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VOL.Z No. 7 PRICE

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.,';:r !,\®~TH·I:Y. (~;I JOURNAL , '.1, '

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 T·H IST.LE.
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A· MONTHLY , JOURNAL OF TKE ROYA.L .sCOT.S.
•
V.OL. II. No.9.] JlgLGAUM, DEOEMBER, 189{: [PRICE 1'HR-lf:E
,
.ANNAS
.

CON .T ENTS:
(t ' . r • ___ Page.
Regimental Gazette, ...
189'h . , . . ..
." 137 .
i87 and 138 1894.
Editorial Notes, .• 138 and 139
Cricket, .. . .. . ... .. . ." . .. ... 139 HE yelH' that is drawing to· " elose h88 ~1O'
Bonibay Presidency Rifle Association Oentrai Meeting, . 140 been all regards the regil1J&nt " very tlveil!;"
Regimtlntal Sille.Lights, ... ,,, ... ... ... 141 fuJ one. Thf're -seem to be no points. io
])epo~ N·e,vB, . 141
l~t Bat.talion News, ... 142
it which stand out to mark an epooli in
Breezy Belgaum, 143 our bistory, no ·evtmt,s ",bieb are likely w
.~ Old Shiner," .. 1 144 be followed hy importaA.t FeIIul~s. Rut
Two Stripes, ... . .. ... : :. .... ... 14.5 although l894 has been so ub~.ventfuJ, ti,e
A Reminiscenoe of .¥ili.tary. l.if&.in/l'hj) Royal Sootll, 146 battalion must congratulate it~elf on the v~ry pleasanti
T'he Sergeanta' Mess, •.• • ... , ... .. . .. . 147
The Royal Soots' Edinburgh A-ooiation, ... 148 couditions UDder which it ' ~as passed through' it, _ lind
" let Regiment of Foot, .. , ... 149 it is with It full appreciation of the privileges and good .,
Goings on at Hom'e, '.:. ;' .. ; ~ 150 things we have 'enjoyed in the past, Imd wiih " feelin~ ·.: ,·1
Dinner to the l!'ootball Team, ' 151 of great uncel·tainty as regards ·the future in which tnany
My First Interview with a Tiger, 152 ch"'nges are immediately imlninent that we 1.61uctantly
.. Tile Contented Sllhl" 153
'l'he BeJ~ll1u JIourul~ 154 allow 1894 to ' slip away. Whatever regrets'· m(y be
" 'The Thistle;'" . .. ... 155 felt for plflllSures that are , passed, for triumphs who~
'Regimental Football Recol'd~ aruce leaving Alderahot, ... 155 sweetness ruay have worn ofl~ Ilnd . for; J'eOOlle~tiutl8 of
8tory.-Honeymoon Hall, ... ... ... ... 156,. Hi7, and 158 difficulties overcome, the Jllembers vi the regjmeot should
I,etter8 to the J<::ditor, ' 160
c~08s t.he threshol'd of the lie'\\' year dettlrotiued t~ ~o
Good Conduot l>ay, .. . ... ltl<> '
.Domostic Occurrenoerr,·et-o., etc., 160 forward wocking together in tb~ interests of pr.ogfess, to)
attain the obiect after whieb it is ou duty to s~rivp, viz.: tha
realization vf an ideal covps ; and resolve€! to. keep up th':l na.llJ~
of the regiment which baa been handed down unblei(lUsbeJ
RE~tMEHTAL ~AZETTE. from our predecessors since its forUlation . Tbe work througH-
out ~lIe past; year may be rpgal'd.-d as.s wilfg a s~aay IIlld
CB.• BJliRGT. J. QUIGLEY, and SeFgt:. 0 : Edden left here on the lUll su.re llllprO\' .. nu,nt. ,"nd it is with full c"IJfi..,.e~IC" of litill further
jnst. t{) join the RegimentaT Depot, on being· tranBferred to the progress tha-t. we lOOK forward to 18!):.')" 1i:' .',
. Permanent Stair of the 3rd batt~lionc
It is atmost a year ago. siuoo the hel.d-quarters. 01.. the
battalion marched QUt of We»illgt.()~ .Barl"aek8, ,,'hicb. })ad
LIEUT. H. B. fuso", h~ving been! detailed for, duty at the WeIli...gton ~en O\;lr first stat.iOB in India, aud ""bicb for many r~ns
OonvaJescent nepOt, proceeded to that station to ta,J>;;e up his new we were: !lorry to leave. It!: gl'ent disadvantage ununukJtedly-
duties on the 11th insb. .
. ~ .
lay iii the fac:t dlitt. the h .. rialiOIl WitS so ~plit up with thre«"-
. ~ " j
~omf!lni'·:s 00 detaduuel.t .a t Malapul'llllJ, Calicut., and Can·n ..-
Lc.JE.·SKRGT. J. CRARlJT01'l left here tor MathM on. the 14th mst. 1ol;'
the. pllrpoSfl of undergoing a · qu&lifyi~g exami._tion p~ to his nqre, At Belgaurn we have the advantage of all bl'ing
apfointment to th8"Ordnance Depa.rtment, together. The two, statoons kia'va often been compared, and
~. , '
"
~.
. . '0
suffice ,lot say that w:e 'I'e yer,r content with our Pl'(lseut
'-<T.lt following have; beeJt tra.Jlll{8l"J'lld,to th& batta~ for thf purpoS& qllartt'rs, and sl'Wuld the }'ule {whle? has been mDOted) 0(1\11.
.of-aerving with brothen;...:.. . into f(IFce. viz. ~ t,Mt "egiment-s wiH rt'mlloin lour ,Y6Il1's ,iu olle
Pte. J. Cox, from i..~ K. B. Ri4ee. station, we h9pe it Clay be our , gooa fortune to remain here.,
.. G. Jackson, .. " - _ Cliluate count..! for a 'J..eJ'Y great ~ellil in Inqia. '
. ". J. Baker;Ttoirl 'S6th-l'~ n,., B.A .. Our first -experience of. active work, if a menth'l! mal'<'h
or.. .,,;. .... . r " "oOT\' ~ ..... ., +- ~ (. • .,i-,
be worthy the name, was' a pleasant one... It would he.
CAPTAIN L. F. B.A.BTON baa
, ... . . '. ~
b8en pied liok leaTtt-to- Eng~d.
; ... ., • -;"'1 ;., t ..'. ,'. -.
an excellent thIng for the ".,giment if it could do' S9lllethi~ of'·
. t·his sort mOI'e often. 0ptln ail' life is so good a tra1lllpg. apd
PRO)fOTION~ AND A~POI~T.ENTS. men learn to shift for ,tbeQ}S8lves, and to bepatiel)t under
- difficulties. AI-though ih& country we passed lAroolh wa&
I • . . l'
not pllrficulal'!y jnterestiog~ a~ the h8ll.t. waa. O;ften ,ire&; ..n
'·,To. be AetJinB Qr~Mr.·S~nt. No.l37&C... -Set>st.,6,•. E. F;verfughaUl.
'fico Bannister ?n route to England for di.o,barge., 28·11·940. ' - . were sony when the marob· .• over.Th& ;corufort of
To lHo PtovjN(lMl Luoe.Corpora.l. No. 2M2 Pte; ~. Wri~. ~,ra(;ks! 6Q obeo cried .dowD were mQrf!- .foPJf,;cia~j alld we
 HI~TLE
She SJZOnthlU :Journal or She $ou al 8eots.
NEW SERIES, VOL. 1. No. 1. EDINBURGH. 10TH MARCH 1904.

<t 0 n ten t s. JEbitorial.

PAGE
Editorial I
Lt.·Gen. G. H. Moncrieff (with portrait) . ,. 3 -$'
1St Batt. Notes 3
2nd Batt. Notes 5 E hope that, with this first number of the new
Depot Notes ... 5 series, The Thistle, being transplanted to its
3rd Batt. Notes 6
4th Vol. Batt. Notes .. , 7
native soil from the hot and uncongenial
5th Vol. Batt. Notes ... 9 climate of the East, will flourish and increase.
6th Vol. Batt. Notes .. , 9 It will be pu blished as a monthly record and
7th Vol. Batt. Notes ... 10
journal of th e doings of all Battalions, whom
8th Vol. Batt. Notes .. II
9th Vol. Batt. (Highlanders) Notes 12 it is thus hoped to bring into closer touch.
The Royal Scots' Memorial (with plate) 12 It is proposed to give a series of portraits of
Th e ]{oyal Scots' Edinburgh Association 13 the Colonel of the Regiment, and the Commanding Officers
Cycl ist Infantry. By Th e Squire ... 13 of the 1st Regimental District and the 1st and 2nd Bat-
The Royal Scots in the Blenheim Campaign. By Col. James
Ferguson ". .. , ..... IS talions; and at the same time a series of the Hon. Colonels
Food on Active Service. By Lieut.·Col. I-I. L. 1Iallewell, C. M.G. 16 and Colonels Commanding the Volunteer Battalions; and,
Gazettes 16 during the Annual Training, portraits of the Hon. Colonel
Births, Marriages, and Deaths 16 and Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion.

