War History of the 7th Bn. The Black Watch (R.H.R.) (Fife Territorial Battalion) August 1939 - May 1945 - 1939-1940 28th Infantry Brigade, 9th Highland Division; 1940-1941 Independent Brigade (Shetland Defences); 1941-1945 154 Infantry Brigade 51st Highland Division

Russell, Major D.F.O. (compiled by)

Published by The Markinch Printing Co. Ltd. (printed by), Markinch, 1948

About this Item

1948. Presumed first edition. xiii, 146pp., frontispiece and 13 other black and white illustrations, and 4 folding maps at the end of the book. F3oreword by Maj.-Gen. Douglas Wimberley. This history of the 7th Battalion during the Second World War was written in the first place by the various Seconds-in-command of the Battalion, with accounts of some of the main battles and operations written by the Commanding Officers, as the war progressed. The 7th Black Watch saw action in France with the BEF. After the capture of the 51st Highland Division at St Valery in June 1940 it was decided to reconstitute it in the UK around a nucleus provided by the 9th Scottish Division. Less than thirty members of the old 1st Battalion were available, but it was rebuilt and joined by the 5th and 7th Battalions which had not yet gone overseas. It arrived in North Africa in early 1943 as part of 51st Highland Division and took part in the battle of El Alamein, followed by the pursuit across the North African desert through Mareth and Wadi Akarit ending with the entry into Tripoli. The Battalion trained in amphibious landing vehicles in Algeria, using them in landing in Sicily in early July, and suffered severe casualties at Adrano at the end of July before German withdrawal to the north. The battalion, with the rest of the 51st Division, landed on the Italian mainland and six weeks later was moved to Britain to prepare for the D-Day operations in Normandy. The battalion suffered many casualties in Normandy and after the fall of Caen in July 1944 was engaged in the push north to close the Falaise Gap. St Valery, Le Havre, and Dunkirk were all passed through. In February 1945 the Battalion was part of the attack through the Reichswald, leading to continuous action under German artillery attack. It crossed the Rhine on 22nd March 1945 under severe shelling, the last major engagement before VE-Day. The book is bound in the original light-blue paper covered boards with a dark-blue cloth spine and black titling on the front board. The case of the book is in very good condition with shelf wear and light soiling and a few faint stains on the boards. The spine is slightly faded. The contents are tight and clean with a small stain on the fore edge of the text block and some soiling to the fixed endpapers. There is no inscription.

Seller Inventory # gMilScot65

Bibliographic Details

• Title: War History of the 7th Bn. The Black Watch (R.H.R.) (Fife Territorial Battalion) August 1939 - May 1945 - 1939-1940 28th Infantry Brigade, 9th Highland Division; 1940-1941 Independent Brigade (Shetland Defences); 1941-1945 154 Infantry Brigade 51st Highland Division
• Publisher: The Markinch Printing Co. Ltd. (printed by), Markinch
• Publication Date: 1948
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardback
• Edition: Presumed First Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Scottish
  • Military