1st A/L Brigade and the 7th KOSB

7th Bn Kings Own Scottish Borderers

The outbreak of war in September 1939 called for reorganization of the Territorial Army and consequently the 7th KOSB. Up until now the Battalion had been scattered about its home area in no fewer than 19 separate billets, but by the end of September they converged at St. Boswell's where training began in earnest; largely consisting of route marches because target practice was restricted due to a lack of ammunition. A number of the Battalion's men were lost, as was a sizeable percentage of the TA, due to their skills in industry taking a priority over their military service. In their place came a large draft of professional soldiers from the North of England.

In July 1943 the 7th KOSB were moved to Orkney, a more pleasant place. In spite of the presence of the large naval base in Scapa Flow, always busy with British and American warships, there was little in the way of German interference with the exception of reconnaissance flights. In November Captain George Gourley, Second-in-Command of D Company, attended a two-week course in Edinburgh and during his stay he was informed by a good friend that his Battalion was shortly to be converted to the Airborne role. Official confirmation followed and that month saw the move to Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire, home of the 1st Airlanding Brigade. Though it was probable that no one in the Battalion had even seen a glider before this time, all were delighted at the prospect after their long four year tour of the British Isles.

AIRBORNE with 1st Air Landing Brigade

The conversion process went well and the men began training with gliders to become accustomed to their new role. Any men who failed the medical tests to determine their suitability for the glider-borne lifestyle were replaced by men from the Regiment, or from other Scottish units. Unfortunately a disaster befell the Battalion in the early hours of the 4th April 1944, during an exercise codenamed Dreme, when a Stirling towing a Horsa carrying No.3 Platoon hit a tree on high ground and crashed, killing all aboard. 26 Borderers were killed, together with 6 RAF personnel and 2 glider pilots.

After Arnhem the 7th KOSB flew with the 1st Airlanding Brigade and Divisional HQ to accept the surrender of the German forces in Norway. The weather during the flight was very bad and one of the Battalion's Stirlings crashed after colliding with a large pine tree. There were survivors, but four men drowned, including an Arnhem veteran.

ARNHEM

The first gliders of the British 1st Airborne Division touched down just after midday (1st Airlanding Brigade) followed by the divisional artillery and troopsBy mid-afternoon, the 1st Airlanding Brigade (1/Border, 7/KOSB & 2/South Staffs under Brigadier P H W Hicks) had started to secure the dropping zones west of Arnhem, and were already in action against the 16th SS Panzergrenadier Depot Battalion.

Dropzone Y was defended by 7th Battalion the King’s Own Scottish Borderers (7 KOSB), 21st Independent Parachute Company, 113 Parachute Field Ambulance and later on elements of 4th Parachute Brigade. Their opponents consisted of a diverse gathering of German and Duch SS troops and regular army and navy troops. Among these were for example 20. Schiffs-Stamm-Abteilung, SS Wach-Bataillon 3 and 4. SS Panzergrenadier Ausbildungs und Ersatz Bataillon. Many of the German units lacked in training, experience and leadership. This would prove to be a decisive factor during the battle.

1st Parachute Brigade started its attack eastwards along the line of the Lower Rhine (1/Para and 3/Para) and towards Arnhem Bridge (11/Para and 2/South Staffs) before dawn while 4th Parachute Brigade moved towards the high ground. The fog lifted soon after daybreak as 1 and 3/Para found themselves in a crossfire between anti-aircraft guns firing from the southern bank and SS-Kampfgruppe 'Spindler' to the north. They could advance no further and the attack had collapsed by mid-morning with heavy casualties. The advance by 11/Para and 2/South Staffs met with little success either, but they did advance far enough to free General Urquhart who moved quickly to the divisional headquarters by jeep and start to reorganise the remains of the division. Hackett's attack to the northeast was reinforced by 7/KOSB leaving just 1/Border in reserve. Warnings were also broadcast to the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade not to land on its original drop zone as the Germans controlled the area.

In total 7,167 men were listed as killed, missing or wounded at Arnhem, in an operation described by some as, 'a total disaster'. But after the battle, in which the Paras won five Victoria Crosses, the American General Dwight Eisenhower was full of praise for the airborne warriors.

He said, 'There has been no single performance by any unit that has more greatly inspired me or more excited my admiration than the nine day action by the lst British Parachute Division between September 17 and 25'.

Of the 765 men of the 7th (Galloway)Bn Kings Own Scottish Borderers who flew into Arnhem in the 56 Horsa Gliders allocated to them 112 lost thier lives, 577 were reported as missing (captured) and barely 10%-76-of this Battalion were evacuated to the allied lines.

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