Reformation of the 51st Highland Division
1940 - 1942
After St. Valery, the remainder of the 51st Highland Division joined the 9th Highland Division (a territorial 2nd line duplicate of the 51HD) to form the new 51st (Highland) Infantry Division.
This reformed division had the following orders of Battle :
152nd Infantry Brigade (formerly 26th Infantry Brigade)
- 2nd Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders
- 5th Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders
- 5th Battalion, The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
153rd Infantry Brigade (formerly 27th Infantry Brigade)
- 5th Battalion, The Black Watch
- 1st Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders
- 5/7th Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders
154th Infantry Brigade (incorporating 28th Infantry Brigade)
- 1st Battalion, The Black Watch
- 7th Battalion, The Black Watch
- 7th Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Divisional Support Units
- 1st/7th Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment
- 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps
- 126th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 127th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 128th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 61st Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 274th Field Company, Royal Engineers
- 275th Field Company, Royal Engineers
- 276th Field Company, Royal Engineers
The newly formed 51st Highland Division took on a training and home defense role between 1940 - 1942 before it would eventually be given the role of challenging Rommel in North Africa.
9th (H) Division Badge
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Should Flash of the 9th Highland Division, prior to incorporation into the 51st Highland Division after St. Valéry, 1940.
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A Note from Brig. Charles Grant (website historian)
March 2010
Several years ago one of the 51st Highland Division and Ross Bequest Trustees, Lieutenant Colonel G S Johnston OBE, TD, showed me an unusual shoulder flash, a blue HD on a red background.
I assumed for some time that this might have been specific either to his late father's regiment, 61st (Highland) Anti-Tank Regiment RA, or more generally to R.A. regiments in the Division.
51HD Badge (red on blue)
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51st Highland Division Shoulder Flash, red on blue background in use after the division was reformed after St. Valéry 1940, incorporating the Territorial 9th Scottish Division with the remains of 51st Highland Infantry Division.
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Recently I was given a copy of "The Story of an Artillery Regiment of the 51st Highland Division" - 128th (Highland) Field Regiment R.A. where I came across the following:
"The 9th Highland Division.
After the departure of the 77th we then became a Regiment of the 9th Highland Division which was second line to the 51st Highland Division.
"Our Divisional Shoulder Flashes were alike to those worn by the 51st, except for the difference which was reversal of the colours; the "HD" and surrounding "Circle" in "Blue" and mounted on a "Red" background."