rhine.

 

          30 ARMOURED BRIGADE (Minesweeping tanks; flails or Crabs)

                   22nd Dragoons                                                                            22D

                   Lothian and Border Horse                                                            L & BH

                   Westminster Dragoons                                                                 WD

          1 ASSAULT BRIGADE ROYAL ENGINEERS

          (AVRE's - Armoured Vehicles Royal Engineers for bridging and assault)

                   5th Assault Regiment RE                                                              5 ARE

                   6th assault Regiment RE                                                               6 ARE

                   42nd Assault Regiment RE                                                           42 ARE

          31 ARMOURED BRIGADE

          (Crocodiles (flame throwing Churchills), and Kangaroos (turretless

          Shermans used for ferrying infantry forward, formally called Armoured

          Personnel Carriers (APC's).)

                   1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry                                                      1 FF YEO

                   141st Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (Royal East

                   Kent Regiment "The Buffs")                                                          141 RAC

                   7th Battalion The Royal Tank Regiment                                        7 RTR

                   49th Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment (formerly 49 RTR)    49 APC

                   1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment                     1 CAN APC

          33 ARMOURED BRIGADE (LVT 4's - Landing Vehicles Tracked,

          generally known as Buffaloes; amphibious armoured fighting vehicles)

                   1st Northants Yeomanry                                                              1 NY

                   East Riding Yeomanry                                                                  ERY

                   4th Battalion The Royal Tank Regiment                                        4 RTR

                   11th Battalion The Royal Tank Regiment                                      11 RTR

          4 ARMOURED BRIGADE (DD's - Duplex Drive Shermans:

          these were equipped with flotation screens which enabled them

          to swim ashore under their own power)

                   44th Battalion The Royal Tank Regiment                                      44 RTR

                   Staffordshire Yeomanry                                                               STAFFS YEO

         

The basic source of the above Order of Battle is "The Story of the 79th Armoured Division" published in Hamburg, July 1945.