This month we give a plate of The Royal Scots' Memorial

1R 0 tic e s. in St. Giles, for permission to publish which we are indebted
to the courtesy of the sculptor, Mr. W. Birnie Rhind,
The 7'hist!~ is published monthly- on the 10th-as a Regimental A.R.S.A.; the photo from which the plate is taken being
Paper for all Battalions of The Royal Scots. kindly supplied by Mr. Moffat, Princes Street, Edinburgh .

The Office is at 74 HA:-'OVER STREET, EDINBURGH, where all

communications shou ld be addressed to the Editor of The Tllistle.
Th e subsc ription is 3s. a yea r (4S. if to be sent by post direct to sub ·
scribers), payable in admnce- in the case of Battalions, to the Battalion
Correspondent; and in the case of other individual subscrihers, to the
Editor direct.
I t is particularly requested that all contributions intend ed for insertion
should reach the Editor not later than the first post on the 25th of each
month, for insertion in the next number.
Contributions, which are earnest ly solicited, must be written in ink,
on one side only, and a margin left : it shou ld be stated if the manu·
sc rivt is to be returned; and, if not original, the name of the source
from which taken mnst be given.
Copies will be sent in bulk to Battalion Correspondents, who will
make arrangements for delivery to subscribers in their Battal ions.
Otber subscril>ers will receiYe their copies direct by post.
Copies will always be on sale at the Publishing Office, 74 Hanover
Street, Edinburgh.
Cheques, Postal Orders, &c., should be made payable to the Editor
of Th~ TIt£st/e.
We take this opportunity of tendering our thanks to all
those who have h elped us to launch The Thistle on its new
career :-To the Editors of The St. George's Gazette, 79th
News, Green Howards' Gazette, L.R.B. Cltronicle, H.L.l.
Chronicle, A. S. C. J oumal, and Tile Tiger and Rose; to
Captains H. W. E. Finch, Middlesex Regiment, and W. T.
B. Rhod es, Welsh R egi ment, former Editors respectively of
The Die·hards Doings and Jilt fifen of Harleell, all of whom
have kindly placed their experience and knowledge of th e
m"a nagement of a Regimental Paper at our disposal; to th e
Commanding Officers of all the Battalions, who have given
their approval and sancti on, especially of th e 1st and
2nd Battalions for th ei r generosity in formin g the nucleus of
our Reserve Fund; to Major Deane, H on. Secretary of Th e
Royal Scots' Club in London, and to Captain G. S. Tw eed ie,
whose experience as a form er Editor of The Thistle has been
invaluable, and who has given much tim e and trouble to the
matter. We also have to thank Lieutenant H orace Brown
of the 4th Volunteer Battalion, who has manfully stepped
into the breach as Co-Editor, and has horne the brunt of
the hard work en tailed in slarting The Thistle in its new
sphere.
 Vol. V., No.5. PRICE 6d.

THE QUARTERI}' JOURNAL

OF
THE ROYAL SCOTS.

II

February 191i.
- ~~
Printed by ANDREW BROWN, 74 Hanover Street, Edinblugh . .
 THe

HI~TLE
The Quarterly Journal of The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
2ND NEW SERIES, VOL. 1, No. 1. ALDERSHOT. JULY, 1922.

1ieut.::::(l;eneral Sir lEt B.

BUbarn's jLetter.
lb.1R.lb. ~rtncess mar~'s
THE resuscitation of THE THISTLE is a real event
jLetter. in the history of the Regiment, and the keynote
of that event is, I venture with great respect to
think, struck in the gracious message of our
CHESTERFIELD HOUSE. CQlonel-in-Chief.
MAYFAIR,W.1.
A regimental paper has two main functions.
It is, in the first place, a valuable record of all
that concerns the Regiment as a whole and of the
daily life of each of its units. But, secondly-
29 May, 1922. and this, as Her Royal Highness points out, is its
chief mission- it should keep all the units and
all the individuals of the Regiment, both past
and present, in close touch with each other and
I welcome with real satisfaction each other's lives. A Regiment is a family, and
just as the members of a private family which is
the re-appearance of the THISTLE, scattered about the world can only keep touch
with each other by help of letters, so, too, is a
and wish it the greatest success 1n regimental newspaper, to which all Battalions
contribute their own particular news, essential
its mission of keeping all the to the maintenance of the pride and affection each
unit and each individual must cherish for the
battalions of the Regiment, and all Regiment as a whole.
Royal Scots, both past and present, I ask, therefore, every Royal Scot to do his
utmost to support TIlE THISTLE in this mission,
in clcsft touch with each other. and in particular to bear in mind that merely
reading the paper is no help to its success.
Success can only be secured-
By as many as can, both past and present
Royal Scots, giving financial support to THE
THISTLE by buying it regularly.
By Royal Scots helping the Editor by send-
ing to him a continual stream of regimental news
and of articles and information on subjects of
interest to the Regiment.
I am confident all ranks will play up in these
respects, and meanwhile I very heartily congratu-
late the Regiment in having overcome the serious
difficulties which militated against the revival of
our regimental paper.
E. A. ALTHAM, Lieut.-General,
Colonel, The Royal Scots
(The Royal Regiment).
Supplement to "The Thistle," April, 1925.

(!ross==worb ~U33Ie. '

ACROSS.
I To supply. 25 The cry of the Chelsea·ite. 41 Part of the hody. 52 Preposition.
10 A heavenly body. 26 London (on car numher plate). 42 Help. 53 " It was simply ••• ago."
17 To befall. 27 Conjunction (Fr.). 43 A committee. 56 Ridicule.
18 Wandering. 2B A Biblical character. 44 Low Latin (abbrev.). 59 Aid.
19 Gender. :29 A young man's wild oats. 45 A fencing term. 60 A prefix.
20 Erudition. 33 Girl's name (abbrev.). 47 To let drop. 62 A side.
22 Dulce Domum (Ger.). 34 C.Q.39· 48 Preposi tion. 63 A legal abbreviation.
23 One who speaks spitefully of 37 "It may be for ' j ' • and it may 49 What a s tone does in water. 64 A commi ttee.
another. be for ever." SI An experiment. 67 An adverb.
68 An epidermis.
69 A suffix.
70 Pronoun.
72 A river in Palestine.
73 A saint (abbrev.).
75 A poem.
76 Part of verb II to be."
77 Used for lighting.
78 Pertaining to plants.
79 Departed.
80 Type of aeroplane (abbrev.).
81 Indian Province (abbrev.).
83 Expression used instead of
.. Rot!"
86 Just gibberish.
88 Royal personage.
92 Pronoun.
93 Animal.
95 Naval abbreviation.
97 Employing.
99 Parent.
100 Antique.
102 Astral body.
104 Former.
105 Defunct venerable man. Add
.. s."
106 Preposition inverted.
108 Town in Esthonia.
109 Mountain lake.
110 Door.
112 Foot.
114 Same (Fr.).
115 Initials of " W. G.'s" brother.
1 [6 Furbelow.
117 Proposal.
I 18 Conjunction.
1 19 Enclosure.
120 And (Latin).
122 Part of verb" to be" (Fr.).
123 Found on a penny.
125 Verb.
127 Sporzando (abbrev.).
128 Cookie.
130 An M.P.
132 Motoring Association.
133 Preposition.
134 Wood.
I3S By way of.
137 18th century exclamation.
139 Consecutive letters.
141 Heraldic term.
142 Girl's name.
143 Prefix meaning II within."
145 Festival.
147 Foulld at the end of books.
148 Unites.
150 Enjoin.
152 Upheaval.
154 Ruler.

