Scottish Regiments
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards The Scots Guards The Royal Scots The Royal Highland Fusiliers The Kings Own Scottish Borderers The Cameronians The Black Watch The Queens Own Highlanders The Gordon Highlanders The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
THE ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOON GUARDS

(CARABINIERS AND GREYS)

Formed 25 years ago in July 1971 by amalgamation of the 3rd Carabiniers and The Royal Scots Greys,The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards are Scotland's only Regiment of Cavalry. Their forebears, the 3rd and 6th Dragoon Guards and the 2nd Dragoons, have an unbroken history spanning 320 years, throughEuropean Wars, South Africa, two World Wars and the Gulf in 1991. The SCOTS DG are stationed in Germany.
They are equipped with Challenger tanks, and when not deployed on other duties in Germany and Canada. The champion Pipes and Drums, famous for 'Amazing Grace' canoften be seen and heard in Scotland and a worldwide events, especially the Edinburgh MilitaryTattoo. The refurbished Museum opened in July 1995. Amongst other displays are the Eagle and Standardcaptured from the French 45th Infantry Regiment at the Battle of Waterloo. Home Headquarters and thewell stocked Regimental Shop completes the presence in Edinburgh Castle.

Military Museum: Edinburgh Castle

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THE SCOTS GUARDS

The Scots Guards were formed in 1642. Archibald the Marquis of Argyle was sanctioned to raise 10Scottish Regiments to act as a Royal Guard for King Charles 1st during his campaign against theIrish Rebels, in the end the King did not go to Ireland but the Regiment did and remained there forseven long and ill paid years. Over the centuries the Regiment has had many names from its original 'The Scotch Life Guard Of Foot'to its present restored by Queen Victoria in 1877. The Regiment has served in every major war and campaign throughout the world and has earned over 90Battle Honours. The campaigns include, the Seven Year War, American Revolution, Napoleonic War,South African War (1861-1864), World War I and II, Malaya and most recently the Falklands in 1982and the Gulf War in 1991. Today the Regiment is still involved in Public and Combat dutiesthroughout the world.

Museum: Birdcage Walk, London

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THE ROYAL SCOTS (THE ROYAL REGIMENT)(1ST OF FOOT)

The Royal Scots is the oldest Regiment of the Line in the British Army. The official raising of theRegiment was in 1633 when Sir John Hepburn, under a warrant given by King Charles I, recruited1200 men in Scotland to fight in France. Their first Battle Honour was Tangier 1680 since when afurther 148 have been gained in a history which has involved them in almost every campaign in whichthe British Army has fought, including Marlborough's battles, the Peninsular War, Waterloo, India,the Crimea and South Africa. During World War I, the Regiment increased to a total of 35 battalions. Seventy nine Battle Honoursand 6 VC's were awarded and battalions fought in all areas from the Western Front to Gallipoli,Palestine, Egypt and briefly Northern Russia. At the start of World War II, the 1st Battalion waspart of the BEF and after suffering heavy casualties covering the retreat to Dunkirk, many weretaken prisoner; whilst the 2nd Battalion bore the brunt of the Japanese attack on Hong Kong.Battalions also fought in Burma, Italy and NW Europe. In post war years, they have seen activeservice in Korea, Cyprus, Egypt, Aden and the Gulf.

Museum: Edinburgh Castle

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THE ROYAL HIGHLAND FUSILIERS (PRINCESS MARGARET'S OWN GLASGOW AND AYRSHIRE REGIMENT) (21ST, 71ST, 74TH)

The Regiment was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of The Royal Scots Fusiliers and The HighlandLight Infantry. It recruits from the City of Glasgow and Ayrshire. HRH Princess Margaret is theColonel in Chief. The RSF were raised in 1678. Originally known as The Earl of Mar's Regiment they had several namechanges over the years:- Scots Fusiliers, 21st Royal North British Fusiliers, and finally Royal Scots Fusiliers. The HLI were raised in 1777 as the 73rd (Lord McLeod's) Highlanders, were renumbered 71st in 1786,and became the 71st Highland Light Infantry in 1809. Meanwhile the 74th Highland Regiment, raised in1787, had a separate existence until 1881 when it was amalgamated with the 71st to become part ofthe HLI. The Regiment and its forebears has fought in most of the major campaigns over the years and carries more than 120 Battle Honours on its colours from Blenheim (1704) to The Gulf (1991).

