Tom Rennie

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]

• 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.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thomas Gordon Rennie.

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