Royal Scots Borderers
Encyclopedia
The Royal Scots Borderers is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Two infantry regiments ; the Royal Scots and the King's Own Scottish Borderers
merged on the 28 March 2006, and with the other Scottish infantry regiments amalgamated into the single seven battalion strong Royal Regiment of Scotland.
The origins of the portmanteau, Royal Scots Borderers, dates from the 1990 Options for Change
review, when it was initially announced that the Royal Scots and King's Own Scottish Borderers
would amalgamate. This amalgamation was subsequently rescinded and the loss of a battalion transferred to the Queen's Division
, which led to the formation of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
.
The Royal Regiment of Scotland is unique in the British Army
in that the names of the regiments that were amalgamated to form it have been retained, with their battalion numbers used as subtitles. Two of the initial six regular battalions, the Royal Scots Battalion and King's Own Scottish Borderers Battalion
were amalgamated in August 2006 – upon their amalgamation, the new battalion took the name Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland. The current Commanding Officer is Lt. Colonel Bob Bruce, formerly of the Royal Scots.
The battalion wears a flat black hackle
behind the Royal Regiment of Scotland cap badge
on the TOS (Tam O' Shanter
) to distinguish itself as the Royal Scots Borderers. It recruits its soldiers from Dumfries and Galloway
, Edinburgh
, the Lothian
s, Borders
and parts of Lanarkshire
, which was traditionally the recruiting ground of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) until they were disbanded in 1968. The battalion home headquarters and museums are based at Edinburgh Castle
for The Royal Scots
and Berwick
for The King's Own Scottish Borderers. A Company of 52nd Lowland
, 6th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland maintains an affiliation to the 1st Battalion.
– 25th/49th Battalion, The Royal Queensland Regiment – 5th Battalion, The Royal Malay Regiment
– The Witwatersrand Rifles
– HMS Edinburgh
- A Company Glasgow and Lanarkshire ACF
Two infantry regiments ; the Royal Scots and the King's Own Scottish Borderers
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
merged on the 28 March 2006, and with the other Scottish infantry regiments amalgamated into the single seven battalion strong Royal Regiment of Scotland.
The origins of the portmanteau, Royal Scots Borderers, dates from the 1990 Options for Change
Options for Change
Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in 1990, aimed at cutting defence spending following the end of the Cold War....
review, when it was initially announced that the Royal Scots and King's Own Scottish Borderers
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
would amalgamate. This amalgamation was subsequently rescinded and the loss of a battalion transferred to the Queen's Division
Queen's Division
The Queen's Division is a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for has the regiments from the east of England and the remaining regiment of Fusiliers. The Queen's Division was formed in 1968 with the regimentation of the Home Counties Brigade, Fusilier Brigade and...
, which led to the formation of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
"PWRR" redirects here. For the railroad with these reporting marks, see Portland and Western Railroad.The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division...
.
The Royal Regiment of Scotland is unique in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in that the names of the regiments that were amalgamated to form it have been retained, with their battalion numbers used as subtitles. Two of the initial six regular battalions, the Royal Scots Battalion and King's Own Scottish Borderers Battalion
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
were amalgamated in August 2006 – upon their amalgamation, the new battalion took the name Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland. The current Commanding Officer is Lt. Colonel Bob Bruce, formerly of the Royal Scots.
The battalion wears a flat black hackle
Hackle
The hackle is a clipped feather plume that is attached to a military headdress.In the British Army and the armies of some Commonwealth countries the hackle is worn by some infantry regiments, especially those designated as fusilier regiments and those with Scottish and Northern Irish origins. The...
behind the Royal Regiment of Scotland cap badge
Cap badge
A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as well as uniformed civilian groups such as the Boy...
on the TOS (Tam O' Shanter
Tam o' Shanter
Tam o' Shanter may refer to:*"Tam o' Shanter" , a 1790 poem by Robert Burns* Tam o' Shanter, the main character of the poem...
) to distinguish itself as the Royal Scots Borderers. It recruits its soldiers from Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, the Lothian
Lothian
Lothian forms a traditional region of Scotland, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills....
s, Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
and parts of Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
, which was traditionally the recruiting ground of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) until they were disbanded in 1968. The battalion home headquarters and museums are based at Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
for The Royal Scots
The Royal Scots
The Royal Scots , once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest, and therefore most senior, infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of Scotland...
and Berwick
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
for The King's Own Scottish Borderers. A Company of 52nd Lowland
52nd Lowland Regiment
The 52nd Lowland Regiment now forms the 6th Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, also known as 6 SCOTS. Due to its erstwhile association with the 1st Regiment of Foot, it is the senior Territorial line infantry battalion in the British Army...
, 6th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland maintains an affiliation to the 1st Battalion.
Alliances
– The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) – Royal Newfoundland Regiment – 1st Battalion, The Royal New Brunswick Regiment (Carleton and York)The Royal New Brunswick Regiment
The Royal New Brunswick Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces based in New Brunswick. It consists of two battalions, both of which are part of 37 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment as it is now, was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of the Carleton and York Regiment,...
– 25th/49th Battalion, The Royal Queensland Regiment – 5th Battalion, The Royal Malay Regiment
Royal Malay Regiment
The Royal Malay Regiment is the premier unit of the Malaysian Army's two infantry regiments. At its largest, the Malay Regiment comprised 27 battalions. At present, two battalions are parachute trained and form part of the Malaysian Army Rapid Deployment Force...
– The Witwatersrand Rifles
Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment
The Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment is a mechanized infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit.-History:...
– HMS Edinburgh
HMS Edinburgh (D97)
HMS Edinburgh is a Type 42 destroyer of the Royal Navy. Edinburgh was built by Cammell Laird of Birkenhead. She was launched on 14 April 1983 and commissioned on the 17 December 1985...
- A Company Glasgow and Lanarkshire ACF