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- 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry



   1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry went to France in 1939 as part of the BEF, fighting during the withdrawal to Dunkirk and was eventually evacuated. After four years in Britain it returned to France as part of the 53rd (Welsh ) Division, landing in Normandy towards the end of June 1944. Battles included the crossing of the Odon, the Ardennes, the Reichswald and the final advance into Germany.

 

1st Apr 1944 On the Move  location map

3rd Apr 1944 Training  location map

4th Apr 1944 Training  location map

6th Apr 1944 On the Move  location map

9th Apr 1944 Postings  location map

15th Apr 1944 Exercise  location map

16th Apr 1944 Exercise  location map

17th Apr 1944 Exercise  location map

18th Apr 1944 Exercise  location map

19th Apr 1944 Exercise  location map

20th Apr 1944 Exercise

21st Apr 1944 Exercise  location map

22nd Apr 1944 Exercise Ends  location map

25th Apr 1944 Posting  location map

30th Apr 1944 Admin  location map

12th May 1944 Postings  location map

28th May 1944 Course  location map

29th May 1944 Sports  location map

30th May 1944 Sports

31st May 1944 Sports

1st Jun 1944 Sports

2nd Jun 1944 Sports  location map

3rd Jun 1944 Sports  location map

4th Jun 1944 Preparations

4th Jun 1944 Sports  location map

5th Jun 1944 Orders Issued  location map

6th Jun 1944 Orders  location map

6th Jun 1944 Concentration  location map

8th Jun 1944 Briefing  location map

9th Jun 1944 Orders  location map

10th Jun 1944 Lectures  location map

13th Jun 1944 Shelling  location map

15th Jun 1944 Advance Party  location map

16th Jun 1944 Tracked Vehicles  location map

17th Jun 1944 On the Move  location map

18th Jun 1944 Enemy Plane

20th Jun 1944 Vehicle Party

23rd Jun 1944 Poor Weather  location map

24th Jun 1944 On the Move

25th Jun 1944 On the Move  location map

26th Jun 1944 On the Move

27th Jun 1944 Security

27th Jun 1944 Digging in  location map

29th Jun 1944 Orders

29th Jun 1944 Digging in  location map

30th Jun 1944 Orders

1st Jul 1944 Conference

1st Jul 1944 Digging in  location map

1st July 1944 Orders  location map

2nd Jul 1944 Reliefs

2nd Jul 1944 Reliefs  location map

2nd July 1944 Reliefs  location map

3rd Jul 1944 Shelling  location map

4th Jul 1944 Mortar Fire  location map

5th Jul 1944 Intermittent Shelling  location map

6th Jul 1944 Intermittent Shelling  location map

7th Jul 1944 Band Plays  location map

8th Jul 1944 Orders  location map

9th Jul 1944 Reliefs  location map

10th Jul 1944 Bombing  location map

11th Jul 1944 Heavy Shelling

12th Jul 1944 Patrols

13th Jul 1944 Patrols

14th Jul 1944 Shelling  location map

16th Jul 1944 Air Raid  location map

17th Jul 1944 Air Raid  location map

19th Jul 1944 Reliefs

19th Jul 1944 Reliefs

20th Jul 1944 Reliefs Completed

20th Jul 1944 Enemy Patrol  location map

21st Jul 1944 Enemy Attacks  location map

22nd Jul 1944 Quiet  location map

23rd Jul 1944 Prisoners Taken  location map

24th Jul 1944 Night Patrols  location map

27th Jul 1944 Patrols at Night  location map

28th Jul 1944 Ammunition Dump  location map

29th Jul 1944 Attack Made  location map

30th Jul 1944 Reliefs  location map

31st Jul 1944 Reliefs Completed

1st Aug 1944 Orders

2nd Aug 1944 Reliefs  location map

3rd Aug 1944 Indications fo enemy withdrawal

4th Aug 1944 Mines  location map

13th Aug 1944 Advance

31st Aug 1944 Mines

19th Sep 1944 Moves

21st September 1944 Attack Made  location map

22nd September 1944 Objective Taken

23rd September 1944 Artillery in Action

24th September 1944 In Action


If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.



Those known to have served with

1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Bailey Alfred. Pte.
  • Batty G. W.. Pte.
  • Campbell Joseph. Pte.
  • Cook Henry. Pte.
  • Dear Arthur William. Pte. (d.30th May 1940)
  • Grigg Fredrick. Pte. (d.6th Mar 1945)
  • Hemelryk MC. Joseph. Mjr. (d.14th April 1945)
  • Heppenstall Ronald Joseph. Pte. (d.14th April 1945)
  • Ingleby Sidney Thomas. Pte. (d.21st July 1944)
  • Livingstone Neil. Pte. (d.21st Jan 1945)
  • Loosen Geoffrey William. Pte. (d.22nd Oct 1944)
  • McKinley Bill.
  • McLetchie Robert Edgar. Private (d.29th Jul 1944)
  • Milligan Robert. Pte. (d.15th June 1945)
  • Milligan Robert. Pte. (d.15th Jun 1945)
  • Milligan Robert Wills. Pte. (d.15th Jun 1945)
  • Milne John Robert. Pte. (d.29th May 1940)
  • Minto Robert. Pte. (d.23rd Oct 1944)
  • O'Keeffe Patrick. Pte. (d.13th Aug 1944)
  • Orsi John Winning. Cpl.
  • Patchett Arthur Felsted. L/Cpl. (d.27th February 1945)
  • Vale CdeG. Edward John. A/Capt.
  • Williamson William George. Pte.

