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- 10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry



   10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry was part of the 15th (Scottish) Division. They landed in Normandy a few days after D-Day. Action included the Crossing of the Odon, the advance into Belgium, the attempt to reach Arnhem, the Siegfried Line, the Rhine Crossing and the advance into Germany.

 

1st Jun 1944 Orders

2nd Jun 1944 Orders

3rd Jun 1944 Orders

21st Jun 1944 Orders

23rd Jun 1944 Briefing

25th Jun 1944 Preparations  location map

26th Jun 1944 Move  location map

26th Jun 1944 On the Move  


THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORMANDY 1944

Men of 10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry advance past vehicles of 15th (Scottish) Division during Operation Epsom, 26th June 1944. On the left are two Sherman Crab flail tanks. © IWM (B 6014)



26th Jun 1944 On the Move

28th Jun 1944 Orders

28th Jun 1944 Opposition

29th Jun 1944 Enemy Attacks  location map

1st Jul 1944 Reliefs

1st July 1944 Orders  location map

1st Jul 1944 Enemy Tanks

2nd July 1944 Reliefs  location map

3rd Jul 1944 Locations

3rd July 1944 Relief Complete  location map

4th July 1944 Conference

6th Jul 1944 Paswords

6th July 1944 Passwords

11th July 1944 Conference

13th July 1944 Orders

13th July 1944 Recce Patrols

14th Jul 1944 Orders  location map

14th July 1944 Orders  location map

14th July 1944 Preparations

15th Jul 1944 Orders

15th July 1944 Orders  location map

15th July 1944 Into Position

16th Jul 1944 Shelling  location map

16th July 1944 Air Raid  location map

16th July 1944 In Action

17th Jul 1944 Bombs

17th July 1944 Air Raid  location map

18th Jul 1944 Orders

18th July 1944 Orders Issued  location map

19th Jul 1944 Minefields

19th Jul 1944 Moves

19th July 1944 Instructions  location map

20th Jul 1944 Moves  location map

21st Jul 1944 Orders

21st July 1944 Orders  location map

23rd Jul 1944 HQ Moves

23rd July 1944 Divisional HQ Moves

24th Jul 1944 Conference

24th July 1944 Conference

25th Jul 1944 Minefields

25th July 1944 Minefields

26th Jul 1944 Orders

26th July 1944 Orders

28th Jul 1944 Orders

28th July 1944 Instructions

29th Jul 1944 Preparations

30th Jul 1944 In Action

30th Jul 1944 Attack Made

30th Jul 1944 In Action

30th Jul 1944 HQ Moves

30th July 1944 Divisional HQ Moves

31st Jul 1944 Advance

31st Jul 1944 Attack Made

31st Jul 1944 HQ Moves

31st July 1944 Orders

1st Aug 1944 In Action

3rd Aug 1944 Into Position

4th Aug 1944 In Position

5th Aug 1944 On the Move

6th Aug 1944 Attacks

6th Aug 1944 In Action

6th Aug 1944 Attack Made

6th Aug 1944 Attack Made

13th Sep 1944 Canal  location map

29th Oct 1944 Rumours

30th Oct 1944 Reliefs

31st Oct 1944 Shelling

13th Nov 1944 Objectives

14th Nov 1944 Conference

15th Nov 1944 Conference

17th Nov 1944 Planning

18th Nov 1944 Patrols

22nd Nov 1944 Advance

24th Nov 1944 Patrols

25th Nov 1944 Advance

26th Nov 1944 Shelling

11th Jan 1945 Artillery Support  location map

18th Jan 1945 Reliefs


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

10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Bennett Harry. Pte.
  • Blease Joseph.
  • Evans John Lesley. Pte. (d.2nd May 1945)
  • Foley J. Pte.
  • Glen William Frazer. Cpl.
  • Houlton Thomas. Sgt.
  • King William James Mackie. Pte
  • Mulhall John Keven. Pte. (d.28th June 1944)
  • Mulholland Bede Anthony. Cpl. (d.9th Dec. 1944)
  • Osborne Austin. Pte. (d.8th Feb 1945)
  • Paynter Ronnie. Sergeant
  • Rumble Stanley George. Lt.
  • Scrivin John Thomas. Pte.
  • Valler Thomas Earnest. Pte. (d.24th August 1944)
  • Whitfield Harry. Pte.
  • Whitfield Harry. Pte.
  • Williamson Daniel. Pte. (d.28th June 1944)

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 10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry from other sources.



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Want to know more about 10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry?


There are:1403 items tagged 10th 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.


Pte. J Foley 10th Btn. Highland Light Infantry

Pte.J Foley served with the 10th Btn. Highland Light Infantry British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.

Dan



Sergeant Ronnie Paynter 10th Battalion Highland Light Infantry

My father, Ronnie Paynter, served with the 10th Bn Highland Light Infantry during the second world war. He was proud to have served in this fine Battalion, which he fondly referred to as the Best Scots Regiment full of Yorkshiremen.

I recall stories:

  • when they were bored bloody stupid on the Shetland Isles prior to deployment on the Invasion of Normandy.
  • how he hated the skirl of the pipes.
  • the crossing of the River Rhine.
  • hiding booty never to be found again.

