Argyll Fans !

[BobsYourUncle]

I am a living historian, part of a group that now portrays the 7th Battalion Argylls in WWII. We rebadged from the 2d Battalion last summer.

For a reasonably full accounting of the disposition of the various battalions after WWI up to the late 1990's, I would refer you to "Fighting Highlanders! The History of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders" by P.J.R. Mileham. Your original post asked in particular about the disposition of the 4th battalion. Mileham states at page 106: "At the end of the war [WWI] the Regiment shrank to its pre-war size. All the Service battalions of the Argylls were disbanded, while the 3rd and 4th Special Reserve battalions were amalgamated and placed in suspended animation, until their final deletion from the Order of Battle in 1953. Of the Territorial Battalions, 5th and 6th Argylls from Renfrew amalgamated in 1922 (to be separated again later), while 7th, 8th and 9th continued in service between the wars, until they were required once more at a time of crisis."

In subsequent chapters, Mileham gives greater detail about the disposition and movements of the various battalions of the regiment during and after the war. Mileham was a Major in the Royal Tank Regiment, and his history is one of the best general narratives treating A&SH history. Of course, official histories were published of the Argyll Battalions after the war. Official histories were published of the 1st, 2nd [Malayan], 2nd Reconstituted, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Battalions, all by publisher Thomas Nelson and Sons, Ltd, beginning in 1949.

I hope this assists you in your quest. Cheers!

[Lachlan09]

Thanks for that !

Indeed, about 1973 I bought some of the Nelson volumes in a 2nd hand bookshop on George IV Bridge, Edinburgh – the 1st, 2nd (original), 6th, 9th, 58th LAA plus a thinner “The Argylls in Korea”. A couple of those dark green leather volumes were missing their dust-jackets, but the last three had theirs – purple and dark green with diagonal Argylls’ dicing band and “The Argylls in Korea” was I think similar but a dark blue in lieu of purple and the volume was blue I think. I also bought an excellent big old history of the 15th Scottish Div in WW2 (complete with photos, coloured maps with tissue protection leaves etc.). All the books are long-gone – “hors de divorce”. I always recall “The Argylls in Korea” had a wonderful posed photo of Piper Pitkeathly with his hands over his ears as he lets an American PFC (called Gethen ?) try out his pipes ! How do I still remember that after 30-odd years ?

I also recall a photo, in an Argylls volume, of an Argylls RA detachment (light ack-ack) beside their Bofors gun at a 1944 liberation exhibition in Paris. Logic tells me that it must be the 58th LAA (A&SH) which I believe was based on the 4th Argylls and therefore I had the Nelson book too, but my memory is duller on it being the 4th Argylls or not.

Were the 91st and 93rd Anti-Tank in the same Nelson volume ? I can’t recall.
Did Mileham mention the 5th and 6th (MG) Battalions being in Malaya in 1942 ? That is a complete revelation to me and I would like to verify that it occurred.

I wish I still had my books !