THE COVENANTER
A Concise History of the
is a direct result of the end of the Cold War
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
and the consequent need to address the
challenges of modern asymmetrical warfare
As 2008 draws to a close two things stick
in the wake of the recent terrorist attacks.
in my mind. It is the end of the year
Besides, there is no earthly reason why the
which marked the 40th anniversary of the
new regiment should not be the equal or
disbandment of The Cameronians (Scottish
even superior to those who existed in the
Rifles) and with the passing of November it
years before 1968.
is the end of my involvement in the process
As a military historian I have every sympathy
of writing the concise histories of the pre-
with the unhappiness expressed by those
1968 Scottish infantry regiments. The series
who were dismayed by the passing of the old
had its origins in the government’s decision
order, but let us look again at that history
to restructure the infantry by abolishing the
from a slightly different point of view. Over
remaining single battalion regiments and
the years the British Army’s regimental
introducing new “large regiments” with
system has hardly been a seamless garment.
Regular and Territorial battalions.
Far from it. For example, at the end of
As everyone in Scotland knows, the new
the eighteenth century The King’s Own
Scottish regiment is The Royal Regiment of
Scottish Borderers spent 20 years as the
Scotland with five Regular battalions and
25th Sussex Foot and during the nineteenth
two Territorial battalions, a replica, so to
century several proud regiments including
speak, of the old Scottish Division. To mark
the Argylls lost their Highland status and
the occasion Mainstream Publishing, part
were not allowed to wear tartan. They all
of the Random House empire, asked me to
survived their different transformations and
write concise histories of what had been so
thrived. Now that we have the new Royal
that people could be reminded of what had
Regiment of Scotland there is no reason why
preceded the new regiment.
it should not inherit the traditions, history
Originally, only the six existing regiments
and devotion to duty that characterised its
were to be addressed but when The
founder regiments.
Highlanders complained (rightly so) that
And it can work. During the Second World
it would be impossible to do justice to
War Bernard Fergusson, a great son of the
the 72nd, 75th, 78th, 79th and 92nd
Black Watch, served in the Chindits, a
Highlanders within the agreed 65,000
special force raised to fight behind Japanese
words, sense prevailed and a volume was
lines in Burma. (The second operation
devoted both to Queen’s Own Highlanders
included 1st Cameronians.) He noted that
(Seaforth and Cameron) and to The Gordon
its men came from all over the British
Highlanders. This opened the way for a
Army but the Chindits quickly gelled and
final eighth volume to be produced on The
its men developed an esprit de corps which
Cameronians and when it appears in 2009 it
was second to none. Why was that? Well,
brings the story full circle.
as Fergusson put it they were given a smart
I should admit straightaway that I did not
uniform and a new cap badge and told,
serve in a Scottish regiment but over the
congratulations, you’re Chindits now. That
years I have enjoyed a close relationship
should be the message for the new regiment.
with the army in Scotland and have been
Not, hard lines you’re no longer Black Watch
privileged to have known many of the main
or whatever, but well done, you’re the new
personalities. And as an outsider perhaps
Royal Regiment of Scotland.
I have had different insights into what
One last word. Oceans of ink have been used
has gone before and what has come into
to argue the pros and cons of the
being. The main lesson I learned is this:
Cameronians’ decision to disband.
while it was regrettable to see the demise
Amalgamation with the KOSB was one
of so many historic names the history of
possibility but when the axe fell in 1967 the
the British Army has been one of constant
decision was taken within the regimental
change with regiments disappearing
family to disband. With the passing of time
through amalgamation, disbandment and
and with hindsight, it was the correct move.
cutbacks. Indeed, after every major war the
Even if the amalgamation with KOSB had
government’s main aim has always been to
worked, it would only have led to further
slash back the budget of the armed forces
amalgamations and the dilution of the
which one them.
Cameronian name - in 2006 The Royal Scots
It was ever thus and it has to be said that the
and KOSB amalgamated to form The Royal
formation of The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal
8
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