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Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
Encyclopedia
It all began in 1725 when General Wade, as leader of the King's Army in Scotland, and involved in his great project of building the military roads there, set up six companies of the Highland "Watch". These were formed to stop fighting among the clans; controlling the roads was an important part of the process. The men of the "Watch" were dressed in what was to become known as The Black Watch tartan; inadvertently, Wade had created one of the world's greatest and most enduring military brands.
The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) then became a Scottish infantry regiment of the British Army
from 1881 (as the Royal Highland Regiment (The Black Watch)) to 2006. In 2006 the regiment was restructured to be a battalion The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion
of the Royal Regiment of Scotland
As part of the Scottish Division
, it was the senior regiment of the Highland Brigade
. The regiment's name came from the dark tartan
that they wore and from its role to "watch" the Highlands. 'Black Watch' was originally just a nickname for the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot, but was used more and more so that, in 1881, when the 42nd amalgamated with the 73rd Regiment of Foot
, the new regiment was named 'The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)'. The uniform changed over time, but the nickname has been more enduring. The regimental motto was Nemo me impune lacessit
(no one attacks me with impunity). The Royal Stewart Tartan
was worn by the regimental pipers to reflect the status of 'Royal' regiment.
in 1881 when the Royal Highland Regiment (The Black Watch)
was amalgamated with the 73rd (Perthshire) Foot
to form two battalions of the newly named Black Watch (Royal Highlanders).
the 25 battalions of Black Watch fought mainly in France
and Flanders, except for the 2nd Battalion
which fought in Mesopotamia
and Palestine
, and the 10th Battalion which was in the Balkans
. Only the 1st and 2nd battalions were regulars. The fearsome reputation of these kilted soldiers led to their acquiring the nickname "Ladies from Hell" ("Die Damen aus der Hölle") from the German troops that faced them in the trenches. (Scottish troops wore kilts up until 1940).
Battalions of the Watch fought in almost every major action of the British in World War II
, from Palestine to Dunkirk to Normandy
and as Chindits
(42 and 73 columns) in Burma . The regiment was the first to cross the Rhine and into Germany
during the Allied advance in 1945. After the war, in 1948, the two regular battalions were merged into one.
The regiment won honours after the Battle of the Hook
during the Korean War
in November 1952, and were subsequently involved in peacekeeping in various parts of the world; the same activity for which the regiment was raised 250 years earlier.
During the state funeral of John F. Kennedy
in November 1963, nine bagpipers from the regiment were invited to travel to the United States
and participate in the funeral procession from the White House
to the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle
. They performed The Brown Haired Maiden, The Badge of Scotland, The 51st Highland Division, and The Barren Rocks of Aden.
It was the last British military unit to leave Hong Kong
in 1997 and played a prominent role in the handover ceremony.
and during its deployment the unit suffered a single fatality. The following year the Black Watch was dispatched to Iraq
again, as part of 4 (Armoured) Brigade
. On 12 August a soldier from the regiment was killed as a result of an improvised explosive device
(IED). In October, the Black Watch was at the centre of political controversy after the Americans requested British forces to be moved further north outside of the British-controlled Multi-National Division (South East)
area. Despite objections in Parliament, the deployment went ahead. Based at Camp Dogwood
, South of Baghdad
, it came under regular attack from rockets. On the 29 October, during the journey to their new base, a Black Watch soldier was killed in a road accident. On 4 November three soldiers and an interpreter were killed and on 8 November another soldier was killed. This high profile deployment caused a magnification of these events back home in Britain.
Under a plan supervised by General Sir Mike Jackson
, on 16 December 2004 it was announced that the Black Watch was to join with five other Scottish regiments - the Royal Scots, the King's Own Scottish Borderers
, the Royal Highland Fusiliers
, Highlanders
and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
- to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland, a single regiment consisting 5 regular and 2 territorial battalions. The measure, which reflected recruiting difficulties and the inefficiencies inherent in maintaining a number of relatively small separate units, took place on 28 March 2006. These plans encountered considerable opposition from retired soldiers and the Scottish public. It was claimed by proponents of the plan that the establishment of a large regiment will improve conditions of service for serving personnel. As with the other former Scottish regiments, the Black Watch will retain its former name as its primary identifier, with its battalion number as a subtitle. Therefore, the regiment is now known as The Black Watch (3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland); in addition, the battalion is also permitted to retain its most famous distinction, the red hackle
, in certain circumstances.
