British 1st Airborne Division: The Scottish Connection

Recently, my reenacting unit, the British 1^st Airborne Division Living History Association, was invited to set up an educational display at a Scottish Highland Games event.  I wrote the following as a handout.

Traditionally, Infantry Regiments in the British Army were based geographically.  English Regiments were based on the county system, such as the Gloucestershire Regiment and the Cheshire Regiment.  Most Highland Regiments were based on the ancient clans, such as the Cameron Highlanders and Gordon Highlanders, and again, each had a designated geographic recruitment area.  Even the larger formations were based geographically, such as the 50^th Northumbrian “Tyne and Tees” Division and the famous 51^st Highland Division.

By contrast, when Britain’s Airborne Forces were first created in 1940, they were not restricted by such traditions.  1^st through 4^th Parachute Battalions recruited from all across Great Britain, but it was quickly discovered that the toughest and bravest paratroopers were Scotsmen.  Later Parachute Battalions were converted from existing infantry units, including 5^th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion, which had previously been the 7^th Battalion, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders.

As an experiment, an entire Company was made up of Scotsmen:  C Company, 2^nd Parachute Battalion, nicknamed “Jock Company”.  Naturally, a Scottish officer was needed to command the Company, and Major John Dutton Frost, originally of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was selected.  Jock Company conducted Britain’s first major airborne action in February, 1942:  a raid against a German radar installation at Bruneval in occupied France.  Frost was then promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and given command of 2^nd Parachute Battalion.

Lt.-Col. John D. Frost in the uniform of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

1^st Parachute Brigade (1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Parachute Battalions) was sent to North Africa in November, 1942, and was in nearly constant action through March, 1943.  Back in Britain, the Airborne Forces continued to grow, and 1^st Airborne Division was created.

In addition to paratroops, it was decided to train troops to deploy from gliders; these “air-landing” units took existing infantry battalions and converted them to the glider role.

1^st Air-Landing Brigade consisted of one Scottish and two English battalions, as follows:

• 1^st Battalion, The Border Regiment;
• 2^nd Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment;
• 7^th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers (K.O.S.B.).

1^st Air-Landing Brigade first saw action supporting the Invasion of Sicily in July, 1943; 1^st Parachute Brigade was then utilized during the breakout from the beachhead.

In September, 1943, elements of 1^st Airborne landed in mainland Italy, and the divisional commander, Major-General George Hopkinson, was killed in action.  His replacement was Major-General Robert “Roy” Urquhart, originally of the Highland Light Infantry.  When Urquhart took command, he appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Mackenzie as his Chief of Staff; Mackenzie had previously commanded 5^th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion.

Maj.-Gen. “Roy” Urquhart with his Chief of Staff, Lt.-Col. Charles Mackenzie, at Divisional Headquarters during the Battle of Arnhem.  Photo courtesy of the Imperial War Museum (FLM 1208).

Urquhart commanded 1^st Airborne during the epic Battle of Arnhem in September, 1944.  Lt.-Col. Frost and his 2^nd Battalion captured the north end of Arnhem Bridge, the Division’s main objective.  However, the Division was surrounded, outnumbered and outgunned, and their relieving force never arrived.  7^th K.O.S.B. was instrumental in holding the division’s defensive perimeter, but the survivors of the Division were forced back across the Rhine.

The Battle of Arnhem is remembered as one of Britain’s greatest feats of arms, and was famously depicted in the film, “A Bridge Too Far”.

Sources

By Air to Battle:  The Official Account of the British First and Sixth Airborne Divisions
His Majesty’s Stationary Office, 1945

Harclerode, Peter
Para! Fifty Years of the Parachute Regiment
Arms & Armour Press, A Cassell Imprint, 1992
Reprinted by Brockhampton Press, Hodder Headline PLC Group, 1999

Peatling, Robert
Without Tradition:  2 Para 1941- 1945
Pen & Sword Books, Ltd., 1994

Capt. James Ogilvie of D Squadron, No. 1 Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment, who famously wore his kilt to fly to Arnhem.  Ogilvie served in the Gordon Highlanders prior to volunteering as a Glider Pilot.  Photo from the Imperial War Museum (BU 1145).