THE COVENANTER
and equipment sprawling in to a tangled bound for Helmond, in Holland, then the
mass. Just as order was being restored, and location of B Echelon of 6fh Battalion The
the landing had taken place, the Dakota Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) of 156 Brigade
skidded off the metal mesh of the runway, of 52nd (Lowland) Division.
caught one wheel of the landing gear in soft
ground creating even further confusion, as The Officers of this Battalion comprised a
the plane spun twice in full one hundred mix of Regular, Territorial and Wartime
sand eighty degree circles. Soldiers, several of whom were to rise
to prominence in post-war soldiering. It
This in itself would have been a warm contained a larger remnant of Territorial’s
enough welcome to 21st Army Group, than in many battalions of 21st Army
had it not been for the fact our personal Group, due to the fact that 52nd (Lowland)
valises were packed on trolleys by Belgian Division had not seen action until November
porters, whom with their vehicles were last 1944, after being withdrawn from France
seen disappearing behind a nearby hanger. immediately before the French capitulation
It was the last sight we were to have both in July 1940. It had been kept in reserve
of them and kit, despite vain attempts to Scotland, training in mountain warfare, and
recover it, before we were whisked away latterly in England as part of 1st Airborne
to the Holding Camp at Bourg Leopold, in Army. Its first operation in the European
Belgium, bereft of most our personal goods. campaign had been participation in the
This is remembered by most as a particularly clearance of the Scheld Estuary to allow
muddy unattractive town, to be left as access to the port of Antwerp. Paradoxically,
soon as possible. The centre dealt with the this operation was carried out below sea
provision of reinforcements for the whole of level at South Beveland and Walcheren,
1” Army Group. By this time, unless there where the 6th had executed a legendary
was a requirement in a particular regiment outflanking assault across mud flats to
for replacements that by chance happened ensure the collapse of resistance at the East
to coincide with the availability on the spot side of Walcheren Island.
of men from that regiment, soldiers were fed
piecemeal to the unit in need, irrespective It was shortly after this that the supply of
of Regiment,. Officers were interviewed reinforcements to 21” Army Group from
by a Postings Officer, who discussed one’s UK became so acute that 5Oth (Tyne-Tees)
preference, but did not necessarily accede to Division was broken up, its Battalions
it. mostly being disbanded, with the soldiers
posted at random to other Regiments in
In my case I had been commissioned to need of battle experienced replacements.
the Border Regiment, with its Depot at The 6th Battalion had received several
Carlisle Castle. The Border Regiment at that officers and about one hundred other ranks
time did not have a battalion in Northern from The Durham Light Infantry. The
Europe – the 1st Battalion was recovering mixture and the battle hardened Geordies
in England from having virtually ceased to proved most successful, and I was
exist as one of the glider-borne Battalions soon aware even before proceeding beyond
of 1” Airborne Division at Arnhem, while B Echelon, that I was fortunate to join
the remaining Battalions were serving in both a happy and efficient battalion. It was
Burma (two) and the other in Italy. The commanded by Lieut. Col. Eric Southward,
Posting Officer asked for my preference. a Glasgow businessman and a pre-war
As a Northumbrian, I had no wish to end Territorial who had taken over
with other than a North Country Regiment. command after Walcheren, having
Living close to the Scottish Border, and previously risen to Second in Command of
already with relatives serving and having the 7th Battalion in the same Brigade. His
served in both World wars with Scottish officers included the newly Major David
regiments, I asked if any such Regiment Riddell-Webster (Later Brigadier) and Major
had any vacancies? I was informed that Stanley (Sandy) Storm M.C.(later Lieut.
vacancies existed in The Cameronians (sic) Colonel) and Capt Alf Cluley, all regular
- a Regiment of which I knew by name only, soldiers. The remaining senior officers were
boasted a tough reputation. I was posted Territorials, while most junior officers had
on the spot, and along with two other 2’” arrived as replacements, and came from
Lieutenants ( I think Lawther and Nixon) no fewer than eight Regiments, only one
from my UK Draft. Within two days we were of which was Scottish. Therefore, I was not
82
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