Military Museum: 518 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow

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THE KING'S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS (25TH)

The King's Own Scottish Border Regiment was mustered in 1689, originally called the Earl of Leven's. The Borderers' military history dates back to honours in Namur in 1695, Gallipoli in 1915-16 and Dunkirk in 1940.During the turbulent days of 1689, when the citizens of Edinburgh were in a state of alarm at theprospect of an attack by Jacobite forces, David Earl of Leven was authorised 'with all expedition tolevie one Regiment of Foot'. This he achieved in the remarkably short period of two hours. Namedafter him initially as 'Leven's Regiment', it was soon to be in action at the Battle of Killiecrankie. But this was not to be the Regiment's last conflict with the Jacobites, for it is unique in the Army in having also fought at Sherrifmuir in 1715 and at Culloden in 1745. The King's Own Scottish Borderers are one of the six infantry regiments which 'gained immortal glory' at the Battle of Minden in 1759 by advancing against a superior force of French Cavalry. Thisbattle commemorated annually on the first of August when the Regiment wear red roses in theirheaddress following the tradition that the soldiers had picked roses as they advanced through gardensbefore the battle. This custom was even observed by Borderers in 1944 when they mounted an attackon Minden Day during the invasion of Normandy - for they attached to their helmets the roses which they plucked from the hedgerows. During the last fifty years the King's Own Borderers have seen action in Palestine, Korea, Malaya,Aden, Borneo and The Gulf.

Military Museum: The Barracks, Berwick Upon Tweed

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THE CAMERONIANS (SCOTTISH RIFLES) (26TH 90TH)

The Cameronian Regiment, subsequently numbered the 26th Foot was raised in 1689 and took the nameof Richard Cameron. Cameron was a covenanter, whose efforts to protect the Presbyterian faith ledultimately to his capture and subsequent death. With the linking of the Perthshire Light Infantry, the 90th of foot, were raised in 1794 in the Lowlands of Perthshire by Thomas Graham (later to become Lord Lynedoch) who achieved fame in thePeninsular War. The Regiment took part in many campaigns around the world not least the terrible battle of NeuveChapelle. It saw action in Burma, Sicily, Italy and marched across Europe from Normandy to theBaltic. In more recent times the Regiment served in Trieste, Germany, Jordan, Kenya and Aden andtook part in operations in Malaya, and the Arabian Peninsula. In 1968, as part of the first round of Defence cuts the Regiment chose to disband rather thanamalgamate with another Lowland Regiment.

Museum: Muir Street, Hamilton

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THE BLACK WATCH (ROYAL HIGHLAND REGIMENT) (42ND, 73RD)

Raised in 1725 as independent Companies to police the Highlands. Issued with dark tartan to keepwatch over the clans - hence Black Watch. Formed into a Regiment in 1740 and became the 42nd. Atvarious times there has been a second Regiment, the 73rd, who eventually became the 2nd BattalionThe Black Watch. Royal Warrant received in 1751. The Red Hackle was awarded and issued in 1795, aprivilege exclusive to the Black Watch. 14VC's. Field Marshall Earl Wavell is the Regiments mosteminent product.