DOWN.
:2 A German town. 35 Law. 74 Preposition. 121 Tenderfoot.
3 The one after. 36 Tbe plural of Coccyx. 82 An adhesive substance. 123 Military rank (abbrev.).
4 Pronoun. 38 Sign sent a t end of signal message. 83 An extinct office. 124 A fabric.
5 A receptacle for cash. 39 Decayed. 84 Preposition. 125 Made to be beaten.
6 Unresponsive to worsbip. 40 " If . the rod"is spared, tbe 85 A form of money. 126 Preposition.
7 "Oh, who wi1l . . . the downs chIld IS . . . 86 Chafe. 128 Boundary.
with me?" 42 A proficiency. 87 A learned society (abbrev.). 129 Preposition.
8 Preposition. 45 A form of will. 89 Part of India (abbrev.) 131 Arises out of a problem.
9 A parent. 46 A covering. 90 A diphthong inverted. 134 Verse.
11 "I must go down to the .•• 50 A street (abbrev.). 91 A salient portion of the human 136 Two motoring societies now
again." 51 A club founded after the Great anatomy. amalgamated.
12 Faitbful. War. 92 A loafer. 137 Period of abstinence?
13 Of old. 54 Whither the 2nd Bn. expect 94 Emblems of philately. 138 Opposed to.
14 Military (ahbrev.). to go. 96 Napoleon became one. 139 A tail-less famous soldier.
15 "He only did it . . . 55 Military rank (abbrev.). 98 Lids. 140 Fish.
16 An European country. 57 Reptiles. 101 Fruit. r 41 Make of car.
19 Trilled. 58 Musical instruments. 103 The senior service. 144 Decoration (abbrev.).
2 J Descriptive verse. 60 Father on his bead. 104 Stage term. 146 "Much . . . about nothing."
22 A hot region. 6, A gas. 107 A sweetmeat. 149 A production, in which silver is
24 Fastened. 64 Low (Fr.). 108 Highest honour open to a civilian. used (initials).
29 Mistakes like the one in this. 65 Barometer. I I I Necessary adjunct to a car 151 Translation (abbrev.).
30 That which a fencer does. 66 Senseless. (initials). 153 Number.
31 Preposition. 70 Preposition. 1I2 Exclamation. 154 The greatest country in the
32 Religious brethren. 71 Point of tne compass. II 3 Head·dress. world.
33 An eminent person. 73 A saint (abbrev.).
 $o[ution to ¢ross",tr<llorb 1~u331e til II ~be ~btstle,"
Bprtl, 1925.

ACROSS.

1 Munition. 49 Sinks. 83 Tripe. 11 9 P e n.

10 Asteroid. 51 Trial . 80 Rioor. 1 22 Ete.
17 Betide. 52 T o. 88 Quee n . 123 F.D.
18 E rra nt . 53 Ages. 92 It . 125 Go.
19 Sex. 56 Skit. 9:l Ass. 12 7 SFZ.
20 Lore. 59 H e lp. 95 N .O. 128 Bun .
22 Haus. ()o A nti . 97 Using. 130 Ast o r.
23 Cat. 62 Team. 99 Pa . 13 2 M .U.
63 S.L. 100 Old. 133 On.
25 Art.
26 L.L. 64 Board. J0 1 Star. 13-1 Copse.
ET. 67 As . 10 4 Ex. 135 Vi a .
27 La.
28 E li . 68 P,;e l. 10 5 Beclcs . 137
F lin g. 69 Ess. 106 OT. ' 39 C. D .
29
Di . Us. 108 Ose l. 1-11 Bar.
33 70
109 Tarn. '4 2 Id a.
34 L.L . 72 Arnull .
Yea rs. 73 St. 110 Exit . '4 3 Endo .
37 Hoof. Gala.
+1 Lung. 75 Ode. 112 145
S.O.S. 76 Is . . 114 Meme . 14 7 End.
42 Ceme nts.
+J D.C. 77 Taper. 11 5 E .M . '4 8
L.L. 78 Ste m s. 116 Frill . 15 0 Dictate .
44 Eruption ,
Tac. 79 F lown. II 7 Offer. 15 2
+5 118 Governor.
+7 Drop. 80 D .H . Or. 154
_18 On. 81 C.P.

DOWN.

Uberg. 55 L .L. 82 Paste. 120 Et.

Next. .1 6 T a ils . 83 Tsa r. 121 Novice.
3 In . 123 F.M.
4 H. 38 A.R. 84
Till. 39 l{otted . 85 P.O. 124 Duro.
5 125 Gong .
6 Id o l. 40 Spoiled. 86 Rub .
O'er. 4 2a Skill. 87 R.G.S. 126 On.
7 128 B ord e r.
8 On. 45 Tread . 89 U.P.
9 Il'l a. 46 Cap. 90 E .A. 129 Up.
11 Sea. 50 St. 9I Nose. 131 Rider.
12 Truc. 5 1 T .H. 92 Id ler. f34 Canto.
E r~ t. _H East. 1)4 Stamps. 136 A .A. M .U.
13
55 S.M. 1)6 Exilc. 13 7 Lent.
14 J\'A.
15 Ullce. 57 TurluI ~'~~ . 'J )! Ruofs. IJ8 Anli.
10 H a ly. :>8 TruI lliJullCS. rO l L e l1lolls . 139 Cli v.
19 Sallg. (1O Ap. 10 3 R.N . 140 Dace.
21 Epic. 61 NCUIl. 10+ Exits. 141 Bean .
22 H e ll. 6+ Bas. 10 7 Toffy . 144 D.S.O.
24 Tied. 65 Ane roid. lOS a.M. [-\6 Ado.
29 Floates. 66 Dns. 110 Ere. 149 E.P.
I II T.L. 15' Tr .
30 Lunges. 70 Up.
71 S.E . Il 2 H o. 153 No.
31 In .
F ez. [5 -1 G.B.
32 Monks. 73 S.L. ll J
J3 D.D. 74 To.
JANUARY, 1930 THE THISTLE
of the establishment still retain the names of
several who received their hurts, and established
their claims in Africa. Therefore I conclude this
tradition by giving the following extract : -
" , Richard Stanley, of my Lord Dumbarton's
Regiment, lost a leg at Tangier.-Admitted
16th of June, 1690.' "
and again in his chapter, "A Tradition of
Marlborough's Wars," records : -
"I find the following in the book of entrips
for the year 1715-16 : -
" , 4 February.-Orkney's Regiment.- Robert
Chambers, wounded in the belly at Hockstedt.'
and ends his chapter : -
"Such was the campaign of Hochstedt, or
Blenheim, and such the services by which Robert
Chambers acquired his title to admission into
Chelsea Hospital. It will be admitted, I think,
even by the most fastidious, that he earned the
shelter that was afforded to his old age."
Scottisb lRa"aI.
anb militar~ Weterans'
lResibence-
WHTTEFOORD HOUSE AND CALLENDER
HOUSE, EDINBURGH.
The following information, derived from the
Annual Report for year ending Jun e, 1929, is
shown below.
Members of the Cmmca.-Colonel Lord Henry
Scott, D.S.O.; Brig.-General H. E. P. Nash,
D.S.O.; Colonel H. McMicking, e.B., D.S.O.;
Colonel J. H. Mackenzie, e.M.Goo D.S.O.,
Colonel A. C. H. MacLean. C.R.E. ; C<l.pt. H. M.
McCance; Colonel A. S. Blair, D.S.O. , T.D.;
Lieut -Col. N. H. S. Fargus, D.S.O., O.B.E.,
Commanding 1st Battalion; Brevet Lieut.-Col.
J. G. P. Romanes, D.S.O., Commanding The
Depot; The Royal Scots Association.
Members of the Visiting Council.-Major
Horace Brown, T.D.; Mr. J S. Dorward; Mr.
W. A. Laird; Mr. W. McCombie; Capt. W.
Clark, M.e.
Pensions and Grants obtained on behalf of
veterans of the Regiment : -
The Society for the Relief of the Destitute
Sick: 6 men at 5s. weekly.
Kinloch Bequest: I man at 5s. weekly.
The Royal Scots Association Benevolent Fund:
I man, lump sum of £2.
Help given to men of the Regiment :-
Casuals: 83 men' for 1,562 days.
Labour Home: 9 men for 568 days.
Boarders: 52 men for 4,584 days.
Beds in the Residence are named in memory
of:-
:193
Capt. A. M. C. Hewat, 2nd Battalion. Killed
in action at Orlaz, September 8th, 1914.
2/Lieut. W. G. Hewitt, 3rd Battalion. Killed
in action, First Battle of Ypres, October
14th , 19 14.
Pte. N. Small, 9th Battalion. Killed in action
near Ypres, April 23rd, 1915.
2/Lieut. J. B. M. MacDonald, 9th Battalion.
Killed in action, March 3rd, 1917.
Officers and men of The Royal Scots who fell
in action, 1914-1918.
Officers and men of the 3rd Battalion The
Royal Scots who fell in action, 1914-1918.
Regimental Annual Subscription: £10.
'[be lRa~ on tbe (tolours of
tbe 1st or '[be lRo~al
lRegiment of jfoot.
The company being the original unit in an
army, each company carried, as a distinguishing
mark and rallying point in action, a flag on a
pike, known to-day as a Colour. Each flag bore
some distinctive mark, such as the crest or
badge of its Commander.
When formed, later on, into regiments, the
companies retained their Colours. The Colonel,
the Lieutenant-Colonel and the Major commanded
companies, so carried company Colours as well
as the Captains. During the reign of William III
(1689-1702), these Colours were reduced in number
to three per regiment, those of the three senior
officers being naturally retained. This fitted in
with the organization of a regiment which at the
time consisted of three divisions, two of mus-
keteers and one of pikemen.
In 1707 the Union of Scotland and England
caused a great change in Colours. They were
reduced to two in number, and were to be called
the first Union, or the Colonel's, and the second
Union, or the Lieutenant-Colonel's.
Thus the Major's Colour disappeared, and the
Regiment would have only the Colonel's and
Lieu tenan t -Colonel's.
In 17I1, when the Regiment was permanently
divided into two battalions and two Lieutenant-
Colonels appointed to the Regiment, it would be
necessary to distinguish between the battalions,
and we may safely presume that the Ray was
then placed on the 2nd Battalion's Colours as
its distinguishing mark.
The Ray-gold, silver, white or red-had
originally been placed on the Major's Colour to
distinguish it from the Lieutenant-Colonel's and
to mark his position as junior to the Lieutenant-
Colonel, and would be naturally used to denote
 294 THE THISTLE JANUARY, 1930

