2nd Battalion Scots Guards

History

The 2nd Battalion Scots Guards was a regular army battalion which was stationed in Egypt at the outbreak of war in 1939. It served throughout the North African campaign ultimately ending up in Tunisia in May 1943.

The battalion was part of 201 Guards Brigade throughout its time in Italy which in turn operated with 56 Infantry Division from September to December 1943 and subsequently with 5 Infantry Division from January to March 1944. On 9th September the battalion formed the reserve of 201 Guards Brigade when it landed at Salerno as part of the second wave. The battalion was heavily engaged at the Tobacco Factory where it suffered heavy casualties. 

It proceeded to take part in the advance to the Volturno and then onto the Gustav Line. It saw action in both of the battles at Monte Camino before 201 Guards Brigade was transferred to 5 Infantry Division in January 1944.

Together with the rest of the 201 Guards Brigade the battalion was in reserve when 5 Infantry Division crossed the River Garigliano on 17th January 1944. It moved into the bridgehead shortly afterwards and remained there in defensive positions until early March when the entire Brigade was withdrawn. The decision had been taken to disband the brigade and use its personnel to reinforce 24 Guards Brigade, which had taken heavy casualties at Anzio.

The majority of 2nd Battalion Scots Guards was transferred to the 1st Battalion Scots Guards but a cadre of long-serving personnel left Italy on 9th April 1944 and returned to the UK. The battalion then served as a training battalion in the UK until February 1945 when it once again returned to active service in North West Europe as part of 32nd Guards Brigade, Guards Armoured Division.

Organisation

At the start of the Italian campaign the battalion was organised as a standard British infantry battalion as per WE II/233/2. Its companies were named Left Flank, F Company, G Company and Right Flank, in keeping with Scots Guards traditions.

Due to heavy casualties the battalion was reduced to a three rifle company organisation on 27th October 1943 when Left Flank was disbanded and its personnel transferred to the three other companies. On 26th January 1944 a company of Welsh Guards was transferred to the battalion, allowing it to return to a four-company organisation. This company was replaced on 10th February by a full company of Scots Guards that had been sent from the 4th Battalion in the UK. This became the new Left Flank.

On 9th March 1944 it was announced that the battalion was to be reduced to cadre. The rest of the personnel were transferred to the 1st Battalion Scots Guards to replace the casualties that battalion had suffered at Anzio.

Strength

The following table is based on the WE 3008 returns in the war diaries. The standard WE for an infantry battalion at this time was for 36 officers and 809 NCOs and ORs, for a total of 845 personnel. The WE included the attached Regimental Medical Officer and attached personnel such as cooks and mechanics are included in the figures below. Personnel not part of the WE (i.e. the attached chaplain and his driver) have not been included.

The battalion war diaries do not have the WE 3008 returns for September and October 1943 but strength returns for these months can be found in 201 Guards Brigade daily returns and also in 56 (London) Infantry Division daily returns.