Patton and the Ranger

The Black Watch's primary recruiting areas are in Fife, Dundee, Angus and Perth and Kinross, with the Battalion Headquarters located at Balhousie Castle.

On 28 March 2006 The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) was merged with other Scottish Infantry Battalions to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The title of the battalion is now The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The values and traditions of The Black Watch live on in a new guise and in the autumn of 2011 The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland will be posted to Helmand Province in Afghanistan, currently one of the world's most exciting Theatres of War where it will display all of the fighting skill that has been the Regiment's hallmark since its formation in 1739. The Battalion will take part in the transition to Afghan led governance.

An interesting read is Lt-Col C C 'Mad Mitch' Mitchell and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

In 1967 "Mad Mitch", as he was affectionately known, cut through the British policy of neutral peacekeeping in Aden by leading his Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to retake the terrorist-dominated Crater district of the city.
On June 20 British forces had been repulsed from the district with the loss of 22 lives. Mitchell determined to reoccupy it, though he had been warned that 500 well-armed police mutineers and terrorists had taken up positions there and were prepared to fight.
On the night of July 3 he ordered Pipe Major Kenneth Robinson to sound the Regimental Charge, "Monymusk". As Mitchell recalled: "It is the most thrilling sound in the world to go into action with the pipes playing. It stirs the blood and reminds one of the heritage of Scotland and the Regiment. Best of all it frightens the enemy to death."
A burst of machine gun fire rattled out from the edge of the town, but the Pipe Major played on undeterred while his comrades flung themselves to the ground. None of them knew how much resistance would be encountered; as it turned out, the only man to be shot dead that night was an Arab who had been challenged and made to run away. The Treasury building containing the whole of the currency reserve for southern Arabia was taken from the police mutineers by negotiation. By the end of the night it was clear to Mitchell that his determination to push on into the Crater area had utterly demoralised the enemy.

He sensed success in the air. "To me that single moment in Crater was worth all my quarter century of soldiering", he said. At dawn on July 4 the pipes and drums sounded again from a rooftop overlooking Crater.

The Argylls kept the peace there for five months by terrifying the rebels. "They know that if they start trouble we'll blow their bloody heads off," was Mitchell's characteristic comment.

Of his style of leadership he said: "I took flamboyant risks in order to demonstrate to my own officers and NCOs that we led from the front." Not one British soldier was lost in the operation.

An interesting fact 75% of SAS troopers are Scottish. As ex SAS Sergeant Stone once said, "Cos we're hard bastards."
 
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Thank you,


Scotland has many different regiments, one of the most famous one is the Black Watch, were they recruited all over or "locally"?

With the Scots we have a major problem!
The Highlanders and Lowlanders don't get on!
So it would be difficult for a Lowland Scot, to join a Highland Regiment, and vice versa, not only would it be difficult it would be suicidal!
During the numerous revolts, civil wars and clan wars, not only were different clans on different sides, but to hedge their bets, clan leaders would order sons to fight on different sides, so he could claim to be on the winner's side no matter the outcome!
Canny peopl these Scots!
The Scots turbulent history has found its way into a lot of the traditions of their Regiments
The Foot Guards are funny about things like tradition too.
The Grenadier Guards and Coldstream Guards originate from Regiments that fought on opposite sides in the Civil War, so they "Don't get on".
During the annual Trooping of the Colour ceremony, they won't even stand next to each other!
 
With the Scots we have a major problem!
The Highlanders and Lowlanders don't get on!
So it would be difficult for a Lowland Scot, to join a Highland Regiment, and vice versa, not only would it be difficult it would be suicidal!
During the numerous revolts, civil wars and clan wars, not only were different clans on different sides, but to hedge their bets, clan leaders would order sons to fight on different sides, so he could claim to be on the winner's side no matter the outcome!
Canny peopl these Scots!
The Scots turbulent history has found its way into a lot of the traditions of their Regiments
The Foot Guards are funny about things like tradition too.
The Grenadier Guards and Coldstream Guards originate from Regiments that fought on opposite sides in the Civil War, so they "Don't get on".
During the annual Trooping of the Colour ceremony, they won't even stand next to each other!