1. awarded 1909 for services of 42nd Regiment.
2. awarded 1914 for services of 42nd Regiment.
3. awarded 1910 for service of 42nd Regiment.
4. awarded 1951 for service of 42nd Regiment.
5. awarded 1889 for service of 73rd Regiment.
6. awarded 1882 for service of 73rd Regiment.
The Black Watch is also the most highly decorated Regiment in the whole of the British armed forces.
- 1st Air Defence Regiment (Lanark and Renfrew Scottish), Royal Canadian Artillery - The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC)
- The Royal Queensland Regiment
- The Royal New South Wales Regiment
- The Transvaal Scottish
- The New Zealand Scottish - HMS Montrose
.
The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) then became a Scottish infantry regiment of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
from 1881 (as the Royal Highland Regiment (The Black Watch)) to 2006. In 2006 the regiment was restructured to be a battalion The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
of the Royal Regiment of Scotland
As part of the Scottish Division
Scottish Division
The Scottish Division is a British Army Infantry command, training and administrative apparatus designated for all Scottish line infantry units. The Scottish Division was formed on July 1, 1968 with the amalgamation of the Lowland Brigade and Highland Brigade...
, it was the senior regiment of the Highland Brigade
Highland Brigade (Scottish)
The Highland Brigade is a historical unit of the British Army, which has been formed a number of times. It recruited men from the Highlands of Scotland.-Crimean War:...
. The regiment's name came from the dark tartan
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
that they wore and from its role to "watch" the Highlands. 'Black Watch' was originally just a nickname for the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot, but was used more and more so that, in 1881, when the 42nd amalgamated with the 73rd Regiment of Foot
73rd Regiment of Foot
The 73rd Regiment of Foot also known as MacLeod's Highlanders after its founder John Mackenzie, Lord MacLeod, was an infantry regiment of the British Army.- History :- First raising :...
, the new regiment was named 'The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)'. The uniform changed over time, but the nickname has been more enduring. The regimental motto was Nemo me impune lacessit
Nemo me impune lacessit
Nemo me impune lacessit is the Latin motto of the Order of the Thistle and of three Scottish regiments of the British Army. The motto also appears, in conjunction with the collar of the Order of the Thistle, in later versions of the Royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Scotland and subsequently in...
(no one attacks me with impunity). The Royal Stewart Tartan
Royal Stewart Tartan
The Royal Stewart Tartan is the best known tartan of the royal House of Stewart, and is also the personal tartan of Queen Elizabeth II. It is appropriate for all subjects of Elizabeth II to wear the Royal Stewart tartan , in much the same way that clansmen may wear the tartan of their clan chief...
was worn by the regimental pipers to reflect the status of 'Royal' regiment.
History
The Black Watch was formed as part of the Childers ReformsChilders Reforms
The Childers Reforms restructured the infantry regiments of the British army. The reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms....
in 1881 when the Royal Highland Regiment (The Black Watch)
42nd Regiment of Foot
The 42nd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Originally the 43rd Highlanders they were renumbered the 42nd in 1748.- Early history :...
was amalgamated with the 73rd (Perthshire) Foot
73rd Regiment of Foot
The 73rd Regiment of Foot also known as MacLeod's Highlanders after its founder John Mackenzie, Lord MacLeod, was an infantry regiment of the British Army.- History :- First raising :...
to form two battalions of the newly named Black Watch (Royal Highlanders).
