Tom Rennie

Major-General Thomas Gordon Rennie CB DSO MBE (3 January 1900 – 24 March 1945) was a British Army officer who commanded the 3rd Infantry Division and later the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division during World War II and was later killed in action during Operation Plunder, the crossing of the River Rhine in March 1945.

Tom Rennie
Born	3 January 1900 Foochow, China
Died	24 March 1945 (aged 45) River Rhine, Germany
Buried	Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1918−1945
Rank	Major-General
Service number	18139
Unit	Black Watch
Commands held	5th Battalion, Black Watch 154th Infantry Brigade 3rd Infantry Division 51st (Highland) Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War II French and Low Countries campaign Battle of France  (POW) North African Campaign Western Desert Campaign Second Battle of El Alamein Italian campaign Allied invasion of Sicily Western Allied invasion of France Normandy landings Western Allied invasion of Germany Operation Plunder  †
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Member of the Order of the British Empire

Military career

Educated at Loretto School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Rennie was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) on 16 July 1919.[1][2] Attending the Staff College, Camberley from 1933 to 1934, he saw active service in the Second World War, was taken prisoner at Saint-Valery-en-Caux during the final stages of the Battle of France in June 1940, but then escaped nine days later.[1] He was made Commanding Officer (CO) of the 5th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) in 1942, leading the battalion at the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942,[3] and then becoming Commander of the 154th Infantry Brigade[1] and leading that formation for the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943.[3]

Major-General Thomas Rennie, GOC 3rd Division, studying a map with other officers at Divisional HQ during an exercise, 1 May 1944.

In December 1943 he was appointed General Officer Commanding 3rd Infantry Division in which role he took part in the Normandy landings in June 1944.[1] He was then made General Officer Commanding 51st (Highland) Infantry Division but in March 1945, after crossing the Rhine, he was killed by mortar fire.[1]

He is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.[4]

References

1. Loretto Roll of Honour Archived 28 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
2. "No. 31505". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 August 1919. p. 10343.
3. Exhibition: "They got a huge reception at St Valery" Breakout from Normandy Archived 28 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
4. "Casualty Details: Rennie, Tom Gordon". www.cwgc.org: Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 11 October 2011.

Bibliography

• Mead, Richard (2007). Churchill's Lions: a biographical guide to the key British generals of World War II. Stroud (UK): Spellmount. ISBN 978-1-86227-431-0.
• Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnesley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 1844150496.

External links

• British Army Officers 1939−1945
• Generals of World War II
• Tom Rennie at Find a Grave