If my memory is correct the Grenadier Guards wear a white plume on the left side of their bearskin as a mark of some dishonour (I cannot remember where or why). The Coldstream Guards wear a red plume. The old Royal Army Ordnance Corps also wore a dishonour on their cap badges. The three cannon are smaller then the three cannon balls above, because the regiment supplied the wrong size cannon balls to a certain battle. Again I cannot remember when and where.
 
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With the Scots we have a major problem!
The Highlanders and Lowlanders don't get on!
So it would be difficult for a Lowland Scot, to join a Highland Regiment, and vice versa, not only would it be difficult it would be suicidal!
During the numerous revolts, civil wars and clan wars, not only were different clans on different sides, but to hedge their bets, clan leaders would order sons to fight on different sides, so he could claim to be on the winner's side no matter the outcome!
Canny peopl these Scots!
The Scots turbulent history has found its way into a lot of the traditions of their Regiments
The Foot Guards are funny about things like tradition too.
The Grenadier Guards and Coldstream Guards originate from Regiments that fought on opposite sides in the Civil War, so they "Don't get on".
During the annual Trooping of the Colour ceremony, they won't even stand next to each other!

I had a major problem with Scottish soldiers as well. When I went to Nijmegen I had a chat with Scottish soldiers and I still ponder what they said, I hope I said "Yes" and "No" at the right times. :smile:
 
If my memory is correct the Grenadier Guards wear a white plume on the left side of their bearskin as a mark of some dishonour (I cannot remember where or why). The Coldstream Guards wear a red plume. The old Royal Army Ordnance Corps also wore a dishonour on their cap badges. The three cannon are smaller then the three cannon balls above, because the regiment supplied the wrong size cannon balls to a certain battle. Again I cannot remember when and where.

There's something similar with the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers.
Some where in the dim and distant past some Long Range Snipers abbandoned their guns and the Sappers took over and manned the guns.
To mark this, the gunners had their white lanyards taken off them, which they used to fire the guns, and they were given to the Engineers, whose cruddy old blue lanyards were given to the Gunners.
The bearskins were only worn by the Guards after Waterloo.
They were the head wear of Napoleon's Old Guard, and the British troops collected them as souvenirs after the battle.
Their Colonel liked the look of the bearskin and got his soldiers to wear them in place of the old stove pipe shakos.
 
With the Scots we have a major problem!
The Highlanders and Lowlanders don't get on!
So it would be difficult for a Lowland Scot, to join a Highland Regiment, and vice versa, not only would it be difficult it would be suicidal!
During the numerous revolts, civil wars and clan wars, not only were different clans on different sides, but to hedge their bets, clan leaders would order sons to fight on different sides, so he could claim to be on the winner's side no matter the outcome!
Canny peopl these Scots!
The Scots turbulent history has found its way into a lot of the traditions of their Regiments
The Foot Guards are funny about things like tradition too.
The Grenadier Guards and Coldstream Guards originate from Regiments that fought on opposite sides in the Civil War, so they "Don't get on".
During the annual Trooping of the Colour ceremony, they won't even stand next to each other!

This hostility between the two regiments must have been complicated to handle for the high command during the dual world wars, so how did high command, or what term you are using in GB handled it during these wars?
 
This hostility between the two regiments must have been complicated to handle for the high command during the dual world wars, so how did high command, or what term you are using in GB handled it during these wars?

These guys are extremely proffesional soldiers and, like all Regiments in the British Army, they have a pride in their history and traditions.
In times of war, and in actual combat, they fight the enemy.
The problems occur when they meet when they are off duty.
Insults are traded and fists will fly.
In some Regiments, there is even rivalry between Battalions, and in some cases companies!
In the old days when it was the Regimental Depot for the Paras, if you wanted to see a good punch up, be in Aldershot town centre when any two of the Parachute Regiment's Battalions were on camp.
Same in Bassingbourne, Colchester, Catterick, or any other garrison town.
These men have a fierce pride in their Regiment, Battalion and Company and the slightest slur to their honour will cause a massive brawl.
Get them together on the battlefield, they are the best of mates.
The only problems the Generals had was keeping them away from each ther when on R&R!
In World War One, Irish Nationalists and Republicans were happy to forget their differences and fight alongside each other for the duration.
Then carry on fighting each other afterwards.
We're a funny old bunch:confused:
 
The British army has a regiment, the Blues and Royals, I believe is their name, they went to Falklands, I think.