20th century
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the 25 battalions of Black Watch fought mainly in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Flanders, except for the 2nd Battalion
2nd Battalion, Black Watch
The 2nd Battalion, Black Watch was formed in 1881 when the 42nd Regiment of Foot and the 73rd Regiment of Foot were amalgamated to form the Black Watch ....
which fought in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
and Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, and the 10th Battalion which was in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. Only the 1st and 2nd battalions were regulars. The fearsome reputation of these kilted soldiers led to their acquiring the nickname "Ladies from Hell" ("Die Damen aus der Hölle") from the German troops that faced them in the trenches. (Scottish troops wore kilts up until 1940).
Battalions of the Watch fought in almost every major action of the British in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, from Palestine to Dunkirk to Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
and as Chindits
Chindits
The Chindits were a British India "Special Force" that served in Burma and India in 1943 and 1944 during the Burma Campaign in World War II. They were formed into long range penetration groups trained to operate deep behind Japanese lines...
(42 and 73 columns) in Burma . The regiment was the first to cross the Rhine and into Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
during the Allied advance in 1945. After the war, in 1948, the two regular battalions were merged into one.
The regiment won honours after the Battle of the Hook
Battle of the Hook
The third Battle of the Hook was a battle of the Korean War that took place between a United Nations force, consisting mostly of British troops, supported on their flanks by American and Turkish artillery units against a predominantly Chinese force...
during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
in November 1952, and were subsequently involved in peacekeeping in various parts of the world; the same activity for which the regiment was raised 250 years earlier.
During the state funeral of John F. Kennedy
State funeral of John F. Kennedy
The state funeral of John F. Kennedy took place in Washington, DC during the three days that followed his assassination on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas....
in November 1963, nine bagpipers from the regiment were invited to travel to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and participate in the funeral procession from the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
to the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle
Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle
The Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington D.C., most commonly known as St. Matthew's Cathedral, is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington. As St...
. They performed The Brown Haired Maiden, The Badge of Scotland, The 51st Highland Division, and The Barren Rocks of Aden.
It was the last British military unit to leave Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1997 and played a prominent role in the handover ceremony.
21st century
During the 2003 Iraq War the Black Watch fought in the attack on BasraBasra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
and during its deployment the unit suffered a single fatality. The following year the Black Watch was dispatched to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
again, as part of 4 (Armoured) Brigade
British 4th Armoured Brigade
The 4th Mechanized Brigade is a British Army brigade.The 4th Armoured Brigade was formed during the Second World War, as an armoured brigade of the 7th Armoured Division....
. On 12 August a soldier from the regiment was killed as a result of an improvised explosive device
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
(IED). In October, the Black Watch was at the centre of political controversy after the Americans requested British forces to be moved further north outside of the British-controlled Multi-National Division (South East)
Multi-National Division (South-East) (Iraq)
Multi-National Division was a British commanded division responsible for security in the south east of Iraq from 2003 to 2009. It was responsible for the large city of Basra and its headquarters were located at Basra Airport. The division was initially responsible for the governorates of Al...
area. Despite objections in Parliament, the deployment went ahead. Based at Camp Dogwood
Camp Dogwood
Camp Dogwood is the name of the base camp for the British Black Watch regiment in Iraq, 2004, located south of Baghdad.Camp Dogwood is also the name for a US FOB, further to the north of the original Camp Dogwood, from late 2004 to 2005, located between Fallujah and Karbala. It is also known as FOB...
, South of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, it came under regular attack from rockets. On the 29 October, during the journey to their new base, a Black Watch soldier was killed in a road accident. On 4 November three soldiers and an interpreter were killed and on 8 November another soldier was killed. This high profile deployment caused a magnification of these events back home in Britain.
Under a plan supervised by General Sir Mike Jackson
Mike Jackson
General Sir Michael David "Mike" Jackson, is a retired British Army officer and one of its most high-profile generals since the Second World War. Originally commissioned into the Intelligence Corps in 1963, he transferred to the Parachute Regiment, with whom he served two of his three tours of...
