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The Story of the Regiments - World War II

THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939-1945

On the outbreak of war in September, 1939, The Cameronians mobilised six active Battalions.

• Regular 1st Battalion (India).
  
• 2nd Battalion (Catterick Camp, Yorks.)
  
• Territorial 1st Line 6th Battalion
  
• 7th Battalion - centred on Glasgow and Lanarkshire
  
• 2nd Line 9th Battalion
  
• 10th Battalion

Later, the 11th, 12th, 13th and 30th Battalions were, formed, and were employed on Home Defence duties.

The 2nd Battalion went to France at once and subsequently took part in some of the heaviest fighting in the Dunkirk campaign. The 6th and 7th also took part in the latter stages of this campaign, in the neighbourhood of Cherbourg.

The 1st Battalion saw heavyfighting in the Burma retreat of 1942, and later in General Wingate’s famous “Chindit” campaign in 1944.

In the latter years of the war the 2nd Battalions served in Sicily, Italy and North-West Europe and the 6th, 7th and 9th in North-West Europe with the British Liberating armies.

In all these activities units of the Regiment played their part with great distinction, suffering no less than 1222 fatal casualties. The Cameronians of 1939-45 were not unworthy successors to Richard Cameron and their predecessors who fought in the First World War and so many other campaigns. Several officers rose to high positions, among them two late Colonels of the Regiment, General Sir Thomas Riddell-Webster (who became Quartermaster-General) and Sir Richard O’Connor (who became Adjutant General).

Source: '300 Years of Service' published by the Regimental Trustees

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