I have never read anything about the origin of the regiments in the BA, seen their names from time to time. The Royal Artillery, is the Royal Horse Artillery different or the same?

This is interesting to read about the different units in the British army. When we now know where the USMC come from, does the RM have a similar background?
 
The British army has a regiment, the Blues and Royals, I believe is their name, they went to Falklands, I think.

There are two household cavalry units, the Blues and Royals and the Life Guards. The Blues and Royals wear a blue tunic, while the Life Guards wear red. The Blues and Royals can trace their origins back to Oliver Cromwell's "New Model Army." They did indeed serve in the Falklands as well as Bosnia and today in Afghansitan.

I have never read anything about the origin of the regiments in the BA, seen their names from time to time. The Royal Artillery, is the Royal Horse Artillery different or the same?

The Royal Artillery and the Royal Horse Artillery are two different regiments, but the Royal Horse Artillery (dating from 1793) form part of the Royal Artillery (confusing isn't it? lol). My uncle Roy served in the Royal Horse Artillery during WW2, he was also one of the regiment who was evacuated from Dunkirk after the regiment spiked their guns. Originally the regiment went into battle using horse's to tow the limber and gun. The Royal Horse Artillery still fire the salutes on ceremonial duties.


This is interesting to read about the different units in the British army. When we now know where the USMC come from, does the RM have a similar background?

You'll have to ask 03USMC and 42RM, but from what I have heard they are somehow related.
 
On a visit to HMS Victory, the tour guide told me that one of the roles of the Royal Marines at that time was as much to protect the officers from the crew as it was to fight the enemy sailors!
They were always billited between the officers and the crew and, ontop of the armoury.

In the Falklands war, a Blues and Royals Scimitar tank was credited with shooting down an Argentinian Mirage over San Carlos Water!
Durring an air raid, it was parked on the mountain side and it fired a burst from its 30mm Rarden gun and the Mirage was blown out of the sky.
Even the crew admit it was definately a lucky shot.

The Royal Horse Artillery are now Airborne troops I believe, but their origins were in having light, fast moving artillery to keep up with the cavalry
 
Many years ago, I was watching a documentary about the Falklands; the documentary was about the Royal Marines. They went to Falklands onboard an ocean liner, called the White Whale. The ship had also Paras onboard, according to the documentary; there was a huge problem to have these two units onboard the same ship. They had silly nicknames about each other due to the color of their berets; do the RM and the Paras have an issue to be close to each other? To be proud of the unit you belong to is one thing, but it seem it can be out of hand sometimes. I watched something similar about the Grenada, when the US Marines helicopter pilots refused to transport US Army Rangers.
 
Many years ago, I was watching a documentary about the Falklands; the documentary was about the Royal Marines. They went to Falklands onboard an ocean liner, called the White Whale. The ship had also Paras onboard, according to the documentary; there was a huge problem to have these two units onboard the same ship. They had silly nicknames about each other due to the color of their berets; do the RM and the Paras have an issue to be close to each other? To be proud of the unit you belong to is one thing, but it seem it can be out of hand sometimes. I watched something similar about the Grenada, when the US Marines helicopter pilots refused to transport US Army Rangers.

The Canberra was unlucky according to a work mate who was one of her helmsmen years ago. He recounts that she was always in trouble of some sort, such as when she was on cruise heading towards Aussie with a lot of elderly/senior citizens on board, she had to run from a extremely bad storm. Apparently the elderly passengers were dropping dead all over the place, they had to put a number of them in the ships freezers. He finally said, "If she comes back I'll be very surprised." Thankfully as we all know, she did come back much to my work mates surprise.
 
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If my memory is correct the Grenadier Guards wear a white plume on the left side of their bearskin as a mark of some dishonour (I cannot remember where or why). The Coldstream Guards wear a red plume. The old Royal Army Ordnance Corps also wore a dishonour on their cap badges. The three cannon are smaller then the three cannon balls above, because the regiment supplied the wrong size cannon balls to a certain battle. Again I cannot remember when and where.