, on 16 December 2004 it was announced that the Black Watch was to join with five other Scottish regiments - the Royal Scots, the King's Own Scottish Borderers
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
, the Royal Highland Fusiliers
Royal Highland Fusiliers
The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
, Highlanders
The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)
The Highlanders, 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.Prior to 28 March 2006, the Highlanders was an infantry regiment in its own right; The Highlanders , part of the Scottish Division...
and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
- to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland, a single regiment consisting 5 regular and 2 territorial battalions. The measure, which reflected recruiting difficulties and the inefficiencies inherent in maintaining a number of relatively small separate units, took place on 28 March 2006. These plans encountered considerable opposition from retired soldiers and the Scottish public. It was claimed by proponents of the plan that the establishment of a large regiment will improve conditions of service for serving personnel. As with the other former Scottish regiments, the Black Watch will retain its former name as its primary identifier, with its battalion number as a subtitle. Therefore, the regiment is now known as The Black Watch (3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland); in addition, the battalion is also permitted to retain its most famous distinction, the red hackle
Hackle
The hackle is a clipped feather plume that is attached to a military headdress.In the British Army and the armies of some Commonwealth countries the hackle is worn by some infantry regiments, especially those designated as fusilier regiments and those with Scottish and Northern Irish origins. The...
, in certain circumstances.
Notable members
- Robert Munro (1684 - 1746)Robert Munro (1684 - 1746)Sir Robert Munro of Foulis, 6th Baronet was a soldier-politician whose life followed an 18th century pattern...
, The original Black Watch commander, Colonel Sir Robert Munro - Alfred AndersonAlfred AndersonAlfred Anderson was a Scottish joiner and veteran of the First World War. He was the last known holder of the 1914 Star , the last known combatant to participate in the 1914 World War I Christmas truce, Scotland's last known World War I veteran, and Scotland's oldest man for more than a year.In...
- Fergus Bowes-LyonFergus Bowes-LyonCaptain Fergus Bowes-Lyon was an older brother of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.He was born at Glamis Castle in Angus and educated at Eton College, Berkshire. Just a fortnight after the start of World War I, he married Lady Christian Norah Dawson-Damer , daughter of the 5th Earl of...
- Duncan Campbell
- Walter CookWalter CookWalter Cook VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
- Henry Davie
- Thomas Edwards
- Lewis Pugh EvansLewis Pugh EvansBrigadier General Lewis Pugh Evans VC, CB, CMG, DSO & Bar, DL was a Welsh recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early years:Lewis Pugh Evans was born at Abermadd to Sir...
- Adam FergusonAdam FergusonAdam Ferguson FRSE, also known as Ferguson of Raith was a Scottish philosopher, social scientist and historian of the Scottish Enlightenment...
- David FinlayDavid FinlayDavid Finlay VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
- Ian FlemingIan FlemingIan Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
- J. B. S. HaldaneJ. B. S. HaldaneJohn Burdon Sanderson Haldane FRS , known as Jack , was a British-born geneticist and evolutionary biologist. A staunch Marxist, he was critical of Britain's role in the Suez Crisis, and chose to leave Oxford and moved to India and became an Indian citizen...
- John Mackenzie
- Gillean Robert MaclaineGillean MaclaineGillean Robert Maclaine of Lochbuie was the 25th hereditary Chief of Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie and Feudal Baron of Moy.Son of Kenneth Douglas Lorne MacLaine, 24th of Lochbuie, and Olive Marguerite Stewart- Richardson...
- Charles MelvinCharles MelvinCharles Melvin VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-The Medal:...
- Eric NewbyEric NewbyGeorge Eric Newby CBE MC was an English travel author. Newby's best known works include A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, The Last Grain Race, and Round Ireland in Low Gear.-Life:...
- Simon RamsaySimon Ramsay, 16th Earl of DalhousieSimon Ramsay, 16th Earl of Dalhousie, KT, GCVO, GBE, MC, DL was a British land-owner, statesman and politician....