the junior rank of a second battalion. The above

is corroborated by the wording of the Warrants
of 1747, 1749 and 1751, which states ;-" First
Reg iment or The Royal Regiment. The distinc-
tion of the Colours of the second battalion is
a flaming ray of gold descending from the upper
canton of each colour towards the centre." The
"is," not " will be," would appear to indicate
that this distinction had existed previously.
This distinction was abolished by Horse Guards
letter of November 24th, 180!. The Ray exists
now only on the King's Colour of the 3rd Battalion
of the Grenadier Guards.
It had been borne by the various second bat-
talions raised by other regiments at intervals on
outbreak of war, and abolished when peace came.
Some few escaped abolition by being converted
in to regiments themselves; thus the 2nd Battalion
of The Buffs, raised in 1755 , became in 1788 The
61st Regiment , now the 2nd Battalion of The
Gloucest ershire Regiment.
The Regiment is the only regiment which has
had two battalions of unbroken service. Prior
to 17TI it was only temporarily divided into LIEUT.-COLONEVS COLOUR, 1680.
battalions, the Major commanding the junior From the Kilkenny Archceological Society's Journal.
one. Since 17II there have been two Lieutenant-
Colonels on the establishment , one for each In 1680 the Colonel and the Lieutenant-
Battalion. Even as late as 1742, the Regiment Colonel were with the H eadquarter Companies
was ordered to send a battalion to the W est in Ireland, whilst the Major, Sir James Halket,
Indies, where soldiering was so unpopular that was in command of the sixteen companies at
the officers of the whole regiment drew lots Tangier.
as to which of them were to go with the foreign The Royal R egiment lost this unique pecu-
service battalion. The unpopularity was justi- liarity of the R ay on the Lieutenant-Colonel's
flCd, for fifteen officers of this battalion died in the Colour some time between 1684 and 1687, for,
West Indies between March 1st and April 17th, according to Sandford's" History of the Corona-
174 2 . tion of J ames II, " and to the drawings at Windsor,
In 1743 the first Warrant for Colours was the flaming Ray of The Royal Regiment had,
issued; the Colours were designated the First by then, been placed on the Major's Colour,
and Second Colour. according to the usual custom.
In 1747,1749 and 1751, more detailed Warrants
were issued, which laid down that the Colours
were to be called the King's and the R egimental,
which titles remain to the present day.
The earliest known Colour of The Royal Scots
is that described by one Dineley, who had been
himself a soldier. The account of his tour in
Ireland in the reign of Charles II has been
reproduced in the Proceedings of the Kilkenny
(later Irish) Archceological Society, Volume IV,
April, 1863, No. 40.
H e notes the peculiarity of the Lieutenant-
Colonel's Colour having the Ray, when he came
across the Regiment at Youghal in 1680, as
follows; "The Garrison consists of two com-
panyes of the Ancient Scotch, comonly known
by the name of The Douglas R egiment, under
the com and of the Earle of Dunbarton. . . .
They still beat the Scotch march, and the Colours
of the Lieutt. Colonel are those I have touched
off [i.e ., drawn] below with a flame in the Canton ,
which in England shows it to be the Ensign e of
Major." THE MAJOR'S COLOUR, 1687.
JANUARY, 1930 THE THISTLE
The 1687 pattern, as given above, differs from
Dineley's in that in the central device the motto
is not enclosed by the circle.
Between 1687 and 1743 the only trace of the
Regiment's Colours is about 1693.
THE COLONEL'S COLOUR, 1693.
The above is plain white, with gold crown,
thistle, and lettering. The drawing is taken
from a small manuscript book in the Bibliotheque
N ationale, Paris, which contains many drawings
of the Colours taken by the French during the
reign of Louis XIV.
From the foregoing we see that the Command-
ing Officer of the 1st Battalion is the lineal
descendant of the Lieutenant-Colonel to the
Regiment of the pre-17II period; and the
Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, of
the Major of the same period.
Also that the Regiment is unique in the
1st Battalion being entitled to carry the Rayon
any reproduction of the 1680 Colour.
The 2nd Battalion can claim the Rayon any
reproduction of its Colours ~f 1687-1707, its
Commanding Officer representmg the MaJor of
that period. From 17II to 1801 t?e 2nd Bat-
talion is entitled to the Ray, as Its own 2nd
Battalion distinction, on any Colour of that
period.
H. M. McC.
295
1st 1Sattalton lRotes.
B (l;Iimpse of our BlIieh
lRegiment of (tanahian
Scottish.
The historic v.c. Dinner, inaugurated at the
instance of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales and
Duke of Cornwall, on Saturday, November 16th,
1929, afforded those of us now serving with the
1st Battalion and Depot The Royal Scots an
opportunity of offering an all-too-brief welcome
to two distinguished officers who served with
The Canadian Scottish Regiment during the
Great War.
Colonel C. W. Peck, V.c., D.S.O., and Capt.
W. H. Metcalfe, V.C., M.M. , came over from
Canada for the above event, and we were rejoiced
to hear from Colonel J. H. Mackenzie, C.M.G.,
D.S.O., that they would be able to pay us a visit
before returning home.
To facilitate an initial visit to The Scottish
National War Memorial and The Royal Scots
Club in Abercrombie Place, Colonel Peck and Capt.
Metcalfe stayed at the North British Hotel on
the night of their arrival in Edinburgh, where
they were met at 10 a.m. on Monday, November
18th, 1929, by the Officer Commanding the Depot
and Capt. G. H. Hay, D.S.O., of the Depot staff.
A typical instance of the consideration and
thoughtfulness of our former "Comrades in
Arms" lay in their request to be taken first to
a florist's shop where a wreath of lilies was made
up and subsequently laid outside the Scottish
National War Memorial by Colonel Peck.
The complete tour of Edinburgh Castle was
impossible owing to lack of time, but a visit was
paid to Mary Queen of Scots' apartments after
the War Memorial had been viewed.
At The Royal Scots Club Colonel Peck and
Capt. Metcalf were met by Lieut.-Colonel N. H. S.
Fargus, D.S.O., O.B.E., and Capt. W . Clarke,
M.C., and were shown round the various rooms
and memorial bedrooms.
They then proceeded by car to the Depot,
where they walked round barracks and visited
the men at dinners.
After lunch in the Officers' Mess, Colonel Peck
and Capt. Metcalfe were driven over to Maryhill
Barracks, Glasgow, by Lieut.-Colonel Fargus to
visit the 1st Battalion, with whom they dined,
subsequently leaving for London at midnight.
The following telegram was subsequently
received at the Depot from Colonel C. W. Peck
before he embarked' at Southampton for Canada:
"Good-bye all you gallant Royal Scots, and
thanks for hospitality.-PECK."
 IIO THE THISTLE JANUARY, 1931

