Great Britain was divided into
military districts on the outbreak of
war with France in 1793.[1] The Scottish District was commanded by the Commander-in-Chief, Scotland. In January 1876 a ‘Mobilization Scheme for the forces in Great Britain and Ireland’ was published, with the ‘Active Army’ divided into eight army corps based on the District Commands.
8th Corps was to be formed within Scottish Command, based at
Edinburgh. This scheme disappeared in 1881, when the districts were retitled ‘District Commands.[2]
Early twentieth century
The 1901 Army Estimates introduced by
St John Brodrick allowed for six army corps based on six regional commands. As outlined in a paper published in 1903,
VI Corps was to be formed in a reconstituted Scottish Command, with HQ at Edinburgh.[3] Lieutenant General Sir
Charles Tucker was appointed acting
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOCinC) of VI Corps in April 1903. Scottish Command was established in 1905 at
Edinburgh Castle but moved to
Craigiehall in 1955.[4]
First World War
Army Order No 324, issued on 21 August 1914, authorised the formation of a 'New Army' of six Divisions, manned by volunteers who had responded to
Earl Kitchener's appeal (hence the First New Army was known as 'K1'). Each division was to be under the administration of one of the Home Commands, and Scottish Command formed what became the
9th (Scottish) Division.[5] It was followed by
15th (Scottish) Division of K2 in September 1914.[6] The
64th (2nd Highland) Division was established in the Command by 1915 after the departure of
51st (Highland) Division for France.[7]
As France was capitulating, General
Władysław Sikorski. the Polish
commander-in-chief and prime minister, was able to evacuate many Polish troops—probably over 20,000—to the United Kingdom.[10] After initially regrouping in southern Scotland[11]these Polish ground units (as
I Corps, comprising the 1st Independent Rifle Brigade, the 10th Motorised Cavalry Brigade (as infantry) and
cadre brigades largely manned by surplus officers at battalion strength) took over responsibility in October 1940 for the defence of the counties of
Fife and
Angus; this included reinforcing coastal defences that had already been started. I Corps was under the direct command of Scottish Command. While in this area the Corps was reorganised and expanded.[12]
Post War
In 1950, the 51st/52nd (Scottish) Division was split, restoring the independence of the 52nd Lowland Division, which took regional command of
Territorial Army units based in the Scottish Lowlands, including the Territorial infantry battalions of the
Lowland Brigade regiments.[13]
Craigiehall, command headquarters from 1955 to 2000
In 1955, Headquarters Scottish Command moved into modern facilities at
Craigiehall, close to
Cramond, around 9 km (5.6 mi) west of central
Edinburgh. At this time, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief had 92 separate locations under his command, with 2,500 regular service men and women and 8,800 members of the Territorial Army, representing 14% of the total across the UK.[15]
The Command was merged into HQ
United Kingdom Land Forces (HQ UKLF) in 1972 and the headquarters in
Scotland was downgraded to the status of a district, known as Army Headquarters Scotland. Scotland continued to have district status until 2000 when the last General Officer Commanding Scotland stood down and the Army HQ Scotland was replaced by HQ
2nd Infantry Division with control of troops in Scotland and the North of England.[16]
^Ron McGuigan,
Bradford, Thomas in British Generals of the Napoleonic Wars 1793–1815. The Napoleon Series, 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
^Ron McGuigan,
O'Callaghan, Robert William in British Generals of the Napoleonic Wars 1793–1815. The Napoleon Series, 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2012.