The Black Watch 1740-2006

[smsmith40]

I know this is something that not many of you will have heard about, but it is something that is very important to me so I thought I would share a little. Its a little heavy so don't feel obliged, it was more important for me to write that it is for you to read.

Yesterday, 266 years of military tradition ended when my local Army regiment The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) was absorbed into the new Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The Black Watch was first mustered in 1740 and has served proudly in all fields of human conflict since then. Their Battle Honours include names like Waterloo, The Crimea, Loos, Somme, Ypres, El Alamein, Torbruk, Caen, Le Havre and most recently Basra and Baghdad. Wherever the British Army has served in any number, The Watch have been there.

Why do I care about this?

Because in the British Army unlike the the US regular army, regiments recruit almost exclusively locally. If you grew up within 40 miles of where I was born, whether you volunteered or were called up during the war you went into the Watch. Everybody I know from whre I grew up has a relative who served (and all too often died) in the Black Watch, including my own great grandfather Charles Smith in Mesopotamia in 1915.

This created a massive bond between the community and the Regiment which has lasted to this day. Whenever the regiment is in action the whole area feels the tension. Sometimes this intense connection has tragic consequences including the day during the 3rd Battle of Ypres when the 4th and 5th batallions were effectively wiped out. 1500 men from Dundee and Angus killed in 48 hours, an entire generation of men for some small towns. More recently 6 members of the Watch have died in Iraq since the end of the conflict.

The new Royal Regiment of Scotland mustered yesterday will be all thats left of Scotland's proud infantry history, all thats left of its great infantry regiments,are nicknames and cap badges for the 5 batallions of the RRS. Not just the Black Watch, but the ancient traditions of the Cameron Highlanders, Kings Own Scottish Borderers, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the Royal Scots, The Seaforths, The Gordons. All gone.

In Edinburgh Castle, the chapel of remeberence holds the great books containing the names of all members of the Scottish regiments to have died in active service. Each regiment has its own books, massive tomes with uncountable names. Tragically, it will soon be time to start a new book.

At least the motto at the bottom of this page is being adopted by the new Regiment. They have a lot to live up to.

[Preds]

Originally Posted by smsmith40

I know this is something that not many of you will have heard about, but it is something that is very important to me so I thought I would share a little. Its a little heavy so don't feel obliged, it was more important for me to write that it is for you to read.

Yesterday, 266 years of military tradition ended when my local Army regiment The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) was absorbed into the new Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The Black Watch was first mustered in 1740 and has served proudly in all fields of human conflict since then. Their Battle Honours include names like Waterloo, The Crimea, Loos, Somme, Ypres, El Alamein, Torbruk, Caen, Le Havre and most recently Basra and Baghdad. Wherever the British Army has served in any number, The Watch have been there.

Why do I care about this?

Because in the British Army unlike the the US regular army, regiments recruit almost exclusively locally. If you grew up within 40 miles of where I was born, whether you volunteered or were called up during the war you went into the Watch. Everybody I know from whre I grew up has a relative who served (and all too often died) in the Black Watch, including my own great grandfather Charles Smith in Mesopotamia in 1915.

This created a massive bond between the community and the Regiment which has lasted to this day. Whenever the regiment is in action the whole area feels the tension. Sometimes this intense connection has tragic consequences including the day during the 3rd Battle of Ypres when the 4th and 5th batallions were effectively wiped out. 1500 men from Dundee and Angus killed in 48 hours, an entire generation of men for some small towns. More recently 6 members of the Watch have died in Iraq since the end of the conflict.

The new Royal Regiment of Scotland mustered yesterday will be all thats left of Scotland's proud infantry history, all thats left of its great infantry regiments,are nicknames and cap badges for the 5 batallions of the RRS. Not just the Black Watch, but the ancient traditions of the Cameron Highlanders, Kings Own Scottish Borderers, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the Royal Scots, The Seaforths, The Gordons. All gone.

In Edinburgh Castle, the chapel of remeberence holds the great books containing the names of all members of the Scottish regiments to have died in active service. Each regiment has its own books, massive tomes with uncountable names. Tragically, it will soon be time to start a new book.

At least the motto at the bottom of this page is being adopted by the new Regiment. They have a lot to live up to.

Wow, great post, thanks for the history lesson (seriously).

Why are they disbanding it and merging into the Royal Regiment?

[smsmith40]

Its more efficient to maintain one regiment with 5 batallions than it is to run 6 single batallion regiments

[Nittany Dodgers]

It was an interesting read. Thanks for sharing something so personal.

[randilover]

Cool write up.

One of my favorite shows they have on Public Broadcasting over here is Battlefield Britain. I love it and watch it if it's on. I'll be keeping an eye out for the ones involving the Black Watch. They've often had Scottish battles on the show. It'll be good to know that they are that local when they are fighting.

[Royal Hawaiian Opihi]

Originally Posted by smsmith40

In Edinburgh Castle, the chapel of remeberence holds the great books containing the names of all members of the Scottish regiments to have died in active service. Each regiment has its own books, massive tomes with uncountable names. Tragically, it will soon be time to start a new book.

At least the motto at the bottom of this page is being adopted by the new Regiment. They have a lot to live up to.

A couple of comments... what is the translation of the motto?

I've been to Edinburgh Castle and seen those books. We're coming back to England next summer (2007) for a month-long pulpit exchange in the Lake District, and will definitely be taking our kids up to the Castle. I'll look for the Black Watch book, for sure.

Finally, I'm serving a church in Hawaii that's very close to Pearl Harbor. We have quite a few military in our congregation (Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Marines). Prior to coming to this church, I really had no experience with military folk and their lifestyles. I've been "educated" in many ways, and have come to deeply love the men & women who protect our country, and the difficult job they have to do (often one that is in tension with their faith). I appreciate the depth of the post you made today. Thank you for sharing a part of your heart here.

Peace,
JIM

[smsmith40]

The literal translation is "No-one provokes me with impunity"

but ask a soldier and he will tell you it means

Don't f**k with me