WW2 Printed 51st Highland Division formation sign

51st (Highland) Division—a proud unit of the British Army with deep roots in Scotland. During World War II, 

⚔️ Origins & Early War (1939–1940)

• The 51st (Highland) Infantry Division was originally a Territorial Army formation made up of men mostly from the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands.

• When war broke out in 1939, they were sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).

• However, in a tragic turn, the division was left behind during the Dunkirk evacuation (May–June 1940).

• They were attached to the French army near the Somme, holding the line while others withdrew.

• Eventually, surrounded at St. Valéry-en-Caux, most of the division was forced to surrender to Rommel's forces on 12 June 1940. It was a painful moment—many became POWs.

🔁 Reformation & North Africa (1941–1943)

• The division was reformed in the UK, drawing from other Scottish units.

• In 1942, they were sent to North Africa under Montgomery's Eighth Army.

• They played a crucial role in:

  • The Second Battle of El Alamein (Oct–Nov 1942)

  • The Tunisian Campaign, helping to push Axis forces out of North Africa.

🇮🇹 Sicily and Europe (1943–1945)

• After North Africa, the division took part in the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky, July 1943).

• Then, they returned to the UK to prepare for D-Day.

🇫🇷 D-Day to Germany (1944–1945)

• The 51st landed in Normandy shortly after D-Day, in June 1944.

• They were involved in:

  • The Battle of Normandy, including heavy fighting at Caen.

  • Operation Totalize and other pushes through France.

• The division fought across France, into Belgium, the Netherlands, and finally into Germany in 1945.

• They were present for the final Allied push into Bremen, and the war ended soon after