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Black Watch: Liberating Europe and Catching Himmler - My Extraordinary WW2 with the Highland Division
As a 19-year old Black Watch conscript Tom Renouf's war began with some of the most vicious fighting of the conflict—against Himmler's fanatical "Hitler Youth" SS Division. It ended with the capture of Himmler himself and Tom taking a trophy he still treasures, the Gestapo commander's watch. Seriously wounded and later decorated with a Military Medal for gallantry, Tom Renouf witnessed the death and maiming of countless of his teenage comrades and saw the survivors transformed into grizzled veterans. Tom Renouf draws on his own personal experiences, as well as his unique archive of interviews with veterans amassed over 20 years as secretary of the 51st Highland Division Veterans' Association, to paint a vivid picture of the Battle of Normandy, the liberation of Holland, the Battle of the Bulge, and many more memorable WW2 events.
296 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 21, 2012
This book covers the experience of a young lad who joins the army during the war and ends up in the Black Watch. The book provides details of the Black Watch at war in the 1940 campaign in France, to the North African desert and then to Italy before the author joins up. This part of the book includes stories from other members of the unit and numerous first-hand accounts of the battles and campaigns.
The book is full of observations and notes by the author, both funny and serious, like this account when he and a mate tried to join up:
“He volunteered for the Cameron Highlanders, while I opted for my father's old regiment, the Argylls. However, Lachlan failed his medical on account of some kidney problems. Later, crouched in a frozen slit trench with German mortars raining down on me, I cursed my old rugby mate for knowing nothing of the dangers faced by British infantrymen."
Once the author joins the war, a few days after D-Day, we follow him and his mates as they take the fight to the enemy in the hard slog across France, Holland and into Germany. This account below is from a friend of the author, Ronnie Cameron, a sharpshooter who became a sniper with the Black Watch, and landed in Normandy on the same day as the author:
“It was after we got dug in that the shelling really started. It was really bad. We had an old soldier in the trench I was in, and he said, ‘How are you feeling, lad, after that?’ ‘Oh,’ I said, ‘not too good, but thank God it’s stopped. At least they didn’t do us much harm.’ ‘Oh, be quiet,’ he said. ‘That was ours. Wait until the other side starts!’ It had been our guns that were firing, and I thought it was the Germans!”
At times his unit is sparring with German Fallschirmjäger’s, Hitler Youth from the Waffen SS, panzer units and German infantrymen in all types of terrain and conditions. The book provides details of the fighting during the Battle of Normandy, the liberation of Holland, the Battle of the Bulge, and crossing the Rhine. During the heavy fighting during the Battle for Goch, Germany during February 1945, this incident occurred involving a friend of the author:
“Snipers were very active and difficult to locate so I was not amused when a newsreel photographer asked me to make a dash to a doorway running into sniper fire while he filmed me. I politely refused saying I did not want to be an extinct star.”
One thing that you need to remind yourself whilst reading this book is that the author and many of his friends who were killed or wounded were only 18 or a few years older. They experienced some of the hardest fighting in the 1944-45 campaign in the British forces whilst advancing upon the borders of the Third Reich. Overall a very good book for those who have an interest in the Scottish Highland units of WW2.
The book is full of observations and notes by the author, both funny and serious, like this account when he and a mate tried to join up:
“He volunteered for the Cameron Highlanders, while I opted for my father's old regiment, the Argylls. However, Lachlan failed his medical on account of some kidney problems. Later, crouched in a frozen slit trench with German mortars raining down on me, I cursed my old rugby mate for knowing nothing of the dangers faced by British infantrymen."
Once the author joins the war, a few days after D-Day, we follow him and his mates as they take the fight to the enemy in the hard slog across France, Holland and into Germany. This account below is from a friend of the author, Ronnie Cameron, a sharpshooter who became a sniper with the Black Watch, and landed in Normandy on the same day as the author:
“It was after we got dug in that the shelling really started. It was really bad. We had an old soldier in the trench I was in, and he said, ‘How are you feeling, lad, after that?’ ‘Oh,’ I said, ‘not too good, but thank God it’s stopped. At least they didn’t do us much harm.’ ‘Oh, be quiet,’ he said. ‘That was ours. Wait until the other side starts!’ It had been our guns that were firing, and I thought it was the Germans!”
At times his unit is sparring with German Fallschirmjäger’s, Hitler Youth from the Waffen SS, panzer units and German infantrymen in all types of terrain and conditions. The book provides details of the fighting during the Battle of Normandy, the liberation of Holland, the Battle of the Bulge, and crossing the Rhine. During the heavy fighting during the Battle for Goch, Germany during February 1945, this incident occurred involving a friend of the author:
“Snipers were very active and difficult to locate so I was not amused when a newsreel photographer asked me to make a dash to a doorway running into sniper fire while he filmed me. I politely refused saying I did not want to be an extinct star.”