Museum: Balhousie Castle, Hay Street, Perth

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QUEEN'S OWN HIGHLANDERS (SEAFORTH AND CAMERONS) (72ND, 78TH, 79TH)

The Queen's Own Highlanders were an amalgamation of three of the famous Highland regiments raisedin the late 18th Century; The 72nd Highlanders, The 78th Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs) and The79th Cameron Highlanders. The 72nd Highlanders were originally numbered the 78th Highlanders, they were recruited by the Earlof Seaforth mainly from Ross-shire and Lewis, and first mustered at Elgin in 1778. They weresubsequently renumbered as the 72nd Highlanders. In 1881 they were amalgamated with the 78thHighlanders (Ross-shire Buffs) to become the 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. In 1961 the Seaforth Highlanders and The Queen's Own Highlanders were amalgamated to form the Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons). From the formation of The Queen's Own Highlanders in 1961, the 1st Battalion served all over theworld. Its operational duty has included the Brunei revolt in 1962, the confrontation campaign inBorneo, patrolling the Hong Kong border, the rehabilitation of the Falkland Islands and The GulfWar. Other services abroad included Germany and Berlin, Sharjah, Belize, with regular trainingexercises in Canada and the USA. "Under the recent programme of Defence cuts, The Queen's Own Highlanders were amalgamated on 17September, 1994, with The Gordon Highlanders to form The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)"

Museum: Fort George, Ardersier, near Inverness

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THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS (75TH, 92ND)

Raised by the 4th Duke of Gordon in 1794, the Gordon Highlanders traditionally recruited from theNorth East of Scotland. The raising of the Regiment was famously aided by the Duchess of Gordon whois said to have offered a kiss to prospective recruits. By 1799 the Gordons were numbered the 92nd Foot. The Sphinx emblem was awarded for services againstthe French armies in Egypt in 1801 and further honours were earned in the Peninsular War. In 1815,the 92nd fought at Quatre Bras and Waterloo, taking part in the famous 'Scotland for Ever' chargewith the Scots Greys. Service further afield then brought honours in India and Afghanistan and, following amalgamationwith the 75th Foot in 1881, the Gordons earned further fame for their victory at the Darai Heights, India where two of the Regiment's 19 Victoria Crosses were won. In the twentieth century Battalions have fought with distinction and great sacrifice through the two World Wars and have since been involved in peace keeping operations throughout the world. "Under the recent programme of Defence cuts, the Gordon Highlanders were amalgamated on 17 September1994 with the Queen's Own Highlanders to form 'The Highlanders'(Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)."

Museum: St Luke's, Viewfield Road, Aberdeen

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THE ARGYLL AND SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS (PRINCESS LOUISE'S)(91ST, 93RD)

The Argyllshire Highlanders, or 91st, were raised on the 10th February 1794. Five years after theraising of the 91st another Highland Corps came into being, this was the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders. For the next eighty years both Regiments fought with distinction all over the world. The 91stserved in South Africa and in the Peninsula against Napoleon, during the course of which nine battlehonours were gained. The 93rd's most famous actions were in the Crimea at Alma, Sevastopol and Balaklava where they earned the nickname of the 'Thin Red Line'. During the Indian Mutiny they took part in the reliefof Lucknow and won seven Victoria Crosses, six in one day. They also played a heroic part in the Battle of New Orleans. Between 1881 and 1914 the two Battalions continued to see active service in India and the Boer War in South Africa, where the 1st Battalion earned a further three Battle Honours. During the First World War the Regiment raised 7 Battalions, of which 2 Regular, 5 Territorial and 4 Service Battalions fought with great distinction in France and Flanders and the Middle East. A further 6 Victoria Crosses were won. From 1919 to 1939 the two Battalions saw service in India, Egypt, Sudan, Jamaica, China and Hong Kong. In the Second World War the 1st Battalion fought in Africa, Crete, Abyssinia, Sicily and Italy. The2nd Battalion fought with great gallantry in Malaya and Singapore. A further two Victoria Crosseswere won during the war. In 1948 the 2nd Battalion was amalgamated with the 1st Battalion which then saw service in Palestine, Korea (where Major Muir won the Victoria Cross), British Guiana, Berlin, Suez, Cyprus,BAOR, Singapore, Borneo, Aden, Hong Kong and the Falklands.

Museum: Stirling Castle

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