'Highland Chieftains': The Officers of The Black Watch

Join Ruadhan Scrivener-Anderson as he looks at selection, socialisation and the development of group identity within The Black Watch in the lead-up to the First World War.

Between 1902 and 1918, over 2,000 commissioned officers served in The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), with 25 battalions formed for service during the First World War (1914-18). By the time of the Armistice in November 1918, more than 8,000 members of the regiment had lost their lives.

In this talk, historian Ruadhan Scrivener-Anderson will examine why certain individuals were chosen to lead Scotland's soldiers in both peacetime and wartime, focusing on their social status, national identity and experiences of soldiering and leadership.

About the speaker

Ruadhan Scrivener-Anderson is a PhD student in the History Department at the University of St Andrews. His research centres on the officers of The Black Watch from 1902 to 1918. He is a postgraduate member of the Royal Historical Society and a researcher for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.