History of the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division
May 1945 to September 1946
May 45 – 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division – HQ Bremen area from 30th Corps command to HQ Lines of Communications British Liberation Army 21st Army Group – HQ Ghent Belgium Jun 45 to command 1st Corps District – HQ Warendorf Jul 45 to command 30th Corps District May 46 – HQ Crerar Barracks Oldenburg disbanded Aug 46
General Officer Commanding: Major General E Hakewill-Smith CB CBE MC DSO
52 Reconnaissance Regiment RAC disbanded or amalgamated with 2 Lothians and Border Horse Yeomanry Aug 46
COs: Lieutenant Colonel JBA Hankey then Lieutenant Colonel JC Stormonth-Darling
7 Battalion Manchester Regiment (Machine Gun) – Magdeburg to Belgium to Haltern Aug 45 to UK and disbanded late 45
CRA:
79 (Lowland) Field Regiment RA
80 (Lowland-City of Glasgow) Field Regiment RA
186 Field Regiment RA
1 Mountain Regiment RA
54 (Queen’s Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment RA – Magdeburg Jun 45 then Ruhr to Paderborn Aug 45 to Hoxter Mar 46 disbanded
108 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA
CRE:
202 Field Company RE
241 Field Company RE
554 Field Company RE
243 Field Park Company RE
17 Bridging Platoon RE
52 Divisional Signals
CO: Lieutenant Colonel NR Linton
RASC + RAOC + REME + RAMC
Royal Army Chaplaincy Service
52 Divisional Provost Company CMP
Field Security Company
52 Divisional Postal Unit
May 45 – 107 (South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomary) Medium Regiment RA – Coesfeld
Dec 45 – 107 Regiment (Kings Own) RAC from 34th Armoured Brigade – Onsabrück disbanded Feb 46
Mar 46 – 2 Lothians and Border Horse Yeomanry from Austria
Apr 46 – 1 Battalion Border Regiment from 30th Corps District – Suchten near Osnabrück Jun 46 to 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division Jul 46
May 45 – 15th Anti-Aircraft Brigade – HQ unknown to 3rd Canadian Infantry Division CAOF Mar 46
Jun 45 – 14th Fuselier Battalion Belgium Army – Burgsteinfurt to Belgium Dec 45
Aug 45 – 27th Fuselier Battalion Belgium Army – Paderborn – Bad Salzuflen – Minden
155th Infantry Brigade disbanded Jul 46 Commander: Brigadier JFS McLaren then Lieutenant Colonel JG Dawson then Brigadier JFS McLaren then Lieutenant Colonel EL Percival then Brigadier JFS McLaren
4 Bn King’s Own Scottish Borders
CO: Lieutenant Colonel JBA Hanky DSO
7/9 Battalion Royal Scots
6 Battalion Highland Light Infantry
156th Infantry Brigade disbanded Aug 46
Commander: Brigadier GD Renny
6 Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) – Sandbostel to Delmenhorst to Magdeburg to Belgium Jun 45 to Gelsenkirchen Buer Jul 46 to Wilhelmshaven Jul 46 disbanded Oct 46
1 Battalion Glasgow Highlanders
4/5 Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers Magdeburg to Deinze Belgium to Germany Jun 45 to Steinheim Feb 46 Paderborn disbanded Jun 46
CO: Lieutenant Colonel AN Gosselin DSO then Lieutenant Colonel MRJ Hope-Thomson
Apr 46 – 11 Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers to Paderborn from 147th Infantry Brigade
Jan 46 – 2 Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers from 17th Infantry Brigade
CO: Lieutenant Colonel Maxwell
157th Infantry Brigade to 49th (West Riding) Infantry Jul 45 then back Aug 45 to 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division Aug 46
Commander: Brigadier EHG Grant then Lieutenant Colonel RLC Rose
5 Battalion Highland Light Infantry
5 Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borders
7 Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) – Espelkamp Aller disbanded Aug 46
More research to follow...additions and amendments most welcome...steve@baor-locations.co.uk
Information sources
Orders of Battle - WW2Talk
The British Army in Germany an Organizational History 1947-2004 by Graham E Watson and Richard A Rinald