curved sword (i. e., in a Flank Company); crimson The earliest Royal Warrants on Colours-i.e.,
sash ; white cross belt; blue collar ; white 1743 and 1751- laid down that the 1st or Royal
trousers. Regiment bore" in centre of Colours the King's
Cipher within the circle of St. Andrew and the
~row~ over it. " The earliest actual Colours, still
To Lieut .-General Sir George MacMunn, the
In eXIstence, are at Gordon Castle, and date from
worthy successor of his grand old fighting fore-
bears, as recorded in" Generation to Generation ," 1775 . In these we find this same second badge
we are indebted for many of the foregoing details carried by the Regiment on the centre of its
and for permission to reproduce these most Colours. The badge now strictly complied with
entertaining and valuable" Royal Sketches" of the Royal Warrant, a sign and acknowlegment
the officers of the R egiment IIO years ago in that The Royal Regiment was the Sovereign's
Indi a. own Regiment of Foot, and a recognition of the
H . M. McC. title bestowed by King Charles II.
In 1801, at the request of our Colonel, the Duke
of Kent, an alteration, which certainly from an
{the 113abge of the artistic point of view was a great improvement ,
was made, by the substitution of the very hand-
lRegiment. some Collar of the Thistle with badge appendant
for the plain circle of the same Order.
It has been laid Clown by the Lord Lyon King In thi~ forn: our Regil1lental Badge still exists,
at Arms, than whom there can be no great er as descnbed In the Monthly Army List-" The
authority, that the badge of a regiment is the Royal Cipher within the Collar of the Order of
badge borne on the centre of its Regimental the Thistle with the Badge appendant. "
Colour.
What badges, then, have been and are still
borne on the Regimental Colour of the 1st or
Royal R egiment of Foot, now The Royal Scots.
(The Royal Regiment) ? To ascertain this we
must trace the old Colours. Several articles on
the Colours have appeared in THE THISTLE from
time to time, and the Records of the Regiment ,
published in 1915, has an article on the subject.
From these sources we learn that, on the first
known Colours, circa 1680, to those of the present
day, the R egiment has only borne two different
badges.
In r680 the Colours of the R egiment were the
old Scottish colours of the white cross of St.
Andrew on a blue background. The contem-
porary illus tration (see Records, Plate III, and
THE THISTLE, J anuary, 1930) shows Dumbarton's,
as the R egiment was then called, to have carried
a central badge of a thistle, crowned, within a
circle on which is inscribed NEMO ME IMPUNE
LACESSIT.
This, then, was our first R egimental Badge,
for it may safely be presumed that this b adge
had been carried from the formation of the
Regiment, 47 years previously.
This same badge appears on Colours of later
dates, and it still appears to this day on the four
corners of the present Regimental Colour, as a
subsidiary badge, with the modern form of
Crown.
The change to the second badge seems to have
been gradual, for in 1693 the Colours bore in
the centre a crowned thistle, surrounded by the
cipher of the Sovereigns, W. & M., and RR for
the Regiment. S. M. Milne, the great authority
on such matters, states that the actual ch a nge
occurred in 1707 at the Union. H e states: THE REGIMENTAL BADGE OF THE ROYAL
" The pre-eminently Scottish colours of the Scots SCOTS (THE ROYAL REGIMENT).
Guards, the R oyal Regiment, and the North Drawn by Graham J ohnston, Herald Painter·' to the Court of
British Fusiliers of necessity disappeared." the Lord L yon , Edinbttrgh .
 JANUARY, 1931 THE THISTLE
The Badge, as may be seen from the foregoing
illustration, consists of the reigning Sovereign's
cipher, as arranged by authority, in gold in the
centre, on a background of royal blue. There
had been some doubt as to the correct colour for
the background, as on some of the older Colours
it was shown as scarlet. On application recently
to the Lord Lyon he ruled it should be the same
colour as the Regimental Colour itself.
The cipher is surrounded by the ornate and
typically Scottish Collar, which consists of alter-
nat e thistles in gold and purple, and the crossed
double sprigs of rue, green leaves and brown
stems. ' The appendant badge of the Order is
in gold with St. Andrew in his green mantle,
bearing the silver cross of St. Andrew in his hands.
A bove is the Royal Crown in proper heraldic
colours. During early periods of the Hanoverian
Kings and of Queen Victoria, it was the pattern,
known as the Victorian, but the late King Edward
changed this to the Tudor, as is now the official
pattern.
The Regimental Badge in full was worn on the
cross belt plates, shako plates, buttons, etc., of
t he officers and men for many years, but un-
accountably fell into disuse at the great changes
of 1881, when it ceased to appear on the accoutre-
ments, and the present officer's cap badge, which
is the Star of the Order of the Thistle and has
never formed part of the R egimental Badge,
nor has it ever appeared on the Colours, was
adopted as a badge, quite incorrectly. The
fact remains tha( the Badge of a regiment is, and
always has been, that carried in the centre of its
Regimental Colour, and not that worn on any
of its accoutrements.
Two badges only have we been entitled to
bear in all our long existence as a regiment-
t he one from 1680, and probably from 1633, till
1707, and the other from then till the present
day. . twenty-eight days ' furlough ' from N ovember
The Badge under which generations of Royal
Scots have lived and died , in barracks and in
battle, in peace and in war.
The Badge which has been carried in Flanders
under Marlborough, at Fontenoy and in Holland,
in North America and in the pestilential climes
of the W est Indies, in Egypt and the Peninsula,
in India, Burma, in the Crimea and in China, and
in South Africa, for where the Colours went there
was our Regimental Badge.
Unique in form and shape, carri ed for 223 years,
handsome and appropriate, it is THE BADGE of
The Royal Scots (The Royal R egiment).
H . M. McC.
III
12tb ($er"tce) :fBattalion
(ttbe 1Ro~al $cotS).
UNION FLAG.
Those Royal Scots who served with the I2th
Battalion during the war will be interested to
hear that, in response t6 the appeal made at the
instance of Major G. D. Baillie-Hamilton, O.B.E. ,
sufficient funds were raised to permit of the
emblazoning of the Great War Battle Honours on
the Union Flag of the 12th Battalion, now in St.
Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh.
This was completed and the Union Flag re-
stored to its resting place on December 'I2th last.
Thanks are due to all those past Royal Scots,
who by so generously responding to the appeal
made possible the accomplishment of this further
memorial to the deeds of the Regiment during
the Great War.
A statement showing where the Colours of
disbanded Territorial and Service Battalions a re
laid up, together with details of the progress made
in the emblazonment of the Great War Ba ttle
Honours on the same, can be read in the April,
I930, Number of THE THISTLE, page 343.
1st 1Sattalion lRotes.
aieneral.
The Battalion furlough season was fixed
from D ecember 6th to J anuary 2nd. "B"
Co mpany, howeve r, h ad their leave from
November 1st to th e 29th, as they were d etai led
duty company durin g th e absence of the rest of
the Battalion. T he ·d raft were g ranted their
8th to D ece mber 6th.
A draft from the D epot, thirtee n strong,
a rriv ed on November 12th.
The training of the Battalion has been pro-
gressi n g stea dily . The Machine Gun Co mp any
h as been carrying out Individual Training dur-
in g the seaso n . "B" and "C" Companies
ca rry out th eir training durin g th e month s of
October and J anuary, while " A" Company
carry out theirs durin g November and Februa ry .
During th e months of October and November
a vVeapon Trainin g Cadre Class was hel.d, the
res ults of whi ch were very satisfactory. Edu-
cation al Trai nin g h as also been progressing
well. An exam in ati on was held for 2nd Class
Certificates in Novembe r , but th e result s ha ye
110t yet been publi shed .
Major R . H. L.. Fink, O.B.E., M.e., was
-posted to the Battali011 on Novem ber 19th . vVe
welcome him am on g us.
JA NUARY, 1932 THE THISTLE
Captain H. D. L. Money is attached to ,t'he
1st Battalion pending posting:
Lieutenant (;. A. R. G. Chalmers has been
posted to the King's African Rifl es.
Lieutenant '0/. M. M. Duncan, half-pay list,
late The Royal Scots, !las rfsigned .his
commlSSlOn.
~fffcers' :fl3a~ges.
THE STAR OF TH E ORDER OF THE
THISTLE.
A marked difference has existed for . many
yea rs between the above badge as portrayed
o n the buckle of the full-dress waistbelt or
gi rdle of officers of The Royal Scots, and that
worn with forage cap, glengarry, me ss jacket,
and blue patrol jacket.
~97
It has been obseryed that, while the latter
appears to be idei1tical 111 pa~tel:n with the
badge worn by officers of the Scots Guards,
the former seems the more co rrect represent a-
tion of The Star of the O rder 0'£ the Thistle.
This discrepancy was brought to the notice
of the Co lonel-in- Chi ef at a con fer ence . held by
Her Royal Highness The Princess Mary,
Co unt ess Lascelles, . G.B.E ., at Glenco rse in
A ug ust, 1929, at which L ieutenant- General Sir
E. A. Altham, K.C.B., K.C.I.E., C.M.G., th e
Co lonel of the .Regiment; Lieutenant-Co lonel
N. H. S . Fargus, D. S.O., O.B.E., Command-
ing .the 1st Battalion; and Lieutenant-Colonel
]. G. P . Romanes, D. S.O., Co mmanding the
Depot, and about to assume oo mm and of the
2nd Battalion, were present.
The vi ews of all office rs serving with the
1st and 2nd Battalidns . and the Depot were
later on formally ' elicited through Command-
in g Officers and were found una nimously to
favour the adoption of the badge on the buckle
of the girdle for full hea d-dress (at home and
 2<;8 THE THISTLE
abro,a d), forage ca~, glengarry, mess jacket,
and the blue patro l Jacket.
A recommendation to this effect was, by
directIOn of Her Royal Hi g hness The Colonel-
in-Chief accordingly submitted to the War
Office on 8th September, 1930 .
On the 3rd of October, 1930, ~h e Under-
Secretary of State for W a r repb ed (W.O.
Letter 54/ Infy 16622 M .G.0.7b) as follows : -
"With reference to your letter dated 8th
September, 1930, relative to ~he badge s of the
Star of the Order of the ThIstle as at present
worn by the officers of The Royal Scots (The
Royal R egim ent), I aD) commanded by the
Army Council to inform you that ~hes e badges
have been submitted to Norroy J(mg of Arms
and Inspector of Regimental Colours, for
he raldic expert opinion . .,
" He considers that none of the desIgns IS
quite correct, thou gh substantially they con-
form to the description given in the Statut es
of the Order which, however. are not vel~y
precise. A drawing of the co rr ect Star ~s
enclo se d from which it will be seen that It
differs ol;ly in small det ails from th.at at prese nt
worn on the waist-plate, except 111 rega rd to
the limbs of the Cross, which are too long on
the latter.
" I am to inquire whether it is desired that
all the bad o'es should conform with the correct
desio'n as shown
b
on accompanymg . ktl1. "
sec
O~ receipt of thi s r'eply, the drawir~g en-
closed therein was referred to Lyon K1l1g of
Arms, who replied that h e con~urred in N orroy
KinO' of A rms' recommendatIon. The W a r
Offi~e were, therefore, with the Colonel-in-
Chi ef's approval, informed accordin g ly, and a
reco mmendation submitted that all Star of th e
Order of the Thistl e badges of the Regiment
sh'all conform with N orroy and Lyon Kings
of Arms' recommendation , but that immediate
replacement of such badges already in posses-
sion should not be required .
A War Office letter, of 9th of Janua ry , 1931 ,
sanctioned both these recommendations, and
rnq uired whether any alteration was desired in
the present patte rn of buttons for officer s and
other ranks, or in the cap badge of oth e r
rank s. After consultation with the 1st and
2nd Battalions, these questions were a nswe red
in the negative.
A further War Office letter, dated 16th of
Apri l, 1931, notifi ed that steps were being taken
to seal the amended patterns of badges for
office rs' full dress head-dress (at home and
abr oad), forage caps, g lengarri es, mess
iackets, blue patrol jackets, crossbelt plate, and
buckle of the girdle in con formit y wi th the
'a bove ·decision.
Confirmation of the above has sin ce been
received.
(Sd.) E . A. ALTHAM, Lieut.-General,
Colonel, The Royal Scots (Th e Royal
Regiment). ,_. J
S eptemb er, 193I.
J ANUARY, 1932
~be ' 'UUlar ~fffce an" tb,e .
~ost ~fftce. .... ..
A WORD OF PRAISE.
. The ' War Office ' and the Post Office are the
two great GoV'eTnment concerns which are
mo st often abused, made fun of, and accused
of incompetence. It is a pleasure to place on
record an instance of the smartness of th e
above two offices.
A letter was recently posted in a Midland
town addressed to . (. Captain - - - - , late
The Royal Scots, Whitehall, London." . Th e
P.O. with great promptness delivered · thI S
letter at the W.O :, and not at any other of th e
palatial residences in Whitehall which migl:t
have contained this officer. The Secretary s
office at the War Office showed equal" intelli-
gence, " for , althoug h this officer <;loes not draw
a: pension a nd is. not> in the R eserve, the lett er
was 'at once re-addresse,d to th e ad,dress given
by him on demobiliz ation after the late wa.r.
On arrival at its new address, the P.O. agam
showed its brightness, for, thoug h the
addressee had left seven years ago, the lett er
was forward ed and delivered without delay at
his present address. .
A pleasing sequel may be added, for the letter
was from an old soldier of the Regiment, who
had not seen the officer for over forty years,
asking for assistance. The latter forward ed
the letter to The Royal Scots Benevolent Fund
who within a few days had investigated and
relieved the present wants of a deserving old
Royal.
If all such applications were referred to ottr
worthy and well-run Benevolent Fund, clo
The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh, all deserv-
in g cases would be promptly relieved and tho se
not worthy of help would not impose on ben efi-
cent but credulous officers . past and present.
tt <tontrast. I
POST EARLY FOR CHRISTMAS.
One has often hear·d of cases where letters
have t'a ken years to reach their destination.
Recently a concrete case came to li g ht at the
D epot. A postca r·d was ,dispatched from Cam-
bridge on October 7th, 1917, a nd addresse,d to
a Co rporal Thomson, of the "r·d Battalion Th e
Royal Scots, No . 14 Hut, The Camp, Glen-
corse . Thanks to our effici ent postal services
th e postcard was duly delivered, but on
D ecember 14th, 1931. The addressee could not
be trace·d, but we were able to give the postcard
to the sende r. The irony of th e case was th at,
in accordance with present custom, th e car·d
had been again po st-marked with the words
" Post Ea rly for Chri stm as ."
 THE THISTLE A P H II~"Ii935
------------------------------------------------

