Scottish Command

For the Royal Navy post, see Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England, Northern Ireland.

Scottish Command (from 1972 Army Headquarters Scotland)
Active1905–1972
2012–2014
CountryUnited Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeCommand
Garrison/HQEdinburgh

Scottish Command or Army Headquarters Scotland (from 1972) is a command of the British Army.

History

Early history

Edinburgh Castle, command headquarters from 1905 to 1955

Great Britain was divided into military districts on the outbreak of war with France in 1793.[1] The Scottish District was commanded by the Commander-in-Chief, Scotland. In January 1876 a ‘Mobilization Scheme for the forces in Great Britain and Ireland’ was published, with the ‘Active Army’ divided into eight army corps based on the District Commands. 8th Corps was to be formed within Scottish Command, based at Edinburgh. This scheme disappeared in 1881, when the districts were retitled ‘District Commands.[2]

Early twentieth century

The 1901 Army Estimates introduced by St John Brodrick allowed for six army corps based on six regional commands. As outlined in a paper published in 1903, VI Corps was to be formed in a reconstituted Scottish Command, with HQ at Edinburgh.[3] Lieutenant General Sir Charles Tucker was appointed acting General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOCinC) of VI Corps in April 1903. Scottish Command was established in 1905 at Edinburgh Castle but moved to Craigiehall in 1955.[4]

First World War

Army Order No 324, issued on 21 August 1914, authorised the formation of a 'New Army' of six Divisions, manned by volunteers who had responded to Earl Kitchener's appeal (hence the First New Army was known as 'K1'). Each division was to be under the administration of one of the Home Commands, and Scottish Command formed what became the 9th (Scottish) Division.[5] It was followed by 15th (Scottish) Division of K2 in September 1914.[6] The 64th (2nd Highland) Division was established in the Command by 1915 after the departure of 51st (Highland) Division for France.[7]

Second World War

In September 1939 consisted of Highland Area with 9th (Highland) Infantry Division and 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, and Lowland Area with 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division and 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division, plus other troops.[8] By 1940 during the Battle of Britain the command was responsible to Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces.[9]

As France was capitulating, General Władysław Sikorski. the Polish commander-in-chief and prime minister, was able to evacuate many Polish troops—probably over 20,000—to the United Kingdom.[10] After initially regrouping in southern Scotland[11] these Polish ground units (as I Corps, comprising the 1st Independent Rifle Brigade, the 10th Motorised Cavalry Brigade (as infantry) and cadre brigades largely manned by surplus officers at battalion strength) took over responsibility in October 1940 for the defence of the counties of Fife and Angus; this included reinforcing coastal defences that had already been started. I Corps was under the direct command of Scottish Command. While in this area the Corps was reorganised and expanded.[12]

Post War

In 1950, the 51st/52nd (Scottish) Division was split, restoring the independence of the 52nd Lowland Division, which took regional command of Territorial Army units based in the Scottish Lowlands, including the Territorial infantry battalions of the Lowland Brigade regiments.[13]

In 1948, the 9th Special Communications Unit was formed in Forfar administered by Scottish Command. The 30th Armoured Brigade was reformed in Scotland after the war as a fully Territorial Army formation, known as the 30th (Lowland) Independent Armoured Brigade. It was headquartered in Glasgow.[14]

Craigiehall, command headquarters from 1955 to 2000

In 1955, Headquarters Scottish Command moved into modern facilities at Craigiehall, close to Cramond, around 9 km (5.6 mi) west of central Edinburgh. At this time, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief had 92 separate locations under his command, with 2,500 regular service men and women and 8,800 members of the Territorial Army, representing 14% of the total across the UK.[15]

The Command was merged into HQ United Kingdom Land Forces (HQ UKLF) in 1972 and the headquarters in Scotland was downgraded to the status of a district, known as Army Headquarters Scotland. Scotland continued to have district status until 2000 when the last General Officer Commanding Scotland stood down and the Army HQ Scotland was replaced by HQ 2nd Infantry Division with control of troops in Scotland and the North of England.[16]

