Boring But True From The Scottish Military Geek !

[Lachlan09]

I’ve just done a head-count on the infantry battalions of the Scottish regiments of WW1. Including Regular, Regular Reserve, Regular Extra Reserve, Territorial Force, Territorial Force Reserve, New Army (Service), New Army Reserve, Training Reserve Battalions, Garrison Battalions , Labour Battalions, Graduated Battalions and Young Soldier Battalions, the regiments with most battalions (including those raised and later disbanded or merged) is:-

Royal Scots (35) (including converted Lothians & Borders Yeomanry)

Highland Light Infantry (34) (including converted Glasgow Yeomanry)

Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (27)

Scottish Rifles (27)

Black Watch (23) (including converted Scottish Horse and Fife & Forfar Yeomanry)

Gordon Highlanders (23)

Royal Scots Fusiliers (20) (including converted Ayrshire & Lanarkshire Yeomanry and Ardeer Coy)

Seaforth Highlanders (17)

King’s Own Scottish Borderers (15)

Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders (14) (including converted Lovat’s Scouts Yeomanry)

That’s 235 battalions, not bad for a wee country. Of course, the above battalions were not all Scotsmen. If you add “expat” units in England, you can add the London Scottish (3 battalions), Liverpool Scottish (3 battalions) and the Tyneside Scottish (4 battalions), making 245 battalions.

I wonder how many kilts were manufactured for Scottish (mainly Highland) regiments during WW1 ?

If you consider the United Kingdom’s military losses in WW1, Scotland had 10% of Britain’s population but suffered approx 20% of Britain’s war-deaths.

Scotland lost over 3% of its male population, though annual census of the years during and after the war show modest population increase rather than a dent.

[Jock Scot]

Not forgetting the men of the Scots Guards also Scots members of the Royal Navy, the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Marines, the Merchant Navy, the Royal Flying Corps,the Royal Air force, The Machine Gun Corps, the Royal Army Service Corps, the Royal Artillery, the Royal Army Medical Corps, the Royal engineers and a whole host of other equally important parts of our then armed forces. Yes Scotland "did its Bit". As did others.

"lest we forget".

[Terry]

A few years back, I had an opportunity to visit the very beautiful Scottish National War Memorial, a very poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by the Scot military units.

http://www.snwm.org/website/frames.html

[Lachlan09]

Not forgetting the men of the Scots Guards also Scots members of the Royal Navy, the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Marines, the Merchant Navy, the Royal Flying Corps,the Royal Air force, The Machine Gun Corps, the Royal Army Service Corps, the Royal Artillery, the Royal Army Medical Corps, the Royal engineers and a whole host of other equally important parts of our then armed forces. Yes Scotland "did its Bit". As did others.

"lest we forget".

... and the Greys - Second To None !

[ThistleDown]

and from overseas -- Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and more -- where Scots had settled but still considered themselves Scots.

[Radge]

Scotland lost over 3% of its male population, though annual census of the years during and after the war show modest population increase rather than a dent.[/QUOTE]


I've heard different. Regardless it was an awful waste of Scottish manhood, and the men of the nations invloved, in a criminal and ultimately pointless excercise. Having seen the lists of war dead in Scotland and the memorials in Flanders I cannot feel anything but revulsion and anger.

[Chas]

Something that needs to be remembered is that ALL the regiments (and the Royal Navy and the Royal Flying Corps) recruited in all the counties in the UK. Lads from Norfolk served in all the Scottish regiments and there were quite a few Scots lads in the Royal Norfolks.

Regards

Chas

[macwilkin]

Something that needs to be remembered is that ALL the regiments (and the Royal Navy and the Royal Flying Corps) recruited in all the counties in the UK. Lads from Norfolk served in all the Scottish regiments and there were quite a few Scots lads in the Royal Norfolks.

Regards

Chas

Not to mention the various Commonwealth Scottish regiments from Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

T.

[Jock Scot]

Scotland lost over 3% of its male population, though annual census of the years during and after the war show modest population increase rather than a dent.

I've heard different. Regardless it was an awful waste of Scottish manhood, and the men of the nations invloved, in a criminal and ultimately pointless excercise. Having seen the lists of war dead in Scotland and the memorials in Flanders I cannot feel anything but revulsion and anger.[/QUOTE]

Radge, I don't want to get into making silly points here. I will not cheapen the sacrifice of those brave people who gave their lives that way.

All wars, with the notable exception of WW2, with the benifit of hindsight could probably be described as pointless and anyone with an ounce of imagination feel the same revulsion and anger that you have plainly felt. However, please don't let that in any way cloud the way of remembering all those, and yes from all nations, who gave their youth in such terrible circumstances.

Can I ask you to leave the politics, misplaced National pride of the past, the rights and wrongs, mistakes, incompetence, stupidity, anger and the rest at the gates, as you enter those War Cemetaries and just remember the fallen.

"Lest we Forget"

[Nervous Jock]

and indeed the Indian Army