A Scottish Soldier

With so many Campbells, MacDonalds and Armstrongs in my family tree it´s paradoxical that the the only photo I have of a family member in Highland dress is of my cousin, Brian Roberts, whose surname is not Scottish but originated in England and is very common in Wales where his father came from. However, if he shook his mother´s family tree, enough Scots would fall out to form several Scottish regiments.

Brian joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders – an infantry regiment - at the age of 20 when this photo was taken. Unfortunately, it´s in black and white so I´ve shown the regimental tartan he´s wearing underneath an enlargement of the silver badge on his hat. I´ve also shown a photo of the regimental museum which is in Stirling Castle in the “King´s Old Building” so-called because it was originally built in the 1490s as a residence for King James IV of Scotland, the last monarch to be killed in battle. The second photo shows a soldier with the regiment´s mascot, a Shetland Pony called Cruachan. By coincidence, or perhaps not, “Cruachan” was the traditional Gaelic war cry of the Campbells....something worth remembering the next time somebody nips into a parking place I´ve been waiting for or pushes in front of me at the baker´s. Incidentally, a mountain called Ben Cruachan – at 3689 feet - is the highest point in Argyllshire. The bottom photo shows a drum major and a piper dressed in regimental attire.

I find it rather sad that the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders no longer exists. In 2006, along with several other Scottish regiments, it was amalgamated into the Royal Regiment of Scotland. However, each battalion maintains its former regimental Pipes & Drums to carry on the traditions of their antecedent regiments.

I created this page using my latest kit, From Time To Time. If you´d like a freebie QP, you´ll find it HERE. Also, if you´d care to have an alpha which coordinates with the rusty spatters in the kit, watch this space...