The First Fifty

The Buchan Battalion The First Fifty Michael A. W. Strachan Introduction In May 2020 the Buchan Battalion turns 50 years old. Although it is a relatively young battalion by most standards, it has made a massive contribution to the continued strength of the BB movement in the area. It is hoped this small booklet will help commemorate the first 50 years of the Buchan Battalion while also highlighting the multitude of work the Battalion has carried out over the last 50 years – all for the benefit of the Boys in Buchan. Training, Queen’s Badges, competitions and more. The scale of the work by officers has been so great the author feels compelled to express regret that this small booklet does not have the capacity to give credit to every individual to whom it is due. There are glaring omissions! Part of the reason for writing this history now comes from the fact that the Buchan Battalion has always been a forward-looking Battalion – so much so that it has failed to look back and record past events. When I was unexpectedly appointed Battalion President in 2013 (having only served as a Minute Secretary for a year) I was conscious that beyond the faces in the room, not much was known to me of what had come before. Most of the active officer could not remember when exactly the Battalion was founded, or knew much about our first President. Achieving our first 50 years seems like a timely moment to celebrate our past. Today the Buchan Battalion has been described as one of Scotland’s most successful battalions in terms of growth and sustainability. This is only achieved thanks to the dedicated volunteers who give their time for the betterment of the Battalion and of the Boys. Credit belongs to them but as we celebrate this significant anniversary let us not forget that we stand on the shoulders of giants: the officers of today are the boys of yesterday. It is hoped this booklet may inspire the boys of today to further our battalion as the officers of future! Capt. Michael A. W. Strachan, 1st Rosehearty Coy. Author & Former President of Buchan Battalion (2013-17) Before Buchan The area which we now call the Buchan Battalion had come under the jurisdiction of the larger Aberdeen Battalion from the time Buchan companies were formed. The BB arrived in Aberdeen in 1885, just two years after the organisation was founded by William Alexander Smith in Glasgow. Growth in Aberdeen was initially slow and the Battalion was not constituted until 1890 with the formation of the required six companies. Meanwhile, in 1889, the 1st Peterhead Company was established independently of Aberdeen. Like many companies in what we call Buchan, the early companies were set up by the Volunteer Brigades which ran contrary to the founding aims of Aberdeen Battalion. The Volunteer run companies were overly militaristic focussed purely on military exercises and rifles. The 2nd Peterhead formed in 1890 followed suit, as did the short-lived 1st Fraserburgh Companies formed in 1902 and 1906. All the Fraserburgh and Peterhead companies fell into abeyance during WW1 and did not immediately recover. In 1920 James Wilson, formerly Captain of the 13th Aberdeen BB and Adjutant of Aberdeen Battalion, retired to Fraserburgh where he set about establishing new companies. By 1925 he had established the 1st, 2nd 3rd Fraserburgh and the 1st Rosehearty. The 1st Sandhaven had also by then been formed by Rev George Martin. These new companies were set up along the lines of Aberdeen Battalion: the focus was on physical fitness rather than militarism. Left: Hon. Capt. James Wilson (1861-1935), Founder of the Boys’ Brigade in Fraserburgh. Right: Rev George Martin, Captain of 1st Sandhaven 1923-27. He was first President of the Fraserburgh District/ Buchan Council . Following success in the Fraserburgh Area interest was noted in establishing a company in Peterhead in 1924. This was enthusiastically supported by George Bennett Mitchell, President of Aberdeen Battalion, who noted “their aim now was not to secure only one company at Peterhead…there was no reason why they should not have a fine Battalion of Boys’ Brigade in Buchan”. The 1st Peterhead was successfully established in 1924 followed by a 2nd Peterhead by 1927. Later in February 1925 Harold J. Milne, Captain of 1st Fraserburgh, led discussion of forming a Buchan Battalion with the five companies formed and the ‘probability of getting three more in the area’. Bennett Mitchell saw little stopping the officers if they wanted to break away however Captain Edgar of the 1st Rosehearty ‘said he was inclined to hold on a little before thinking of withdrawing from the Aberdeen organisation’. By this time the companies had already organised themselves into a loose group sometimes called the Buchan Council but which was mainly called the Fraserburgh District. The Buchan Council was founded in November 1926 by Captain James Wilson who served as Honorary President and Rev George Martin, Captain of 1st Sandhaven, who was the first serving President. 