The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)

'Sans Peur' 'Ne Obliviscaris'

Battle Honours - WORLD WAR II

BATTLE

SYNOPSIS

MAJOR HONOUR?

Somme 1940

Odon 1940 10 July - the high ground above the valleys of the River Odon and Orne were so strategically important that the Germans commented, "He who controls Hill 112 controls Normandy." The German forces clung to it grimly, but it changed hands many times and so many thousands of Allied and German troops were killed or wounded, that the Odon River was choked with corpses. The attack began with an artillery barrage and continued with several hours of close-quarter battles with determined German SS troops. Yes

Tourmauville Bridge

Caen

Esquay

Mont Pincon

Quarry Hill

Estry

Falaise

Dives Crossing

Aart

Lower Maas

Meijel

Venlo Pocket

Ourthe

Rhineland

Reichswald

Rhine Yes

Uelzen

Artlenberg

North-West Europe 1940, 44-45

Sidi Barrani, North Africa 1940 9-10 December - the Italian commander, Graziani, launched an incursion with the Italian 10th Army into Egypt from Cyrenaica, the north eastern province of Libya. They stopped at Sidi Barrani, 50 miles inside Egypt. British and Indian divisions launched a counter-offensive codenamed Operation Compass. Sidi Barrani capitulated on the second day with 20,000 Italian prisoners. Click for details of the Argylls' involvement in the Battle. Yes

Abyssinia 1941

El Alamein, North Africa 1942 1 November, Montgomery launched the second phase of his attack, "Operation Supercharge", to break through the last German defences. The infantry units cleared the way for the armoured divisions, and Rommel, his army depleted, decided the battle was lost. 2nd November, Rommel warned Hitler that his army faced annihilation. Hitler ordered Rommel to 'stand and die', but the Panzer Division had already begun to retreat by the time the order was received. 4th November, Rommel's last defences collapsed and he received orders from Hitler to withdraw. Yes

Medenine, North Africa

Wadi el Akarit, Tunisia 1942 April 6 - the Brigade led by the 7th Argylls, attacked on a narrow front. Artillery and heavy machine-gun fire from German forward positions caused many Infantry casualties. Next day the Germans withdrew, leaving tanks and artillery to hamper any possible pursuit. During this battle Lieutenant Colonel Lorne MacLaine Campbell of the 7th Argylls Battalion won a VC for valour. The Divisional Intelligence Summary notes reported "the day marked the fiercest fighting the Highland Division had experienced in this campaign." Yes - 1 Victoria Cross

Diebel Azzag, North Africa 1942

Kef Ouiba Pass, North Africa

Mine de Sedjenane, North Africa

Medjez Plain, North Africa

Longstop Hill, Tunisia 1943 April 26 British troops captured Djebel Rhar, Tunisia, North Africa, after 5 days of intense fighting. They had secured a major prize from the Germans. The final capture of "Long Stop" was achieved with the help of the North Irish Horse and their Churchill tanks. The Victoria Cross was awarded to Major John Thompson McKellar Anderson, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, for his courageous action on the first day of the assault. Yes - 1 Victoria Cross

North Africa 1940-43

Landing in Sicily

Gerbini

Adrano

Centuripe

Sicily 1943

Termoli

Sangro

Cassino II

Liri Valley

Aquino

Monte Casalino

Monte Spaduro

Monte Grande

Senio

Santerno Crossing

Argenta Gap

Italy 1943-45 Yes

Crete 1941, 1943 20-28 May - 22,000 of Germany's toughest troops arrived in Crete. The Allies were numerically superior with 28,000, but were less highly trained and badly equipped. However, they resisted staunchly. 26th May, Freyberg reported that 'the limit of endurance has been reached by the troops under my command… our position here is hopeless'. Evacuation began on the night of May the 28th. Click for details of the Argylls' involvement in the Battle. Yes

Heraklion

Middle East 1941

North Malaya

Grik Road, Malaya 1941 December 19 - the Grik to Kuala Kangsar road, with many key road and rail bridges, was the main north-south trunk road above Kuala Kangsar. The Japanese planned to capture it and isolate the British northwest front. The Argylls approached via the mountainous backroad from Kuala Kangsar to Grik with orders to halt the Japanese thrust south. There was fierce fighting at the village of Sumpitan, 34 miles north of Kuala Kangsar. The British, commanded by Major General Murray-Lyon, were forced back four miles to Lenggong. On December 20, the Japanese used rafts to go down the Perak River and infiltrate south, to attack the British at Lenggong. Over the next 24 hours the Argylls inflicted severe Japanese casualties before withdrawing southwards. Yes

