The Black Watch Museum and Home Headquarters
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No. 102 November 2010 THE RED HACKLE Perth and Kinross is proud to be home to the Black Watch Museum and Home Headquarters Delivering Quality to the Heart of Scotland don’t lOSE YOUR VOICE - REGISTER TO VOTE In order to vote you must be registered as an elector. If you are not on the register your views and opinions will count for nothing at election time. You can and should register to vote if you are not already registered. If you have changed your name, please let us know. Members of HM Forces and their spouses or civil partners can register either by means of a service declaration or choose to be registered as an ordinary elector instead. Remember, 16 and 17 year olds who register are entitled to vote as soon as they turn 18. P.S. Did you know that registering to vote can do more than protect your democratic rights? It can also help you open a bank account or get a mortgage, loan or mobile phone. For information on registering to vote: Phone the Freefone Helpline on 0800 393783 e-mail: [email protected] or write to the Electoral Registration Officer, Moray House, 16-18 Bank Street, Inverness IV1 1QY HAVE YOUR SAY No. 102 42nd 73rd November 2010 THE RED HACKLE The Chronicle of The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), its successor The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Affiliated Regiments and The Black Watch Association Private Sam Morgan receives his Afghanistan campaign medal during the visit or the Royal Colonel to Balhousie Castle on 1 June 2010. NOVEMBER 2010 THE RED HACKLE 1 CIVVY STREET NEEDS YOUR HELP. If you are about to leave the Forces and have time to Dingbro Inverness & Perth Branches spare, come and work as a part-time volunteer for charity. would like to support The organisational skills you learned can be of vital The Black Watch importance to the success of a voluntary organisation – and help give you a new lease of life into the bargain! Our fine and outstanding Regiment REACH provides a free job-finding service throughout the UK and could find you a satisfying, voluntary opportunity nearby. THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL CITY OF INVERNESS Phone for details or visit our website at COMMON GOOD FUND www.volwork.org.uk The provost, councillors and citizens of the city of inverness would like to thank the black watch regiment for their dedicated service to the nation reach 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP. Tel: 020 7582 6543 Registered Charity No 278837 2 THE RED HACKLE NOVEMBER 2010 THE Contents Editorial ..............................................................................................................................................3 RED HACKLE Regimental and Battalion News .......................................................................................................4 The Regimental Museum ..................................................................................................................8 The Black Watch Heritage Appeal ..................................................................................................9 Correspondence ...............................................................................................................................10 Obituaries .........................................................................................................................................13 Articles ..............................................................................................................................................23 The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland ...................................................30 51st Highland, 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland ..................................................47 The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada ..........................................................50 The Tyneside Scottish ......................................................................................................................51 Angus & Dundee Battalion Army Cadet Force ...........................................................................52 Black Watch Battalion Army Cadet Force ....................................................................................55 Association News .............................................................................................................................58 The Chronicle of The Black Watch Editorial (Royal Highland Regiment) its successor As part of the Perth 800 celebrations His Royal Highness Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion visited Perth on 1 June and, in his capacity as the Royal Patron of The Black Watch Heritage The Royal Regiment of Scotland Appeal, he visited Balhousie Castle. During a busy schedule he was briefed by members of the Appeal Committee using the scale model of the proposed build; was introduced to most mem- The Affiliated Regiments bers of Regimental Association Welfare Committee; presented an Afghanistan campaign medal and to Private Sam Morgan as well as meeting Corporals Richard Clark and Craig Sharp who had The Black Watch Association both been awarded the Military Cross for gallantry on the recent operational tour. He also met TA soldiers from Queen’s Barracks who deployed to Afghanistan with the Battalion and the MOD and Regimentally employed staff at Home Headquarters, as well as a number of Black November 2010 Watch cadets. Finally he presented the Elizabeth Cross to the family of a Black Watch soldier No. 102 who had been killed in action in Korea. On 26 June the Regimental Association formed up in Rose Terrace. They marched from the North Inch, with Branch Standards flying and lead by the Angus and Dundee Battalion Cadet Pipes & Drums, to Balhousie Castle. The salute was taken by Lord Provost John Letford, Published for The Black Watch the Association President. This very well attended annual Regimental Reunion was greatly enjoyed by all those present. On 2 July the Armed Forces Day parade that marched through Perth on a beautiful, warm and sunny day was lead by The Black Watch Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the salute was taken by His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Wessex. The Black Watch battalion took block leave in early July before deploying to Kenya for a demanding and surprisingly wet training exercise. They returned in early September to take over the role of Spearhead Land Element. A report on Project Balhousie and the Museum is incorporated in this edition. Due to the huge financial deficit facing the coalition Government further Defence cuts are predicted and on this occasion the review is called the Strategic Defence and Security Review METHOD PUBLISHING (SDSR). Rumours of manpower and equipment programme cuts and possible reorganisation Sutherland Press House, Golspie, to all three Services are inevitably rife, however, until there is a formal announcement in mid Sutherland, Scotland KW10 6RA October it is business as usual. Telephone (01408) 633871 Fax (01408) 633876 to whom all enquiries regarding advertising should be addressed. The opinions expressed in the articles of the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy and views, official or otherwise, of the Regiment or the MOD. This publication contains official information. Editorial Matter and Illustrations It should be treated with discretion by the recipient. © Crown Copyright “The Red Hackle” is published every six months in May and November. Contributions large and small will always be welcome. They should be typewritten in double spacing on one side of the paper only. Photographs, cartoons and sketches of Regimental interest are also welcome and will be returned if requested. Design and Typography All material for inclusion in the various issues must reach the Editor not later than 1 April and 1 October © Method Publishing 2010 respectively. Bulk orders are supplied at a rate of £4 per copy. Individual copies are sent out to permanent subscribers, both in the UK and abroad, at a subscription rate of £8 annually for UK subscribers, £14 annually to Europe and £16 annually Worldwide by Airmail. A Gift Aid Scheme is available for individual subscribers who are subject to UK tax. The magazine fund benefits from tax reclaimed in this way. All subscriptions should be sent to The Editor, “The Red Hackle”, Home Headquarters, The Black Watch, Balhousie Castle, Hay Street, Perth PH1 5HR, and those interested in the Gift Aid Scheme will, on request be provided with the requisite forms for completion. NOVEMBER 2010 THE RED HACKLE 3 A full list of broadswords and accoutrements missing is shown below: • Broadsword blade number 105857 (Bowes-Lyon) with chrome and leather scabbard • Broadsword blade number 00985 (Gurdon) with leather scab- bard • Broadsword blade number 11853 with leather scabbard • Broadsword blade number 65561 (Campbell-Adamson) with leather scabbard. FORECAST OF EVENTS 17 December 2010 Officers’ Regimental Ball Perth 17 March 2011 Highland and Lowland Brigade Bonspiel Perth Regimental and 16 April 2011 Black Watch Association AGM Perth 16 April 2011 WOs’ and Sgts’ Past and Present Dinner Perth Battalion News 21 May 2011 Officers and their ladies lunch Perth 22 May 2011 Aberfeldy Muster CONGRATULATIONS 16 June 2011 Officers and their ladies lunch London To Lieutenant Colonel A J Aitken MBE on his selection for promotion 21 July 2011 Officers’ Cocktail Party Perth to Colonel. 22 July 2011 (tbc) Regimental Golf Meeting Kinross To Major R R E Lindsay on his selection for promotion to Lieutenant