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The Scottish Regiments: The Royal Scots
by James Gracie

royal scots

The Scottish Division of the British Army has three Highland and four Lowland regiments. The Highland ones are The Highlanders, The Black Watch and The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. The Lowland ones are The Royal Scots, The Royal Highland Fusiliers, The King's Own Scottish Borderers and The Cameronians.

Two famous names seem to be missing from the list. The Scots Guards belong to the Guards Division and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards belong to the Royal Armoured Corps. So, while they're Scottish in name, they don't belong to the Scottish Division.

Soldiers within the Scottish Division wear a form of glengarry or tam o'shanter bonnet as part of the ceremonial dress. Although they look similar throughout the regiments, each one has its own distinctive style. The Black Watch version, for instance, has a red hackle, while the Royal Scots has a checkered pattern, a cap badge and a distinctive plume of feathers.


The Story of Fraser's Highlanders, 71st Regiment
by Nicholas Steward

The story of Fraser's Highlanders begins in the mid-1750s with the struggle of William Pitt, the secretary of state, in dealing with the martial nature of the Highlanders. In 1715 and again in 1745, they had risen against the government in support of the Stuart pretenders to the throne. Though decisively defeated on Culloden Moor in 1746, unrest continued for some time. Pitt decided to turn their high spirits to the Crown's advantage by recommending to George II that Highland regiments be raised based on clan affiliation with clan chiefs and elders as officers. An anonymous author wrote: "Frasers, Macdonalds, Camerons, Macleans, Macphersons and others of disaffected names and clans, were enrolled; their chiefs or connections obtained commissions; the lower class, always ready to follow, with eagerness endeavored who should be first listed." Pitt would later say simply: "I sought for merit wherever it could be found, and found it in the mountains of the north."


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