Seaforths to RAC with Recce and no one knows what inbetween

Hi to all and hopefully someone can make sense of this, i am looking for information regarding my wife's grandfather James Calderwood 2824168.

On his kit bag its marked 59th Div, scored out/ 15th Scottish and 51st HD along with Sgt James Calderwood and recce.

On his reg card it is marked
Seaforths 1940-16/08/43
Recce 17/08/43 - 13/12/43
RAC 1/1/44 - 02/04/46

In his kit bag is a small atlas of europe and on the front inside cover is marked
2nd seaforths scored out
5th seaforths scored out
7th seaforths 152 brigade / 51st HD scored out
46th Brigade / 15th div
51st recce
confusing oh yes !!!!! we know that around 1943 he was based in Scarborough for 6 months as a small arms instructor

his kit bag contained various buttons (Seaforths, HLI and general service corp and a cap badge for the Seaforths. we still have his Seaforths uniform but no others or insignias etc for any other corp.

For a while he was in Gleneagles hospital for PTSD / he was at Belsen / he drove a bren / universal carrier
he did 4 parachute jumps but was too light only 5ft 2
As you can see totally strange i have tried matching units and dates but their is a massive chunk missing from Ft George 39/40 to Scarborough 43.
He also has jotters with hand written notes of tank recognition / small arms instructions / how to deploy mines etc along with small various photos.

My head hurts so much with this.

Regards

Ian
Any help would be welcome

 

Many soldiers were transferred between units which is why the only suggestion from here is:
Get a copy of military service records

The change on 1/4/44 is when Recce were absorbed into the RAC.

 

The Battalions of the Seaforths that are listed look to have shuttled around between various Brigades of the 50th (Highland) and 15th (Scottish) Divisions.

2nd Bn - 17 Inf Bde of 5 Inf Div - 04 Oct 39 to 30 Mar 40
2nd Bn - 152 Inf Bde of 51 Inf Div - 30 Mar 40 to 12 Jun 40, and again 04 Sep 40 to 31 Aug 45 (in between 154 Inf Bde of 51 Div, 07 Aug 40 to 04 Sep 40)

5th Bn - 26 Inf Bde of 9 Inf Div - 03 Sep 39 to 06 Aug 40
5th Bn - 152 Inf Bde of 51 Inf Div - 05 Feb 41 to 31 Aug 45

7th Bn - 26 Inf Bde of 9 Inf Div - 03 Sep 39 to 06 Aug 40
7th Bn - 152 Inf Bde of 51 Inf Div - 07 Aug 40 to 23 Aug 40
7th Bn - 46 Inf Bde of 15 Inf Div - 15 Nov 41 to 31 Aug 45

I only had a very quick look and the Recce experts will know better, but it seems 51 Recce was disbanded when 51st Highland were in North Africa. Their place was taken by 2 Derbyshire Yeomanry when the Div returned to the UK prior to Overlord. 15 Recce was the Regt of 15th Scottish, and as mentioned became part of the RAC in 1944 along with the rest of the Recce Corps.

Gary

 

Gary is correct:-
From 'This Band of Brothers' :-
"51st Reconnaissance Regiment was formed in February 1941, from the 15th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry. The 51st fought in the battle of El Alamein, shortly afterwards, in January 1943, the regiment was transferred back as the 14th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry. Commanding Officer of the Regiment was Lt-Col E H Grant."

51 Recce's last action was in the advance to Fuka (June 43), following which it was ordered back to Cairo for conversion into a motorised infantry unit, as 14th Bn, HLI. I can only assume that his service with the Reconnaissance Corps was with a different unit. 15th (Scottish) recce was formed in February 1943.

His service records will reveal all.