The British 51st (Highland) Division was a Territorial Armydivision that fought on the Western Front in France during the First World War. The division's insignia was a stylised 'HD' inside a red circle. Early doubts about the division's performance earned it the nickname of "Harper's Duds" after the name of its commander Major General G.M. Harper.
1/4th Bn, the Gordon Highlanders (until February 1915)
1/5th (Buchan and Formartin) Bn, the Gordon Highlanders (until February 1918)
1/7th (Deeside Highland) Bn, the Gordon Highlanders (until October 1918)
154th (3rd Highland) Brigade
The original brigade comprised the following battalions until April 1915 when some of the battalions moved to the 152nd Brigade:
1/7th Bn, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
1/6th (Renfrewshire) Bn, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
1/8th (The Argyllshire) Bn, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
1/9th (The Dunbartonshire) Bn, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Between April 18 1915 and January 1916, the brigade was replaced by the battalions of the 164th (North Lancashire) Brigade from the 55th (West Lancashire) Division.
1/4th Bn TF, the King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment
The Guards Armoured Division was formed in the United Kingdom in 1941, and after many reorganizations, moved to Northwest Europe on 28 Jun 1944, where it fought until the cessation of hostilities in May 1945.
In Oct 1944, the division was finally committed to action in the Scheldt fighting, and remained in Northwest Europe until after the cessation of hostilities in May 1945.
The division moved to Normandy in Jun 1944, but due to a shortage of replacement troops in British 2nd Army, the 59th (as the most junior division ashore) was broken up for reinforcements.
The divisions of the British III and IV Corps were to lead the attack.
It is believed that the commander of the 51st, G. Harper, substituted his own tank drill for the standard one and that an excessive space between the tanks and the infantry contributed to the failure.
The initial speed of the German infantries advance was completely unexpected by the British, the commands of 29th and 12th division were almost captured, with Brigadier-General Vincent having to fight free from his own encircled headquarters and then grab men from any retreating units to try and halt the Germans.
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