General Officers Commanding

Commanders-in-Chief have included:[17][18][19]

Commander-in-Chief, Scottish Army

Commander-in-Chief, Scotland (or North Britain)

Commanding the troops in the North British District

Commanding the troops in the Scottish District

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Scottish District

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Scottish Command

General Officer Commanding, Scotland

Note: There was no General Officer Commanding, Scotland between 2000 and 2012

Military Secretary and General Officer, Scotland

References

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  2. ^ Army List 1876–1881.
  3. ^ Col John K. Dunlop, The Development of the British Army 1899–1914, London: Methuen, 1938.
  4. ^ "Subterranea Britannica: Research Study Group: Sites: Wilton Park (Beaconsfield): Eastern Command War HQ & AFHQ 5". Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  5. ^ "9th Division". The long, long trail. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  6. ^ "15th Division". The long, long trail. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  7. ^ "64th (2nd Highland) Division". The Long Long Trail. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  8. ^ Leo Niehorster, Scottish Command. Retrieved December 2008
  9. ^ Barclay, Gordon (2013). If Hitler Comes: Preparing for Invasion: Scotland 1940. Birlinn. ISBN 978-0857905895.
  10. ^ (in Polish) Wojsko Polskie we Francji. Świat Polonii. Various sources give estimates that can differ by a few percent.
  11. ^ James Dunnigan, Albert Nofi; Dirty Little Secrets of World War II: Military Information No One Told You By, HarperCollins, 1996, ISBN 0-688-12288-4, Google Print, p.139
  12. ^ Diana M. Henderson, The Lion and the Eagle: Polish Second World War Veterans in Scotland, Cualann Press, 2001, ISBN 0-9535036-4-X
  13. ^ Reorganizing Territorials, The Times, 21 July 1960.
  14. ^ Watson, Graham (10 March 2002). "United Kingdom: The Territorial Army 1947". Information on Orders of Battle. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  15. ^ Trevor Royle, "Facing the Bear: Scotland and the Cold War," via Google Books.
  16. ^ Major change of direction Mark Strudwick; After commanding the Army in Scotland, running PSYBT is a surprisingly suitable new career The Glasgow Herald, 25 June 2006
  17. ^ Whitaker's Almanacks 1905 – 2000
  18. ^ "Scottish Command [UK]". Archived from the original on 22 February 2006. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  19. ^ Army Commands Archived 5 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Charles Dalton, The Scots army, 1661–1688, with memoirs of the commanders-in-chief (London, 1909).
  21. ^ Charles Dalton, English Army Lists and Commission Registers volume 5 (London, 1902) page 226.
  22. ^ Patrick Cracroft-Brennan, Dalhousie, Earl of (S, 1633) in Cracroft's Peerage. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
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  32. ^ Ron McGuigan, O'Callaghan, Robert William in British Generals of the Napoleonic Wars 1793–1815. The Napoleon Series, 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
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  36. ^ "No. 20711". The London Gazette. 5 March 1847. p. 918.
  37. ^ "Thomas Ernest Napier". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/19771. Retrieved 29 October 2014. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  38. ^ "Henry Dundas, 3rd Viscount Melville". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/8251. Retrieved 29 November 2014. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  39. ^ Wards, Ian McLean (1966). "CAMERON, Sir Duncan Alexander, G.C.B.". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  40. ^ "The 78th Highlanders or Ross-Shire Buffs". Electric Scotland. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  41. ^ "News" (PDF). Limerick City. 1868. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  42. ^ "The 79th Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders 1873 – 1886". Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  43. ^ "Historical record and regimental memoir of the Royal Scots fusiliers, formerly known as the 21st Royal North British fusiliers. Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1678 and its subsequent services until June 1885". 21 April 1885. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  44. ^ "Hart's Army List 1879". p. 117. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
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