Following the evacuation at Dunkirk, 140,000 British soldiers remained in France.
Most were lines-of-communication troops (such as those organised as the Beauman Division), but they included the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division.
The latter, on 6 May 1940, had been assigned to the French sector of the front near Saarland, between Colmen and Launstroff, and positioned on the frontline between the border and the Maginot Line.
As a result of the German advance during their invasion of France, the division had been cut off from the rest of the BEF.
Under French command, the division was withdrawn towards the Somme after initial engagements with German forces on the border.
By the time the division had arrived at Bresle, the BEF was already being evacuated via Dunkirk.
At this point, the British government was determined to reinforce the French, and prepared to dispatch a new BEF as soon as forces became available.
By 9 June, the 51st Division had started to withdraw towards Le Havre, after defending its position at Bresle.
The intent was to evacuate the division from there.
With this in mind, the 154th Brigade was dispatched to cover the port to facilitate the division's retreat.
Within 24 hours, Le Havre and the 154th Brigade had been cut off.
The remaining two brigades were ordered towards Saint-Valery.
Due to thick fog, which impeded the ability of ships to approach, and German guns that had been positioned to dominate the port, the division was unable to escape and was forced to surrender on 12 June.
The 154th Brigade, surrounded at Le Havre, was evacuated on 13 June.


The historian Craig F. French wrote that the loss of the 51st "came as 'another Flodden' to the Scots nation", gave the men of the 9th (Highland) a desire to avenge their comrades, and resulted in a "profound difference in the attitude of all ranks towards the need for training."
Previously, according to the historian David John Newbold, the 9th Division was seen as "a semi-trained, [and] ill-equipped" formation.
As a result of the loss, Cunningham agitated for the division to be renamed to re-create the 51st.
French wrote 
"there was also an important incentive to the War Office to create another Highland Division, since that Division was held in popular esteem in British hearts, and, in view of the reforging of the national army after the battle of France, the Highland Division was to be a vital element in the promotion of a reborn Army."

 On 7 August, the 9th (Highland) Infantry Division was re-designated as the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division.
As part of this process, the 26th Brigade became the 152nd Brigade, and the 27th Brigade was renumbered the 153rd Brigade.
The 154th, which had been under direct War Office control before being assigned to Scottish Command following its escape from France, absorbed the 28th Brigade.
The men from the latter were used to bring 154th Brigade's depleted battalions up to full strength.

French wrote, before the renaming of the division, that due to it being "stationed over a wide area, [it] did not have the opportunity to coalesce into a cohesive unit with its feelings of wider divisional loyalties."
The renaming of the division "had a significant effect on its troops", which laid the foundations for its future success with the "building of a divisional esprit de corps", and started the process of moulding the division "into a cohesive formation".
The new 51st (Highland) Division would go on to fight in the Western Desert Campaign, notably at the Second Battle of El Alamein, fight through the Tunisian Campaign, be involved in the invasion of Sicily and the opening stages of the Italian Campaign, fight in the Battle of Normandy, and the subsequent advance into Germany.
The 9th Division was not re-raised during the war, nor when the TA was reformed in 1947.
Following the evacuation at Dunkirk, 140,000 British soldiers remained in France. Most were lines-of-communication troops (such as those organised as the Beauman Division), but they included the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. The latter, on 6 May 1940, had been assigned to the French sector of the front near Saarland, between Colmen and Launstroff, and positioned on the frontline between the border and the Maginot Line. As a result of the German advance during their invasion of France, the division had been cut off from the rest of the BEF. Under French command, the division was withdrawn towards the Somme after initial engagements with German forces on the border. By the time the division had arrived at Bresle, the BEF was already being evacuated via Dunkirk. At this point, the British government was determined to reinforce the French, and prepared to dispatch a new BEF as soon as forces became available. By 9 June, the 51st Division had started to withdraw towards Le Havre, after defending its position at Bresle. The intent was to evacuate the division from there. With this in mind, the 154th Brigade was dispatched to cover the port to facilitate the division's retreat. Within 24 hours, Le Havre and the 154th Brigade had been cut off. The remaining two brigades were ordered towards Saint-Valery. Due to thick fog, which impeded the ability of ships to approach, and German guns that had been positioned to dominate the port, the division was unable to escape and was forced to surrender on 12 June. The 154th Brigade, surrounded at Le Havre, was evacuated on 13 June.

The historian Craig F. French wrote that the loss of the 51st "came as 'another Flodden' to the Scots nation", gave the men of the 9th (Highland) a desire to avenge their comrades, and resulted in a "profound difference in the attitude of all ranks towards the need for training." Previously, according to the historian David John Newbold, the 9th Division was seen as "a semi-trained, [and] ill-equipped" formation. As a result of the loss, Cunningham agitated for the division to be renamed to re-create the 51st. French wrote 
"there was also an important incentive to the War Office to create another Highland Division, since that Division was held in popular esteem in British hearts, and, in view of the reforging of the national army after the battle of France, the Highland Division was to be a vital element in the promotion of a reborn Army."
 On 7 August, the 9th (Highland) Infantry Division was re-designated as the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. As part of this process, the 26th Brigade became the 152nd Brigade, and the 27th Brigade was renumbered the 153rd Brigade. The 154th, which had been under direct War Office control before being assigned to Scottish Command following its escape from France, absorbed the 28th Brigade. The men from the latter were used to bring 154th Brigade's depleted battalions up to full strength.
French wrote, before the renaming of the division, that due to it being "stationed over a wide area, [it] did not have the opportunity to coalesce into a cohesive unit with its feelings of wider divisional loyalties." The renaming of the division "had a significant effect on its troops", which laid the foundations for its future success with the "building of a divisional esprit de corps", and started the process of moulding the division "into a cohesive formation". The new 51st (Highland) Division would go on to fight in the Western Desert Campaign, notably at the Second Battle of El Alamein, fight through the Tunisian Campaign, be involved in the invasion of Sicily and the opening stages of the Italian Campaign, fight in the Battle of Normandy, and the subsequent advance into Germany. The 9th Division was not re-raised during the war, nor when the TA was reformed in 1947.
9th (Highland) Infantry Division