Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

Other ranks’ cap badge of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), c1902.
NAM. 1963-12-74

Introduction

In the aftermath of the First Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, Independent Companies of militia were raised from loyalist Highland clans for policing and peacekeeping duties in the region. These companies were commonly known in Gaelic as ‘Am Freiceadan Dubh’, or ‘The Black Watch’, due to their unpopular nature and their dark green government-issue tartan - the regiment wore kilts as part of its everyday uniform until 1940.

In 1739 George II ordered that four more of these companies be raised and that all the companies be merged into a single line infantry regiment. That regiment mustered near the market town of Aberfeldy the following year and immediately marched to London to be inspected by the king.

The regiment impressed the Duke of Cumberland with its Highland style of fighting at Fontenoy in 1745 and later that year it was sent back to guard southern England against invasion, with one company being sent north to fight the Jacobites at Culloden. In 1747 it was given a numerical ranking as the 43rd Foot, rising to the 42nd two years later when the previous 42nd was disbanded.

The regiment fought in the French and Indian Wars in North America before defeating George Washington at the Battle of Long Island in 1776 during the American Revolutionary War (1775-83). It served in both Egypt and Spain during the Napoleonic Wars and was one of four regiments mentioned in despatches for its service at Quatre Bras and Waterloo (1815).

'Your King & Country Need You'. Recruiting poster depicting a soldier of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in France, 1914. NAM. 1977-06-81-18

The 19th century saw it fighting in the Crimea (1854-56) and the Indian Mutiny (1857-59), whilst in 1881 the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot was merged into it. The new regiment then fought in the Boer War, where one of its officers was Archibald Wavell, later a famous Second World War commander.

Another of its officers was Fergus Bowes-Lyon, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s brother, who served with the 8th battalion during the First World War. During that conflict 25 battalions were raised for service in France and Flanders, Palestine and Mesopotamia.

Early Second World War officers included the actor Stewart Granger and the writer Ian Fleming. Battalions of the regiment served in most major theatres of the 1939-45 war.

Major post-war engagements included Korea and Kenya and as the final garrison unit in Hong Kong prior to its handover to China in 1997. Announced in 2004, while the unit was on deployment to Iraq during Operation TELIC, its amalgamation into the Royal Regiment of Scotland caused controversy and became the subject of Gregory Burke’s 2006 Edinburgh Festival play ‘Black Watch’.

Key facts

Motto:

• 'Nemo Me Impune Lacessit' (meaning 'No One Attacks Me With Impunity')

Nicknames:

• The Forty Twa
• Black Jocks
• Ladies from Hell

Titles to date:

• Am Freiceadan Dubh, or Black Watch
• The Highland Regiment of Foot
• The 42nd Regiment of Foot
• The 42nd (The Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot
• The 42nd (The Royal Highland) Regiment, The Black Watch
• The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
• The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
• The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland

Find out more

Regimental Museum

• Visit the website of The Museum of the Black Watch

Regimental Merchandise

• Visit The Black Watch Shop
• Visit the National Army Museum Shop
• Visit the National Army Museum Print Shop

National Army Museum Collection

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