    Unfortunately my father passed away at the age of 78 in 1996. The memory of my father Sgt Ronnie Paynter 10th Bn HLI will be with me forever.

  • Davey Paynter



    Pte. Harry Bennett 10th Btn. Highland Light Infantry

    My grandfather, Harry Bennett served in India and Palestine prior to the outbreak of WW2. His service record then states he served in Egypt and Sudan up to January 1944. He was then returned to the UK for 6 months before landing in Normandy on 18th of June 1944. Research shows that it was 2nd Battalion HLI that served in India, Palestine, Egypt, Sudan and Italy at the times shown on his record. He has an Italy Star, so it is safe to assume he moved from Africa to Italy with 2nd Battalion HLI, as their records state. We get a little lost here though. Records say that 2nd Battalion HLI went right up through Italy, Yugoslavia, Albania, and Greece, taking part in the final advance into Northern Italy. However, at some point in January 1944 he returned to the UK, and then landed in Normandy on 18th of June 1944. On 8th of August 1944 he was injured and listed as missing. On August 24, he surfaced in a hospital. He recovered and re-joined 10th Battalion as they moved across Europe and into Germany.

    Kevin Farthing



    Sgt. Thomas Houlton 10th Btn. Highland Light Infantry

    Thomas Houlton is 2nd Row, 3rd from left

    Gallant service award

    Thomas Houlton was my grandfather and a Sergeant in the 10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry. Some of my fondest memories as a child growing up in the 80s, as part of what I reckon is the last generation of little boys that still dressed up as soldiers and ran around the streets playing army with toy rifles, are those of listening to his tales of his time in service during World War 2. Looking back now the realisation is that I never heard him tell a story that didn't end in a laugh; there were never any harsh details of battles, lives lost and other awful realities of war; all the anecdotes involved the times with his pals and usually ended up with one of them doing something clumsy with their rifle, misjudging a ditch, banging their head on something etc which to a four/five year old was hilarious. It was only ever about the time spent with friends and in retrospect it just shows that for certain audiences you need to find the good in every situation. Now I'm older of course and know where he was, what he took part in and the things he would have seen. He passed away in 1990 when I was 10, having had three boys with his wife Edith, and then later on his grandchildren. My overriding memory will always be of his big winning grin. I'm his namesake, and my daughter is named after his beloved Edith.

    Thomas Houlton



    Pte. Thomas Earnest Valler 10th Btn. Highland Light Infantry (d.24th August 1944)

    Grave of stone Private Thomas Earnest Valler

    We would like to remember Thomas Valler who fought with the 10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry in WW2. He went to Normandy to defend his country and sadly lost his life at a young age on the 24th of August 1944. Thomas is buried Dunstable Cemetery in Bedfordshire.

    Christopher Mosey



    Lt. Stanley George Rumble 10th Btn. Highland Light Infantry

    Stan Rumble was my father. He was a Canadian Officer who volunteered to serve with the British Army in World War II. He was Canloan officer number 498 (Canloan was a scheme in which Canada loaned officers to serve in the British Army.)

    He crossed the Channel into Normandy on 16th of July 1944, was posted to the 10th HLI on 20th of July 1944. He was wounded in action on 6th of August 1944 in Operation Bluecoat, and was evacuated back to England, where he received treatment for his wounds at No. 24 Canadian General Hospital in Smallfield, Surrey. His nurse was Audrey Murdoch, whom he married on 31st of March 1945, before being transferred back to the continent. They were my parents.

    Edward J Rumble



    Joseph Blease 10th Battalion Highland Light Infantry

    My father, Joseph Blease, from Warrington was enlisted into the 10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry on 18th of May 1944. He was reported missing on 30th December 1944, on the Western Front. This was reported in our local newspaper, the Warrington Guardian. I am struggling to find out what happened when he was captured by the Germans.

    After the war, I think that he served in Palestine, but again can find very little detail. Dad died in 2006.

    John Blease



    Pte William James Mackie King 10th Btn. Highland Light Infantry

    William King was a proud member of 10th HLI during WW2 and association member until his death in 1999.

    W King



    Pte. Daniel Williamson 10th Battalion Highland Light Infantry (d.28th June 1944)

    Daniel Williamson was my Grandfather this is in memory to him as I never had a chance to meet him, and my father didn't know him either as he was only a baby himself when he fell in battle. Tragically, my Grandmother struggled to get over the death of her new husband and never married again and to the best of my knowledge, didn't even take another man into her life at all.

    My grandmother found it difficult to talk about our grandfather and we knew very little about him until she, herself, passed away and on clearing the house of it's contents we came across a box of letters and a few medals which were my grandfathers. The letters themselves were written very well and it was clear he adored my grandmother and longed for the day he returned to raise his family, as it happens my dad was the only child, but if my grandfather had returned I have no doubt they would likely have had more children.

    We also came across letters from friends of my grandfather who he had served with expressing their sympathy and sorrow at his demise - truly sad reading but a part of history that all the family are very proud of and thank all servicemen for their bravery, service and sacrifice for us all today.

    Mark Williamson



    Pte. John Keven Mulhall 10th Btn. Highland Light Infantry (d.28th June 1944)

    John Mulhall served with the 10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry.

    Steve Grizzell









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