- John RipleyJohn RipleyJohn Ripley VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
- Neil RitchieNeil RitchieGeneral Sir Neil Methuen Ritchie GBE, KCB, DSO, MC, KStJ was a senior British army officer during the Second World War.-Military career:...
- William RoseWilliam Rose (screenwriter)William Rose was an American screenwriter of British and Hollywood films.Although born in Jefferson City, Missouri, after the 1939 outbreak of World War II, Rose lived in Canada and volunteered to fight overseas with the Black Watch...
- William Speakman
- Rory StewartRory StewartRoderick 'Rory' James Nugent Stewart OBE FRSL MP DUniv is a British academic, author, and Conservative politician. Since May 2010, he has been the Member of Parliament for Penrith and the Border, in the county of Cumbria, North West England.- Overview :Stewart was a senior coalition official in a...
- Frederick Guthrie TaitFrederick Guthrie TaitFrederick Guthrie Tait was a Scottish soldier and amateur golfer.Born in Edinburgh, the third son of eminent physicist and fanatical amateur golfer Peter Guthrie Tait, Frederick was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and Sedbergh School. He entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst at the second...
- Arthur WauchopeArthur Grenfell WauchopeGeneral Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope GCB GCMG CIE DSO was a British soldier and colonial administrator.-Military career:Educated at Repton School, Wauchope was commissioned into the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in 1893. He transferred to 2 Bn Black Watch in 1896.He served in World War I as...
- Archibald Wavell
Battle honours
- [combined battle honours of 42nd Regiment and 73rd Regiment, plus:]
- Guadaloupe 17591, Martinique 17621, Havannah1, North America 1763-64, Mysore5, Busaco³, Salamanca4, South Africa 1846-76, 1851-2-36 Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt 1882 '84, Kirbekan, Nile 1884-5, Paardeberg, South Africa 1899-1902
- The Great War [25 battalions]: Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914 '18, Aisne 1914, La Bassée 1914, Ypres 1914 '17 '18, Langemarck 1914, Gheluvelt, Nonne Bosschen, Givenchy 1914, Neuve Chapelle, Aubers, Festubert 1915, Loos, Somme 1916 '18, Albert 1916, Bazentin, Delville Wood, Pozières, Flers-Courcelette, Morval, Thiepval, Le Transloy, Ancre Heights, Ancre 1916, Arras 1917 '18, Vimy 1917, Scarpe 1917 '18, Arleux, Pilckem, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Cambrai 1917 '18, St Quentin, Bapaume 1918, Rosières, Lys, Estaires, Messines 1918, Hazebrouck, Kemmel, Béthune, Scherpenberg, Soissonnais-Ourcq, Tardenois, Drocourt-Quéant, Hindenburg Line, Épéhy, St Quentin Canal, Beaurevoir, Courtrai, Selle, Sambre, France and Flanders 1914-18, Doiran 1917, Macedonia 1915-18, Egypt 1916, Gaza, Jerusalem, Tell'Asur, Megiddo, Sharon, Damascus, Palestine 1917-18, Tigris 1916, Kut al Amara 1917, Baghdad, Mesopotamia 1915-17
- The Second World War: Defence of Arras, Ypres-Comines Canal, Dunkirk 1940, Somme 1940, St. Valery-en-Caux, Saar, Breville, Odon, Fontenay le Pesnil, Defence of Rauray, Caen, Falaise, Falaise Road, La Vie Crossing, Le Havre, Lower Maas, Venlo Pocket, Ourthe, Rhineland, Reichswald, Goch, Rhine, North-West Europe 1940 '44-45, Barkasan, British Somaliland 1940, Tobruk 1941, Tobruk Sortie, El Alamein, Advance on Tripoli, Medenine, Zemlet el Lebene, Mareth, Akarit, Wadi Akarit East, Djebel Roumana, Medjez Plain, Si Mediene, Tunis, North Africa 1941-43, Landing in Sicily, Vizzini, Sferro, Gerbini, Adrano, Sferro Hills, Sicily 1943, Cassino II, Liri Valley, Advance to Florence, Monte Scalari, Casa Fortis, Rimini Line, Casa Fabbri Ridge, Savio Bridgehead, Italy 1944-45, Athens, Greece 1944-45, Crete, Heraklion, Middle East 1941, Chindits 1944, Burma 1944
- The Hook 1952, Korea 1952-53; Al Basrah, Iraq 2003
1. awarded 1909 for services of 42nd Regiment.
