Can you ID these officers 15th Scottish Division 1945

Brigadier CWP Richardson DSO - not found a photo - yet, in fact he is a bit of a mystery man, Master of Hounds Chippenham- will keep trawling with a net!

 

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http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachments/allied-units-general/56489d1310539102t-can-you-id-these-officers-15th-scottish-division-1945-ellis-jpg Lt Col Hogg






I said get my slippers and pipe!


We are all making the assumption that all three are battalion commanders, it could well a 2i/c or an officer being briefed for an operation.

 

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Stolpi I can assure you a CO may brief a 2/ic.company commander or platoon commander direct. I have been on many O' groups, direct briefing is often carried out when time is an issue, in a direct contact or imminent contact and the CO cannot get to the O group in time. Battle is never set piece the CO could as easily be on a Div or Bde commanders O group and nominates another battalion officer to attend. Spending 26 years in the infantry there is nothing that is normal or constant. We had Drill Sergeants (WO2) as platoon commanders.

 

Owen - What remains to be solved is the location of the picture ... any suggestions ... ? ... I'm not sure what I see in the background .. some roofs?

I think it's a gable end of a house, with a wall that cuts back behind the three offices and at an angle towards the road somewhere around the back of the Curchill tank. The wall is about 10 feet tall. The angle of the house suggests it is on a bend or possibly a road junction. I favour a bend, because experienced troops would not stop at a junction or cross roads, because the Germans would have these zero'd in by Artillary and/or Mortars. Enlarge the picture at message one and check it out!

I also think that the house had not been built very long at the time the photograph was taken, maybe just pre-war. The bricks appear new (ish).

Best,

Steve.

 

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Wills - I agree with you - but the picture shows a meeting of officers from different battalions. One even an attached battalion (2nd Gordon Highlanders). Would it be normal for a 2 i/c to attend such a meeting. Yes for many possible reasons,the CO might have part of his battalion in contact with the enemy, he may as I said be at at a Div/Bde conference/O group. Bn 2/ics have to be capable of running the battalion at a moments notice so commanding officers rely on them to do so they must know that the 2ic - can attend higher formation O groups, and frankly have enough experience to stand up for their commands. If a unit is exhausted he must be able to stand with higher ranks and put his case. I witnessed a Drill Sergeant tell a CO. No Sir, it would be stupidity to put exhausted troops out, the CO thought for a moment and said of course Drill Sergeant you a right. Bn 2ics are in the running to become COs. They cannot on day 1 just take over without first handling all of the day to day routine and handling the Bn in the field and liaising with other Bns.Guns.signals. armour and so on. Something else tells me this officer has arrived on foot, he is wearing his pack, and a gas cape/groundsheet rolled up on the pack, he is carrying a rifle still cocked! He has just come from the front line, the other two (who we know to be Bn Commanders) are either in a temporary safe location or have arrived by vehicle.

 

I still believe it is Richardson. But it's only a ... believe ...

Man on the left isn't Richardson as appear that he didn't have mustache. On this picture, although of poor quality, it's obvious that he isn't Richardson.

 

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Who then was 2 i/c of the 6th KOSB at the time of Veritable ?

That should be Major A.E.S. Jackson MC.

 

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Don't know if this has been resolved anywhere else but I'm wondering whether the unknown officer in the photo could be Capt Baggaley himself, the author of the above book. This photo comes from the book, which incidentally is now back in print (Amazon - £12.50). Could the Intelligence Officer of 6 KOSB be briefing the two senior officers? The moustache and nose look good, I'd have thought, but who knows? There are also one or two map refs in the various war diaries for 10 February 1945 that put the location just to the west of Cleve.

 

Yes! Always good to see a CO carrying a rifle!