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The 4th Battalion The Cameron Highlanders
Excerpt from Tobruk: The Story of a Seige; by Anthony Heckstall-Smith, 1960.
The 4th Battalion The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders were part of 152 Infantry Brigade of the 51st (Highland) Division with the BEF early in the war. The 4ths were part of the two brigades who covered the British and French withdrawal to Dunkirk and were captured in France in June 1940.
The 4th Battalion was reconstituted in Inverness in July 1940, and departed to garrison the Dutch West Indies. In march 1942 they were The Battalion was then assigned to 46th (Highland) Brigade of the 15th (Scottish) Division, as replacements for the 7th Battalion. In November 1942, they were posted to the 228th Independent Infantry Brigade, part of the Orkney & Shetland Defences (OSDEF). In December 1942 after 2nd Battalion had been lost at Tobruk, the 4ths were disbanded and reformed as the 2nd Battalion
On the 20 December 1942 the 4th Battalion The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (228th Independent Infantry Brigade, Orkney & Shetland Defenses) were disbanded and reformed the 2nd Battalion. In January 1944 they were assigned to the 11th Indian Infantry Brigade, 4th Indian Infantry and departed for Taranto, Italy. They took part in the lengthy campaigns in Italy until November 1944 when they were then sent to Greece. In July 1945 they were flown to Austria as part of 61st Infantry Brigade, 6th Armoured Division for occupation duties returning to Britain at the end of August 1945.
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List of those who served with 4th Battalion The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders during The Second World War
- Lt Col Ian E. Begg 4th Btn Read his Story.
- Neil Campbell MM. 4th Btn.
- L/Cpl. John Alexander Davidson 4th Btn. Read his Story.
- Lt. Fred Nicholls MM, Croix de Guerre. 4th Btn. Read his Story.
- Hugh Oliver MM. 4th Btn.
Lt Col Ian E. Begg 4th Btn Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Early in 1942 this unit along with the 2nd BN Shropshire Light Infantry was transported by train from New Orleans to Halifax NS. From 21 Feb-9 Mar 1942 these two BNs were stationed at Ft Slocum, NY, an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation located in Long Island Sound near New Rochelle, NY (just north of the Bronx line. Because of wartime secrecy little is known about this episode. I am the historian of Ft. Slocum. I would be grateful if anyone could provide more information about Lt/Col Begg and/or his unit.
L/Cpl. John Alexander Davidson 4th Btn. Cameron Highlanders
My Late Uncle, John Davidson lived in the far north of Scotland, in a place called Belladrum Estate, a stones throw away from a village called Kiltarlity, approximately ten miles from Inverness. Until just recently I knew very little by way of his wartime exploits other than that he was a prisoner of war & he was put to work in the salt mines.
That has changed dramatically earlier today, when I made contact with someone who to my delight furnished me with some vital details to get me seriously started to find out about his time during the war. I am told he was a Lance Corporal in the 4th Camerons and was upon capture interred in a POW Camp called at Lamsdorf, Stalag 344
I would very much like to hear from anyone who knew him or who has a picture of him from his experiences.
Lt. Fred Nicholls MM, Croix de Guerre. 4th Btn. Queens Own Cameron Highlanders
My late father, Fred Nicholls enlisted in the Camerons in 1931, according to his medals, of which I have only his dress set, including his Military Medal and French Croix de Guerre. He had many overseas postings before during and after the war.
He was with the 4th Camerons on the Somme in June 1940 as a platoon Sergeant. He had to take command of the platoon when his commanding officer was injured and captured. After they ran out of food and ammunition they were ordered to surrender by their C.O. which they did along with the rest of the 51st Highland Division. After the surrender, the troops where marched toward Germany. According to his own story he stayed with his men until they crossed the Belgian border, it was at this point that he made his first escape. I am in possession of both his own account of his escapes and the official M19 debrief account. Whilst they do differ slightly, broadly speaking one confirms the other. He was incarcerated at St Omer after his 2nd or 3rd recapture. It was there that he met Sgt Andrew Faith of the R.H.A. both of them where like minded and they again escaped. After walking through France they eventually crossed the Pyrenees in to Spain where they were arrested and imprisoned by the Spanish Army. They were later released and eventually repatriated via Gibraltar.
After returning to the UK they where both awarded the Military Medal. It was after this that he attained the rank of Lieutenant. I have not got his record of service so where and and when he spent the rest of the war is a little sketchy. However he was posted to Aruba with the Camerons in 1941 and he was seconded to the control commission in Germany. He was demobed in 1947.
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