2. awarded 1914 for services of 42nd Regiment.
3. awarded 1910 for service of 42nd Regiment.
4. awarded 1951 for service of 42nd Regiment.
5. awarded 1889 for service of 73rd Regiment.
6. awarded 1882 for service of 73rd Regiment.
The Black Watch is also the most highly decorated Regiment in the whole of the British armed forces.
Alliances
- The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of CanadaThe Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
The Black Watch of Canada is a reserve infantry regiment in 34 Brigade Group, Land Force Quebec Area. The regiment is located on rue de Bleury in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and is currently commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bruno Plourde...
- 1st Air Defence Regiment (Lanark and Renfrew Scottish), Royal Canadian Artillery - The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC)
The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC)
The Prince Edward Island Regiment is a Primary Reserve armoured reconnaissance regiment of the Canadian Forces, Land Force Atlantic Area, 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment is based in Charlottetown and Summerside.-Perpetuations:...
- The Royal Queensland Regiment
Royal Queensland Regiment
The Royal Queensland Regiment is a reserve light infantry formation in the Australian Army based in Queensland.-Current Structure:The regiment currently consists of three battalions:*9th Battalion *25th/49th Battalion...
- The Royal New South Wales Regiment
Royal New South Wales Regiment
The Royal New South Wales Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the Australian Army based in the state of New South Wales. The regiment consists of four battalions:-Organisation:*1st/19th Battalion*2nd/17th Battalion*4th/3rd Battalion...
- The Transvaal Scottish
Transvaal Scottish Regiment
The Transvaal Scottish Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit.-History:...
- The New Zealand Scottish - HMS Montrose
HMS Montrose (F236)
The second and current HMS Montrose is the eighth of a sixteen ship class of frigates, known as Type 23 or the 'Duke' class, of the Royal Navy. She was laid down in November 1989 by Yarrow Shipbuilders on the Clyde...
Anecdotes
When wearing kilts, it is customary for troops to "go regimental" or "military practice", wearing no underwear. In the 1950s, kilted soldiers on parade would be checked by the sergeant major using a mirror on the end of a stick. In 1997, a Black Watch soldier received wide press exposure, because of windy conditions during a military ceremony in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
In popular culture
- The Black Watch is the subject of an Irish Rebel song, in which they are depicted as a "regiment the devil calls his own" along with B Specials, Royal Ulster ConstabularyRoyal Ulster ConstabularyThe Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
and the Black and TansBlack and TansThe Black and Tans was one of two newly recruited bodies, composed largely of British World War I veterans, employed by the Royal Irish Constabulary as Temporary Constables from 1920 to 1921 to suppress revolution in Ireland...
.
- There are however also many more complimentary anthems associated with the regiment. The above is a parody of "The Gallant Forty-Twa"; there is also "Wha Saw the Forty-Second", a reworking of the Jacobite song "Wha Wadna Fecht For Charlie"; "Twa Recruitin' Sergeants".
- In 2006, the National Theatre of ScotlandNational Theatre of ScotlandThe National Theatre of Scotland is a theatre company established in February 2006. The company performs in a wide range of venues including theatres, halls and found spaces across Scotland....
premiered a new play by Gregory BurkeGregory BurkeGregory Burke is a Scottish playwright from Rosyth, Fife, Scotland.-Life:His family moved to Gibraltar in 1979 and returned to Dunfermline in 1984. He attended St John's Primary in Rosyth, St Christopher's Middle School in Gibraltar, Bayside Comprehensive, Gibraltar and St Columba's High School,...
compiled from interviews with former soldiers, dealing with the history of the regiment and in particular the recent deployment in IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.