[Photo: Elliott 0- Fry, Ltd. [Photo: Foseplto.

CAPTAIN W . A.A IRD. CAPTAIN A. GORDON, M .C ., D.C.M. , M.M.

Captains VV. A. Aird and A. Gordon, both

of whom are taking advantage of the special
retirement scheme at present in rorce, leave on
4th April. Captain Aird goes to D umfries-
shire to breed silver fox, whi le Captain Go rdon
has obtained an appointment as "job-
finder" in the Lothians and East of Scotland
for the National Associat ion for Employment
of Ex-Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen. As he is
to have his office in Edinburgh he is SUl",e to
be a great asset to the Regiment in helping
ex-Royals to find employment. We wish them
both the best of luck on their retirement.
With no less than tweh'e years' ser vice in
the Regiment , "Minx," Captain Gordon's
spaniel bitch, is well known to all ranks in both
the 1st and 2nd Battalions. Bred by Li euten-
ant-Colonel N. Fargus at the Depot in 1923,
" Minx" has served with her master in the
2nd Battalion at Colchester, in Egypt; China,
and India, and with the 1st Battalion at Alder-
shot and Dov,er. She has be en regarded almost
as a Regim ental pet.
Lieutenant G. A. R . G. Chalmers and
Second-Lieutenant A. C. F . Drew-Wilkinson
have been posted to the 2nd Battalion, but
through illness have been unable to embark.
Last January we received a visit from Lieu- MINX.
tenant Roland Horsey , of th e 1st Battalion The From a P a intin g b y J. H a nson W a lker, Jnr.
266 TIm THISTLE OcrOBER, 1947

OFFICERS'MESS
It was a most welcome occasion, when we moved from
our sandy camp at Malir to Napier Barracks, Karachi,
to take over from the 2nd Battalion The Black Watch.
Although the Mess was rather bare of furnishing, we soon
settled down quite com,fortably, and the arrival of the
Mess silver and property helped considerably towards its
appearance.
With' the rapid thinning out and departure of units
from Karachi, social activity has been at its height, and
we have been involved in a succession of most enjoyable
parties and dances.
We were glad to see our Quartermaster, Captain T.
, Drysdale, M.B.E., back from "Python" at the beginning
of May, when we were also joined by Majors S. G. Dick-
son, J. D. Charteris and A. C. Patterson. Another to join
us, at the beginning of June, was Major W. E.Scott. We
were particularly pleased to see the "married patch" in-
creasing, with the arrival of Mrs. Charteris and family,
and Mrs. Patterson, and warmly welcome them.
Those who were with the 2nd Battalion in Quetta and
Lahore will be glad to know that we had a visit from
Lieutenant-Colonel Randhir Singh, Kumaon Rifles, who
had done his attachment to us in those days.
Officers cannot easily be spared these days, and it was
with special regret that we have learnt that Major C. E.
Macduff-Duncan, M.C., 'who had just left on leave, had
been posted to take over the Adjutancy at the Lowland
Brigade LT.C.

