9th Div ThistlePatches For tunics

[trenchtrotter]

A recent thread was enquiring about these items so today I recorded a photo image and post here. I know I could of posted on the previous thread but thought this would be easier to search for future reference. The actual thistles were for right and left arm and faced different ways. I have two mounted on the blue circlets and one unmounted. The stem faces the opposite way on this. Not sure which wat the stem should face when worn.

TT

[Staffsyeoman]

These were used for a while in the early Second World War period also (1939-40, when it was used as the cadre to reform the 51st Highland Division lost in France) so precise dating of one may not be possible, but it certainly looks right.

[dundeesown]

Think that should be abandoned in France.

GF

[Lachlan]

Would I be right in saying that the infantry of the 9th Scottish adopted the thistle insignia in mid-late 1918 ? Before that, they wore battle sleeve insignia (eg coloured cloth arcs for 8th Black Watch).

The 9th (Highland) Div was re-established in the lead-up to WW2 as the duplicate division of the 51st Highland. The 15th Div was reformed as the duplicate of the 52nd Lowland Div. The 9th included the 10th and 11th Btns of the Argylls, duplicates of the 51st's 7th and 8th Argylls TA battalions. In the aftermath of St Valery, the nearly-non existent 51st Div took over the 9th as the new 51st. Meanwhile, the battered remnants of the 7th & 8th Argylls got back to the UK and they absorbed the 10th and 11th Argylls in the new 51st.