The coldstream had to surrender there arms to the grenadiers. Upon their return from Flanders with Charles as the grenadiers were so loyal to the king the followed him into exile.where as the coldstream guards fought for Cromwell. So maybe its the cold stream who have the white dishonour (?)... it also the explains the rivalry between the 2, that trooper mentioned...
 
The coldstream had to surrender there arms to the grenadiers. Upon their return from Flanders with Charles as the grenadiers were so loyal to the king the followed him into exile.where as the coldstream guards fought for Cromwell. So maybe its the cold stream who have the white dishonour (?)... it also the explains the rivalry between the 2, that trooper mentioned...

Thanks for the information captiva.
 
On a visit to HMS Victory, the tour guide told me that one of the roles of the Royal Marines at that time was as much to protect the officers from the crew as it was to fight the enemy sailors!
Still part of the job.


Many years ago, I was watching a documentary about the Falklands; the documentary was about the Royal Marines. They went to Falklands onboard an ocean liner, called the White Whale. The ship had also Paras onboard, according to the documentary; there was a huge problem to have these two units onboard the same ship. They had silly nicknames about each other due to the color of their berets; do the RM and the Paras have an issue to be close to each other? To be proud of the unit you belong to is one thing, but it seem it can be out of hand sometimes. I watched something similar about the Grenada, when the US Marines helicopter pilots refused to transport US Army Rangers.
We're both arrogant bastards, but hostility as such is a thing of the past. Today, we cross train much more than we did before, and are inserted into the same war zones. Of course there will always be taunts between us, but generally I’ve not experienced major problems. And though I hate to admit it, I would rather have a cherry berry cover my back than any other units from the British Army.
 
Once again any rational understand of the UK and it's armed forces makes me simply happy to have served in the US Armed Forces. Our order of battle and inter service rivalry is simple.

Anything that isn't US Army is wrong. :-D

Oh.... also the USAF should be disbanded.

Combat Air Support should be a role of the US Army. Inter and Intra theater air transport should be with the US Army also. Strategic Bombing, ICBMs, Theater Air Control, Fighter/Interception, and Space should be in what ever left over scraps exist and should be formed into a new USAF.

The USAF should not have complete control of fixed wing aircraft (still can't figure out how the US Navy and USMC got to keep their birds). I think it has something to do with the revolt of the admirals back in the late 1940s or early 1950s.

The USMC is the red headed step child of the military, the US Navy are sea going bell hops, and the USCG are a bunch of puddle pirates that get scared when they're too far away from shore.
 
Once again any rational understand of the UK and it's armed forces makes me simply happy to have served in the US Armed Forces. Our order of battle and inter service rivalry is simple.

Anything that isn't US Army is wrong. :-D

Oh.... also the USAF should be disbanded.

Combat Air Support should be a role of the US Army. Inter and Intra theater air transport should be with the US Army also. Strategic Bombing, ICBMs, Theater Air Control, Fighter/Interception, and Space should be in what ever left over scraps exist and should be formed into a new USAF.

The USAF should not have complete control of fixed wing aircraft (still can't figure out how the US Navy and USMC got to keep their birds). I think it has something to do with the revolt of the admirals back in the late 1940s or early 1950s.

The USMC is the red headed step child of the military, the US Navy are sea going bell hops, and the USCG are a bunch of puddle pirates that get scared when they're too far away from shore.

Amen, I kept up with some of it but other parts I got lost in, in all seriousness though, you could say its expected because of the difference in how young the US vs UK(et all) is.
Theres a reason it says "Right way, wrong way and then the Army way" in our books :roll:
The Air force is literally a straight break off from the US Army Air Corps. so it stands to reason they took our aircraft but left the USN out of it (USMC = Men's dept of the USN)

Speaking to our own rivalries, it's always fun to start talking about the first combat jumps into Iraq/AFG with anyone from the 82nd...
You can sum it up with there being more rivalry between the high op-tempo combat arms units because we're all adrenaline seeking misfits to begin with...and then Airborne vs the legs and so on.
 
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