SERGEANTS'MESS
We would like to open by offering a hearty welcome to
all members who have joined uS'recently. They included
through promotion froIl} the Corporals' Mess, Sergeants
Brodie and Holden, and our attached persons Staff-Ser-
geant Kenning, A.P.T.C., and Sergeant-Instructor Pin-
. son, who have been newly posted to the Battalion. Also
joining us lately were Colour-Sergeant Wenham from
the O.T.S., Bangalore, and R.Q.M.S. Whiteoak and
C.S.M. Clee, both returning from "Lilop."
The past few months have taken great toU of the Mess
in view of the large numbers who have left on demobili-
zation, and their loss has struck a great blow at the social
and sporting life of the Mess. To the following departed
members we wish the best of luck and a speedy resettle-
ment into civilian life: C.Q.M.S. Lester and Sergeants
Brown, Davidson, Eagan, Hindmarsh, Owens, Morrison
and Scarr. A prominent character was lost when C.Q.M.S.
Wilkins was posted to Kalyan; also posted were Sergeant
Devine, to Bombay, and Sergeant Wardrop, to Kalyan.
Sergeant Marshall has left us to proceed on a course at
the Small Arms S~hool at Hythe, and we wish him the
best of luck and success.
The sporting life of the Mess has carried on as usual
and has branched out into many channels. The hockey
team was given two hard and clean games by the Govern-
ment House Ladies, but we proved too 'good for them
and won 2- 0 and 3-1. The football team, though con-
siderably weakened by the loss of a number of its stars, is
as usual open to all comers to take defeat and success
with the same smiling faces. We are sorry to say that the
Officers defeated us by 1-0 recently. Our darts team
had a very enjoyable evening with the 14th Field Regi-
 TH€

HI~TLE
The Qqarterly Journal of The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)

VOL. IV, No.2 (3RD NEW SERIES) Dreghorn APRIL, 1952

,

CONTENTS
PAGE PAGE
HIS LATE MAJESTY KING GEORGE VI 35 7m/9m (HIGHLANDERS) NOTES .. 56
GENERAL 38 8m BATIALION NOTES 58
KOHIMA WAR MEMORIAL (Illustrated) 38 THE DEPOT (Illustrated) .. 58
THE MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL 38 THE ARMY CADET FORCE .. 63
EXTRACTS FROM "LONDON GAZElTE" 39 OFFICERS' DINNER, 1952 .• 63
MOKOIA IN THE 1950 BERMUDA AND TRANs- THE ROYAL SCOTS CLUB 63
ATLANTIC RAcES (Illustrated) .. 40 THE ROYAL ScOTS REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION 64
CORRESPONDENCE '(Illustrated) 44 DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES .• 65
1ST BATIALION NOTES (Illustrated) 45 LIST OF OFFICERS .. 66

The death of King George VI filled all ranks of . the Regim.ent

with a sense of keen personal loss. · We mourned the passing, not only
of a Sovereign to whom we owed our loyalty . and humble duty, but
of a man who, by his daily example, had endeared himself and all his
family to everyone of his subjects.
To our Colonel-in-Chief we tendered, through the Colonel of the
Regiment and Commanding Officers, our deepest sympathy in her loss
of a beloved brother, and Her Royal Highness was graciously pleased
to acknowledge our messages in a letter which is repr~duced on page 37.
May God bless and save our Queen.

\
 PLANS FOR 1983
350th ANNIVERSARY
OF THE
RAISING OF THE REGIMENT
(RS 350)
FOREWORD
In 1983 the Regiment celebrates the 350th
Anniversary of the Raising of the Regiment (Short title
-RS350) .
RS 350 is being marked in various ways. The high-
light of the year 1983 will be the celebrations in
Edinburgh in late June. It is hoped that we will be
honoured with the presence of Royalty at a Review but
we will not know the Royal programme until early in
1983,' so it is not yet possible to be firm on dates. It is
certainly hoped that this will be the greatest Regimental
gathering of all time, when in broad terms we celebrate
the past and rededicate ourselves to the future.
These details serve as an easy reference to RS 350
events. It is divided in fIVe parts:-
Part I - Major Events
Part II - Other Events, where attendance is invited
Part III - Special Offers
Part IV - Publicity
Part V - Administration
This instruction is included with The Thistle to all
subscribers. It has also been sent separately to all
members of the Dinner Club, members of the Association
and anyone who has expressed an interest in RS 350.
Further copies are available from RHO RS.
A tremendous amount has been planned and the
organisers need your co-operation in providing detailed
answers. We apologise for demanding so many
answers to so many questions, but it is vital to know who
is interested in what. So please complete the pro-
fonna and retum this to the Co-ordinator RS 350,
RHO RS, by 1st February, 1983, at the latest.
 1633

THE
THISTLE
350th Anniversary
Commemorative Issue

Vol. 18, NO. 3 November, 1983

 MAY. 1984
PRIVATE TO LANCE CORPORAL CADRE
24th October -
TRAINING WING
AHer RS350, Training Wing reorganised to run Banalion cadres. The
last six months have been particularly busy with the major commitment
being the Private to Lance COrjXlral Cadre which lasted for seven weeks.
News of it spread like wildfire and applications for places came from far and
wide. In addition , there have been several small cadres preparing soldiers
for courses at Warminster and Brecon , and annual upgrading tests for
Companies. The pace will not slacken in the Falkland Islands as many
courses have been planned to keep Training Wing busy.
W02 Tam Waners has bee-1 the guiding light and when he occasionally
escapes from underneath a pileof pamphlets he can be sponed high on the
Pentlands try ing unsuccessfully to be heard on a radio . Fortunately his
natural voice can be heard over a greater distance and so he has no
problem in communicating. Sgt Rab Johnstone came to Training Wing
straight from Exercise Mountai1 Thistle and was immediately sent back
into the hills to plan an exercise in Galloway. He managed to train Corporal
Cliff Mason as a Sherpa before sending him up the highest peak in the area
with an enormous amount of equipment.
The Training Wing Staff are flexible by nature and none more so than
Corporals John Grosvenor and John McKeown, who adapt quickly to the
ever changing needs. They even tolerate the temporary presence of
Corporal Joe Russell as an instructor before he headed north to his posting
in Aberdeen .
We say farewell to Sgt Johnstone on posting to Warminster and
congratulate him on his forthcoming promotion , and welcome Corporal
Jimmy Skirving from A Company.
211
10th Oecember. 1983.
REGIMENTAL BAND
Since our last Thistle notes, the Regimental Band have completed a
very busy and varied six monltr5 of engagements. Our first engagement
saw us yet again at the EdirtlJrgh Tattoo, where they are thinking of
issuing us with season tickets. During the Tattoo we managed to fit in the
Cavalcade March along Princes Street, Princess Margaret Rose Hospital
and Glasgow March . We also combined with the Scottish Chamber
Orchestra to perform the Overture " 1812" on Ross Bandstand for a
sensational night of fireworks which was seen by over a hundred thousand
people as well as being coveroo "live" by TV
Once again we were in Glasgow, this time for the naming of a train,
where true to form British Rail were late again and Her Royal Highness The
Princess Anne arrived early. This certainly had the Bandmaster wondering
about his pension.
Our other engagements took us to Pitreavie Castle, Whitefoord
House, Balmoral , Haddington , Bathgate, Warwick 'and Catterick, where
we performed anything from a concert to a pass out parade .
" Good news for the Bandmaster WOl Colin Reeves " for successfully
passing a very difficult PSM examination. " Bad news for us, " this could
mean an extra two years with us.
On the sporting front, we must say congratulations to Sgt Rab
Cumming on winning the Louden Trophy for a second time.
All our hard work was done and this led up to our Band Social which
was held in the Glenburn Hotel. On this occasion, with the Director of Music
in attendance, it was time yet again to present the Delacombe Shield to the
most promising young musician so our congratulations go to Bdsm George
Easton on winning and to Bdsm John Knox on being runner-up for 1983/
1984.
 THE
THISTLE
*

JOURNAL OF

THE ROYAL SCOTS

(THE ROYAL REGIMENT)

Vol. 20, NO.1 May, 1988

MAY, 1988 39

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
6 June The Royal Scots Cup, Musselburgh 8 Oct. 2 RS (Hong Kong) Section Regimental
Races. Association Reunion , The Royal Scots
Club.
8 June Golf - Lowland Brigade v Highland
Brigade, Muirfield. 21 Oct. Officers Regimental Dinner, Glencorse.
16/21 June Regimental Association Visit to 1 RS.
29 Oct. 8 RS Section Regimental Association
5 August Installation of the Governor of Edinburgh Reunion , The Royal Scots Club.
Castle.
7 Nov. Opening of the Garden of Remembrance.
12 Aug . to Edinburgh Military Tattoo (1 RS Pipes and Princes Street Gardens.
3 Sep. Drums).
12 Nov. London Section Regimental Association
16/24 Aug . Regimental Band plays at the Glasgow Cross Planting, Westminster Abbey.
Garden Festival (not 19, 20, 21 August).
13 Nov. REMEMBRANCE DAY.
9 Sep. 1 RS (1939-45) Section Regimental
Association Reunion, Edinburgh.
19 Nov. 7th/9th (HIGHLANDERS) Section,
13-20 Sep. 8 RS Section Regimental Association visit Regimental Association Dinner, The
to Holland . Royal Scots Club.