Central Malaya

Ipoh

Slim River

Singapore Island

Malaya 1941-42 Yes

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BATTLE	SYNOPSIS	MAJOR HONOUR?
Somme 1940
Odon 1940	10 July - the high ground above the valleys of the River Odon and Orne were so strategically important that the Germans commented, "He who controls Hill 112 controls Normandy." The German forces clung to it grimly, but it changed hands many times and so many thousands of Allied and German troops were killed or wounded, that the Odon River was choked with corpses. The attack began with an artillery barrage and continued with several hours of close-quarter battles with determined German SS troops.	Yes
Tourmauville Bridge
Caen
Esquay
Mont Pincon
Quarry Hill
Estry
Falaise
Dives Crossing
Aart
Lower Maas
Meijel
Venlo Pocket
Ourthe
Rhineland
Reichswald
Rhine		Yes
Uelzen
Artlenberg
North-West Europe 1940, 44-45
Sidi Barrani, North Africa 1940	9-10 December - the Italian commander, Graziani, launched an incursion with the Italian 10th Army into Egypt from Cyrenaica, the north eastern province of Libya. They stopped at Sidi Barrani, 50 miles inside Egypt. British and Indian divisions launched a counter-offensive codenamed Operation Compass. Sidi Barrani capitulated on the second day with 20,000 Italian prisoners. Click for details of the Argylls' involvement in the Battle.	Yes
Abyssinia 1941
El Alamein, North Africa 1942	1 November, Montgomery launched the second phase of his attack, "Operation Supercharge", to break through the last German defences. The infantry units cleared the way for the armoured divisions, and Rommel, his army depleted, decided the battle was lost. 2nd November, Rommel warned Hitler that his army faced annihilation. Hitler ordered Rommel to 'stand and die', but the Panzer Division had already begun to retreat by the time the order was received. 4th November, Rommel's last defences collapsed and he received orders from Hitler to withdraw.	Yes
Medenine, North Africa
Wadi el Akarit, Tunisia 1942	April 6 - the Brigade led by the 7th Argylls, attacked on a narrow front. Artillery and heavy machine-gun fire from German forward positions caused many Infantry casualties. Next day the Germans withdrew, leaving tanks and artillery to hamper any possible pursuit. During this battle Lieutenant Colonel Lorne MacLaine Campbell of the 7th Argylls Battalion won a VC for valour. The Divisional Intelligence Summary notes reported "the day marked the fiercest fighting the Highland Division had experienced in this campaign."	Yes - 1 Victoria Cross
Diebel Azzag, North Africa 1942
Kef Ouiba Pass, North Africa
Mine de Sedjenane, North Africa
Medjez Plain, North Africa
Longstop Hill, Tunisia 1943	April 26 British troops captured Djebel Rhar, Tunisia, North Africa, after 5 days of intense fighting. They had secured a major prize from the Germans. The final capture of "Long Stop" was achieved with the help of the North Irish Horse and their Churchill tanks. The Victoria Cross was awarded to Major John Thompson McKellar Anderson, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, for his courageous action on the first day of the assault.	Yes - 1 Victoria Cross
North Africa 1940-43
Landing in Sicily
Gerbini
Adrano
Centuripe
Sicily 1943
Termoli
Sangro
Cassino II
Liri Valley
Aquino
Monte Casalino
Monte Spaduro
Monte Grande
Senio
Santerno Crossing
Argenta Gap
Italy 1943-45		Yes
Crete 1941, 1943	20-28 May - 22,000 of Germany's toughest troops arrived in Crete. The Allies were numerically superior with 28,000, but were less highly trained and badly equipped. However, they resisted staunchly. 26th May, Freyberg reported that 'the limit of endurance has been reached by the troops under my command… our position here is hopeless'. Evacuation began on the night of May the 28th. Click for details of the Argylls' involvement in the Battle.	Yes
Heraklion
Middle East 1941
North Malaya
Grik Road, Malaya 1941	December 19 - the Grik to Kuala Kangsar road, with many key road and rail bridges, was the main north-south trunk road above Kuala Kangsar. The Japanese planned to capture it and isolate the British northwest front. The Argylls approached via the mountainous backroad from Kuala Kangsar to Grik with orders to halt the Japanese thrust south. There was fierce fighting at the village of Sumpitan, 34 miles north of Kuala Kangsar. The British, commanded by Major General Murray-Lyon, were forced back four miles to Lenggong. On December 20, the Japanese used rafts to go down the Perak River and infiltrate south, to attack the British at Lenggong. Over the next 24 hours the Argylls inflicted severe Japanese casualties before withdrawing southwards.	Yes
Central Malaya
Ipoh
Slim River
Singapore Island
Malaya 1941-42		Yes