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry from other sources.



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Want to know more about 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry?


There are:1409 items tagged 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.


A/Capt. Edward John Vale CdeG. 1st Btn. Highland Light Infantry

Edward Vale was awarded the Croix de Guerre. His citation reads, This officer during the period 26th of June to 31st of August 1944 was the pioneer officer and at all times carried out his duties with a complete disregard for his own safety. In the Haut du Bosq area after having carried out a daylight reconnaissance of a minefield under fire on the nights of the 14th/14 and 15th/16th of July 1944 he personally supervised the lifting of 615 British Anti Tank mines, many of the uncharted to allow armour to attack, During this period not only did he act with great energy and initiative but had to go without proper rest, personally delousing mines and booby traps that were too dangerous to entrust to others.

During the period 3rd to 5th of August 44 in the Missy area when the Battalion had to advance through and clear up a heavily mined area, he personally led the necessary reconnaissance and want without rest to supervise the lifting by his Platoon of 152 S mines, 590 Tellermines and an R mine (the first of this then new type to be encountered) and plotted the remaning mined areas.

On 31st of August 9944 when the Battalion occupied Auxi-Le-Chateau, a bridge was captured intact but prepared for demolition. Not waiting for Sapper assistance and in the dark, he personally, having ensured all other personnel had withdrawal to a safe distance, drew the charges which consisted of 3 inverted Tellermines and 5 bazooka shells sunk in the road surface and about 50 lbs of explosive fixed under the arch, All the charges being wired together. This bridge was of the greatest importance to the future advance of the Division and by his fearless conduct end skill he ensured that no harm should befall this vital link in communication, This officerts technical skill allied with hia dauntless devotion to duty and complete disregard for his personal safety have been an inspiration to all ranks.

Terry Vale



Cpl. John Winning Orsi D Coy., 1st Btn. Highland Light Infantry

16 Platoon, D Coy. 1st HLI. 14th Nov 1944. John Orsi is in top row, 2nd from right

John Orsi served with 16 Platoon, D Coy., 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry.

Karen Orsi



Pte. William George Williamson 1st Btn. Highland Light Infantry

William Williamson was wounded on the 16th of January 1945 near St Valery in France.

Bruce Jennis



Pte. Robert Wills Milligan 1st Btn. Highland Light Infantry (d.15th Jun 1945)

My uncle Robert Milligan served in the 1st battalion in WW2. All I know is that he died on the 15th of June 1945 about 5 weeks after the war finished. One story in the family is that he was driving a truck with prisoners on board and was ambushed by German soldiers still loyal to Hitler. Any info would be appreciated.

Robert ONeil



Pte. Henry Cook 1st Btn. Highland Light Infantry

Henry Cook was called up in October 1939 when he turned 18 then after 6 weeks training he was sent to France. I think as part of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force), after a week or so of action he was captured after running out of supplies. He was then a POW for 5 years until being liberated by the Americans.

Stuart Cook



L/Cpl. Arthur Felsted Patchett 1st Btn. Highland Light Infantry (d.27th February 1945)

Arthur Patchett was born 1923 in Bramley, Yorkshire, his father was Herbert Patchett and his mother was Nellie Felstead, she died 1989 in Leeds, Yorkshire, having raised 3 daughters. Arthur was captured in 1940 at Dunkirk and was buried on Tuesday, 27th of February 1945, Age 21 in the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. His father Herbert, who was in the Pioneer Corps, died in 1940 aboard the SS Lancastria a troop ship evacuatiing soldiers from France. He was my father's half brother but sadly they never knew each other.

Madalane Patchett



Pte. John Robert Milne 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry (d.29th May 1940)

John Milne was my uncle. I have visited his grave in Rexpoede in France. I have no information as to how my uncle met his death but obviously he was making his way to Dunkirk at the time.

Ian Beveridge



Pte. Alfred Bailey 1st Btn. Highland Light Infantry

Arthur Bailey served as a dispatch rider and went ashore at Normandy. He finished the war in Hamburg. He was part of the liberation of Middlebeers and Reichwald Forest. Arthur was then sent to Palestine at the war's end until 1946.




Pte. Patrick O'Keeffe 1st Btn Highland Light Infantry (d.13th Aug 1944)

Uncle Pat O'Keeffe was a London Lad with an Irish father and an English Mother. At 5ft 7 and just over 9 stone and with big blue eyes he was a tough lad. He joined in 1943 and deployed to France in late June 1944. He was killed in action on the 13th of Aug 1944 and is buried at Banneville-La-Champagne War Cemetery. He was 28 years young. A single man, he was survived by his brothers/sisters Nieces and nephews

Richard Morris



Pte. Sidney Thomas Ingleby 1st Btn. Highland Light Infantry (d.21st July 1944)

Private Ingleby took his helmet off at the wrong time.

Bryan Clifford Ingleby









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