Battalions in WW1
In the First World War, 27 Battalions were raised. Over 7,000 Cameronians lost their lives. By the war’s end, The Cameronians consisted of the following formations representing the Regular Army, the Territorial Force and the New Army:
- 1st Battalion (Regular Army), Glasgow, served with 19 Brigade variously in 6th Division, 27th Division, 2nd Division and 33rd Division (latterly in 98 Brigade)
- 2nd Battalion, Scottish Rifles (Regular Army), Malta, served in 23 Brigade 8th Division and 59 Brigade 20th Division
- 3rd (Reserve Battalion) (Regular Army), Hamilton
- 4th (Extra Reserve Battalion (Regular Army), Hamilton
- 1/5 Battalion (Territorial Force), Glasgow, served with 19 Brigade variously in 6th Division, 27th Division and 33rd Division
- 2/5th Battalion(Territorial Force), Glasgow, served in 65th Division
- 3/5th Battalion (Territorial Force), Glasgow
- 1/6th Battalion (Territorial Force), Hamilton, served in 23 Brigade 8th Division, 154 Brigade 51st (Highland) Division and 100 Brigade 33rd Division
- 2/6th Battalion (Territorial Force), Hamilton, served in 65th Division
- 3/6th Battalion (Territorial Force), Hamilton
- 1/7th Battalion (Territorial Force), Glasgow, served in 156 Brigade 52nd (Lowland) Division
- 2/7th Battalion (Territorial Force), Glasgow, served in 65th Division
- 3/7th Battalion (Territorial Force), Glasgow
- 1/8th Battalion (Territorial Force), Glasgow, served in 156 Brigade 52nd (Lowland) Division and 103 Brigade 34th Division
- 2/8th Battalion (Territorial Force), Glasgow, served in 65th Division
- 3/8th Battalion (Territorial Force), Glasgow 15th Battalion (Territorial Force), Deal, served on home defence duties
- 9th (Service Battalion) (New Army), Hamilton, served in 27 Brigade 9th (Scottish) Division and 43 Brigade 14th Division
- 10th (Service Battalion ) (New Army), Hamilton, served in 46 Brigade15th (Scottish) Division
- 11th (Service Battalion ) (New Army), Hamilton, served in 77 Brigade 26th Division
- 12th (Reserve) Battalion (New Army), Nigg, served in 101 Brigade 34th Division
- 13th (Service Battalion) (New Army), Hamilton, served as a Bantam Battalion in 120 Brigade, 40th Division after amalgamation with 14th Highland Light Infantry
- 14th (Labour) Battalion (New Army), Glasgow, served in France with Labour Corps 16TH (Transport Workers) Battalion) (New Army), Paisley
- 17th (Transport Workers) Battalion (New Army), Hamilton
- 18th (Service Battalion ) (New Army), Aldershot, served in 48 Brigade 16th Division
- 1st Garrison Battalion (New Army), Hamilton, served in India
Battalions in WW2
On the outbreak of war in September, 1939, The Cameronians mobilised 6 active Battalions:
(i) Two Regular Battalions:
1st Battalion
The 1st Battalion saw heavy fighting in the Burma retreat of 1942, and later in General Wingate’s famous “Chindit” campaign in 1944.
2nd Battalion
The 2nd Battalion was sent to France at the onset of hostilities, and subsequently took part in some of the heaviest fighting in the Dunkirk campaign. In the latter years of the war the 2nd Battalion served in Sicily, Italy and North-West Europe.
(ii) Four Territorial Battalions:
The 6th and 7th Battalions took part in North-West Europe with the British Liberation Army in 1944.
6th Battalion: The Headquarters of the 6th Cameronians was in Hamilton, and in the main it drew recruits from a wider area – Hamilton, Motherwell, Lanark and throughout the County of Lanarkshire.
7th Battalion: The 7th Battalion had its Headquarters at Coplaw Street, Glasgow and drew its recruits mainly from the city itself and its immediate suburbs.
9th Battalion: 9th Battalion took part in the Normandy landings as part of the 46th (Highland) Infantry Brigade in the 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division in June 1944 and saw action in the North West Europe Campaign in late 1944 (including action at the Battle of Broekhuizen) and in 1945.
10th Battalion: At the outbreak of hostilities, the 9th and 10th Cameronians were in the 45th Infantry Brigade of the 15th (Scottish) Division. In December 1942 the 15th Division was re-organised. Some Battalions, including the 10th Cameronians, were transferred to reserve Divisions, and others brought in to replace them. From January 1943 the 10th ceased to be a Field Force Battalion. At the same time, the 9th Cameronians left the 45th Brigade to join the 46th (Highland) Infantry Brigade.