1934: Joint camp at Haddo House with the 1st Fraserburgh and 2nd Peterhead. Capt Harold J. Milne in the white trousers. Under the auspices of the District, the Fraserburgh and Area companies were able to hold their own local competitions, organised joint parades and church services and also had their own office-bearers – at least a President and a Secretary. It was essentially a mini-battalion but remained under the umbrella of Aberdeen Battalion and President Bennett Mitchell. The Peterhead companies seem to have formed less of a local organisation until quite late on. The above shields were acquired by the Fraserburgh District for physical exercise competitions and were competed for annually from 1927 until the 1960s. (l-r) Town Council Shield for Senior PT, James Wilson Memorial Shield for Junior PT (renamed so in 1935). The shield competitions were the main event of the year for the Fraserburgh District well into the 1960s. The company which won the above District shields would normally qualify for the Aberdeen Battalion equivalents which were brought back to Fraserburgh more and more frequently from the late 1940s. The formation of the 4th Fraserburgh in 1952 saw increased competition for the shields. One of the key figures in the District was John B. Macdonald of the 3rd Fraserburgh who served as Secretary 20+ years, overseeing the organisation of competitions, training and providing entertainment – particularly his collection of film shows for the boys. Other notable leaders in the District from the 1950s were Harold J. Milne, Jimmy Sinclair, Henry Duthie, Alex Beattie and Capt McRae. Through their leadership the District was fully functioning and a Battalion in all but name. The 4th Fraserburgh Company won the Wilson Memorial Shield and Aberdeen Battalion’s Glentanar Shield in 1958 under Lt Alex Beattie. Below: District parade, 1960s. The Fraserburgh District BB Pipe Band, c.1965. Note the District Colours behind the band. A New Buchan Battalion Although the re-introduction of the Boys’ Brigade in the north east was an undoubted success, it is clear that the promoters did not live long enough to see their plans come to a fruition. Their aim was not to expand the Aberdeen Battalion but to create a Buchan Battalion! For reasons unknown the Fraserburgh and Peterhead Districts – which were highly organised and functioning – had no inclinations of forming a new Battalion until 1970. There companies were officially designated as being affiliated members of Aberdeen Battalion in an outlying area. The minute books of Aberdeen Battalion from 1950-70 show that the north east officers never attended Battalion meetings (because they were not invited) and that the Aberdeen officers never spoke of their affairs. The Buchan Battalion was finally formed by combining the Fraserburgh and Peterhead Districts in May 1970 – nearly 50 years after their establishment. The whole affair was entirely devoid of excitement and was so significant that it did not feature in the Aberdeen Battalion minute books. It seems that the Battalion was formed by Brigade reorganisation – a drive to ensure all companies were fully fledged members of Battalions and not ‘affiliated’. In 1969 Aberdeen Battalion voted to change their name to Aberdeen and District Battalion, meaning that companies in outlying areas could apply for full membership. It was at this juncture that the north east made their break. The 1st Peterhead, 4th Peterhead, 1st Cruden, 3rd Fraserburgh, 4th Fraserburgh, 5th Fraserburgh, 1st St. Combs and 1st Rosehearty were signatories and forming members of this new Buchan Battalion. Appointing the top office- bearers would be a compromise: the leading figures of both the North and South areas becoming President and Vice President. The top job went south to Capt. David G. Porter (1st Cruden) as President, while Capt. Henry Duthie (4th Fraserburgh) was appointed Vice-President. The Secretary of the former Fraserburgh District, Charles M. Watt (then 3rd Fraserburgh) was appointed first Secretary to the new Battalion. The formation of the Battalion gave the area greater powers to administer their own affairs. They continued to organise parades and competitions as before but now they had the power to approve new officers, oversee the formation of new companies and sections and run their own training courses. These new powers were embraced quickly by the Buchan Battalion with Mr Porter and Charles Kelman (1st St.Combs) running officer training courses and leadership courses for the Queen’s Badge within the first month of the Battalion’s formation. Left: This small article was the most public notice of the formation of the Battalion being printed in the Press & Journal on 28th May 1970. The same article was reproduced in the Fraserburgh Herald.

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