15 Sep. Officers Regimental Cocktail Party, 29 Nov. Young Royals Section Regimental
Glencorse. Association Dance.

THE ROYAL SCOTS REGIMENTAL SHOP LTD.

PRICE LIST & ORDER FORM, MARCH 1988
Small Badged Items Corkscrew (Popit) £0.95
Badges Anorak £0.B5 Cuff Links £B.90
Badges Blazer (woven soldiers
badge) £1.00 Hip Flask £12.BO

Badges Button £0.12 Key Ring £2.60

Badges Embroidered (cypher or Lead Soldiers - (3 sets £40.00)
cap badge) £B.BO a. P4 (six RS Marching )
Badges Lapel £2.95 b. P4a (Colours Set ) £13.60
Badges Soldiers (RS cap badge) £2.60 c. P7 (Pipe Major/Drum Major) each
Belts with RS badge £B.90
Lead Soldier individual of
Book Markers £0.90 Waterloo period on greeting
Brooch - gilt Thistle Collar Badge £1.90 card £2.BO
Brooch - silver plate Cypher Lighter (Regt. Badge) Zippo £B.30
Badge £2 .90
Lighter Trigger Gas £4.99
Bugs 'I'm a Royal Scot Bug' £0.30
Matches (Giant Novelty Box) £0.95
Buttons RS £0.30
Caps Cotton £1.30 Medallion 1% in. £5.50
Medallion 11/2 in. C_ £2.50
Candle £1.00
Coasters (BOp each) set of 4 £2.BO Medallion Key Ring £2.60
 THE THISTLE , NOVEMBER , 2004

I THE ROYAL SCOTS REGIMENTAL SHOP LTD

Price List as at I st November 2004

£ £
SMALL BADGED ITEMS OTHER ITEMS
Badge Anorak ....... ..... . ............... . 0.65 Cuff Links Soldiers Cap Badge . . .. . .... ....... . 21.95
Badge Embroidered (cypher or cap badge) ... . . .. . 9.50 Cuff Links Square (Impamark) . . . .............. . 21.95
Badge Lapel ....... . .... ... ....... . . ... ... . 2.50 Bucket Ice (Regi mental Drum) ................ . 26.95
Badge Lapel . .. .. ... ........ . ........ . .. .. . 1.99 Bookmarks 1 RS . ................... .... ... . 1.50 ea
Badge Soldiers (RS cap badge) . ..... . ......... . 3.95 Tankard Pewter (soldier badge) ............... . 24.95
Buttons RS . .... ... .........' .... .. .... .. ... . 0.35 Edinburgh Castle (medium) ..... . ............ . 14.95
Window Sticker ....... . . . . . .. . . . ..... . ..... . 0045 Edinburgh Castle (small) .. .. ........ . ........ . 5.95
Key Ring RS .. .. ..... .. .. .... ......... .. . . . 1.25 Toy Soldiers (set of 3) .. .. ; .... .. ...... . . .... . 19.99
M edallion Key Ring 12 inch ................ . . . 3.10 Toy Soldiers (set of 6) .... . ..... ....... . ..... . 39.00
Lighter (d isposable) .. .... .. . ... ............. . 0.95 Brooch (Yellow & White 9ct Gold) RS Lad ies ... .. . 150.00
M edallion 1 112 inch ............ . ..... . .... . 3.10 Paperweight Boxed .... .. .... . . . .. .... .. .... . 8.99
M edallion 1 3/4 in ch Presentation Boxed ........ . 7.99
Fridge M agnet RS . .. ... .. ..... . ... .. .... . .. . 1.55
BALLANTYNES (special issues)
Teaspoon .... . ............................ . 2.95 11 inch Silver Plated Piper (on plinth) . .. ........ . 295.00
Pipe Major RS on plinth (pewter) .............. . 8.99 11 inch Hand Painted Piper (on plinth) .. ... .... . 90.00
Coasters RS . ..... . .... ... . .... .... . ....... . 1.75 (kneeling/standing 11 inch) ........... . . . .. . 65.00
Tie Tack (Soldiers cap badge) large ............. . 5.95 Painted Soldier (SNCO) No 1 Dress ..... ... .... . 90.00
Painted Pikeman ...... . ....... . ......... . . . . 90.00
SOFT GOODS NEW ITEMS IN STOCK
Scarf - Regimental Colours ... . .......... . .... . 15.99 Regimental Brass Buttons Large/Small ...... . ... . 1.90
Cufflinks RS Button Soldiers Cap Badge ......... . 5.95
REGIMENTAL TIES (sold to members of Regt only) Cufflinks Enamel Soldiers Cap Badge .... . ... . .. . 5.95
Regimental Tie Polyester . . .. ..... ... ... .. .... . 6.00 Ti e Grip En amel Soldiers Cap Badge . .... ...... . 5.95
Regimental Tie - Si Ik . .... . ............. . . .. . 16.00 Blazer Buttons - Brass . ... .. ................. . 1.90 ea
Regimental Tie - Si Ik (non crease) ...... . ....... . 20.00 Gilt on Gilt ... ..... ... ..... . ........... . . . . 2. 10 ea
Nickel Silver ............................. . . 2. 10 ea
Enamel on Gilt ... . . .. .... .. ............... . 2.00 ea
LITERATURE Cuff and Ti e Bar Set ..... . .. .. ..... . ..... . .. . 11 .99
Book - Roya l Scots in the Gulf .. . ......... . ... . 16.95 Cuff and Tie Tac Set . . . ..... . . ..... ..... . . .. . 11 .99
Museum Brochure (s hort history of Regt) ..... . . . . 2.50 Print The Royal Scots by Harry Payne ........... . 3.50
History of The RS Club . . ........... . .. ...... . 19.00 BootslTOS Mini atures on Plinth ...... . ........ . 27.95
Pontius Pil ate's Bodyguard History Books (2 volum es) 85.00 RS Whisky M alt. .. ........ .. ... . ... . ....... . 18.00
RS Whisky Blend ........ .. ................. . 14.00
CASSETTES/CDs
REGIMENTAL CHRISTMAS CARDS
Right of the Line ........................... . 5.99
Pl ain with Regi mental Badge and Ribbon
REGIMENTAL PLAQUES (high quality linen finished ca rd) ............ . 0.60 ea
Cost for 10 ... ......... .. ...... ..... ... . 5 .50
Plaque - with badge on tartan ....... .... . ..... . HRH The Princess Roya l ........ . .. .. ........ . 0040 ea
(Cypher or Cap Badge) ... ............... . . 24.95 Cost fo r 10 ......... ... ..... ..... .... .. . 3.50
POSTCARDS AND PRINTS Uniforms of a Piper, Bandsman and Corporal 1905 . 0040 ea
Cost for 10 ........ ... .... ...... ..... . . . 3.50
RS Uniform 1633 -1 992 (11 in set) ..... . ...... . . 3.00 'Serenade to Penguins' by Pipe Sgt Cornwall ..... . 0040 ea
Giant Postcard (Pontius Pilate's Bodyguard) ...... . 0.25 Cost for 10 .... ............ .. ... ... . ... . 3.50
Print - Hi story of Scotland + England ........... . 1.50
Print - M arching M en (set of 4) ... .. .... . .. . ... . 1.00 NOTES
Print - Battle of Waterloo by Brian Palmer ..... .. . 25.00 1. Prices do not include postage. Those ordering by post in the
Print - Simkin (Mounted) . . ....... . ........ . .. . 15.00 UK should not send cash with order so that account may be
Print Gulf Large .... . ... . ................... . 60.00 taken of postage and any price increase. Overseas orders
however cannot be despatched until full payment is received.
2. All pri ces include VAT.
3. Pri ces li able to change without prior noti ce.
4. Address: Royal Scots Regimental Shop Ltd
The Castle, EDINBURGH EH1 2YT
Telephone: (0 131 ) 225 5855
E-mail: enquiri es@theroya lscots.co. uk
5. VAT Registration Number: 671-3730-39

67
 .
(;,0
THE
TIIISTLE

1<4_-.'''' '''''''
THE THE
THISTLE TI-IISTLE

~
JOURNAL OF JOURNA l 0 1-
THE ROYAL SCOTS
THE ROYAL SCOTS
(THE ROYAL REGIMENT) (THE ROYAL REGIMENT)

VOl.. 1 No \ NOVI;.M8I'l . 1957 \/01 ~ No. I JANUARY,.'"

~O~
We are Back!
To mark their return from their operational tour in Iraq, the 1St Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland plan
to march through Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Dumfries and Hamilton in early June.
6 June - Hamilton at 1600 hrs • 7 June - Dumfries at 1700 hrs
8 June - Musselburgh at 1400 hrs • 9 June - Edinburgh at "45 hrs
The exact routes are still to be agreed with the Local Authorities and when available will be publicised on the
Regimental website. Regrettably time precludes them from including other venues.