One thing that you need to remind yourself whilst reading this book is that the author and many of his friends who were killed or wounded were only 18 or a few years older. They experienced some of the hardest fighting in the 1944-45 campaign in the British forces whilst advancing upon the borders of the Third Reich. Overall a very good book for those who have an interest in the Scottish Highland units of WW2.
February 5, 2019
A generally good read.. a completely different version of WW2 in the sense that it was much more about the actual battles and the travels which the soldiers made to liberate Europe. Sadly one of those books that you feel you are never going to get to the end of ..
April 10, 2020
Over a third of the book either relates to his growing up or the action of the Battalion before he joined it, quite a big chunk given it's only 300 pages and the type is quite large.
I still gave 4 stars as it still remains a good book
I still gave 4 stars as it still remains a good book
December 9, 2024
Mostly focusing on events and operations that Tom Renouf wasn't present for, he still does well focusing on the Scottish regiments during WW2. A bit baised whenever the Gordon Highlanders were mentioned for me, overall, if you're a bit of a war nut, this quick read will add to your knowledge.
February 8, 2012
This is a campaign history written by a veteran of 5th Bn Black Watch who later became the secretary of the Highland Division Association. Direct personal accounts, both from the author and other veterans, are used to tell the story of the 51st Highland Division in a very personal way. This book offers some new perspectives on the battles of the 51st, especially those in the final months of the war in which the author was personally involved.
The book starts with some background on the author's family and his early life. His link to the Highland Division starts with his father's WW1 service. When war comes he is still too young to be involved, but at the earliest opportunity he volunteers for service in the hope that he can join the 51st Highland Division. However the ways of the Army don't work out as he would have preferred, and he ends up in a replacement company of the Tyneside Scottish (a Black Watch battalion) and spends the first few weeks after D-Day in Normandy waiting to be assigned as a replacement. Eventually though he is assigned to a rifle company and blooded.
After the breakout his battalion is broken up and he is assigned to the 5th Black Watch. Shortly afterwards he is wounded and spends time recovering and then working his way through the replacement system to re-join his company in the Autumn. All the period when he is out of the line he uses other veterans stories to tell what happened to the Division (and indeed also for context around his personal accounts too).
Whether you have an interest in the Highland Division, in the infantry experience in the Second World War or the campaigns it is well worth reading.
The book starts with some background on the author's family and his early life. His link to the Highland Division starts with his father's WW1 service. When war comes he is still too young to be involved, but at the earliest opportunity he volunteers for service in the hope that he can join the 51st Highland Division. However the ways of the Army don't work out as he would have preferred, and he ends up in a replacement company of the Tyneside Scottish (a Black Watch battalion) and spends the first few weeks after D-Day in Normandy waiting to be assigned as a replacement. Eventually though he is assigned to a rifle company and blooded.
After the breakout his battalion is broken up and he is assigned to the 5th Black Watch. Shortly afterwards he is wounded and spends time recovering and then working his way through the replacement system to re-join his company in the Autumn. All the period when he is out of the line he uses other veterans stories to tell what happened to the Division (and indeed also for context around his personal accounts too).
Whether you have an interest in the Highland Division, in the infantry experience in the Second World War or the campaigns it is well worth reading.
June 13, 2014
This was a very good read. Great first hand account of the Scottish 51st Highland Division also refered to as "The Black Watch". This is a first hand account of their battles through WW2 including the beaches of Normandy, the liberation of Holland and ultimately their thrust into Germany after participating in the Battle of The Bulge.
If you like first hand experiences, first hand accounts, and solid detail on significant battles in WW2, this is a good read. Great to read a perspective of a warrior who fought fro the Allies from another country.
I give this a solid 4 stars. Good read.
If you like first hand experiences, first hand accounts, and solid detail on significant battles in WW2, this is a good read. Great to read a perspective of a warrior who fought fro the Allies from another country.
I give this a solid 4 stars. Good read.
October 18, 2012
Enjoyed the book nicely written the author certainly saw some action! Well written and captures the squady humour thats been around since soldiering began!
February 27, 2014
Not only does the book contain the experiences of the author with the Black Watch in Europe but he gives a brief overview of the actions of the Black Watch in France and later in North Africa.
May 31, 2015
A good book and well written. The author does not boast of his own achievements, but rising through the ranks from private to officer status says a lot for his courage, leadership, and bravery.
June 9, 2019
A fascinating tale of one man's experience serving in the legendary Black Watch during WW2.
Thoroughly enjoyable read giving you a different perspective on the war.
Thoroughly enjoyable read giving you a different perspective on the war.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews