Alison Anderson
Perthshire Advertiser
December 2 2005
FURY has erupted among serving and retired members of The Black Watch over the decision by the Army Board that the famous Red Hackle should not be worn during public parades.
The board ruled that the distinctive hackle, the traditional symbol of The Black Watch, may only be worn on headdress during combat duty.
At all other times the Red Hackle will be left to collect dust while all Black Watch soldiers fall in line with members of other regiments to wear a single uniform headdress and badge.
This has outraged all those connected with The Black Watch, who were led to understand that the identities of regiments would be preserved when they amalgamate next year into the one Scottish regiment – the Royal Regiment of Scotland – through being allowed to wear separate headdress at all times.
Colonel-in-Chief of The Black Watch, Lieutenant General Sir Alistair Irwin, said: “This overturns the agreement that we thought we had which would have allowed the regiments to retain their traditional headdress.
“That in our case, means the Red Hackle, which is a cherished icon, a visible symbol recognised throughout the world and respected, not just by the regiment, but by the whole army.”
In describing the decision as “very bad news,” Sir Alistair feared the loss of identity would make the task of building up a single regiment more difficult.
He has written to the Army’s most senior officer, General Sir Mike Jackson, asking for the proposal to be reversed.
Also furious at the new dress code ruling is Brigadier Garry Barnett, who has maintained his strong involvement with The Black Watch during his retirement. “People in the local communities which support and sustain The Black Watch need to recognise their regiment in the area, and the Red Hackle does just that.”
Major (retired) David Nobel, a trustee of The Black Watch who lives near Aberfeldy, close to where the famous regiment was raised, said: “First of all, the Red Hackle is a world-famous icon both for the regiment and the army as a whole.
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“It’s a visible symbol of the continuation of the spirit and essence of The Black Watch and will be particularly important when it becomes part of the new Royal Regiment of Scotland.
“This icon is the most important and obvious regimental identifying mark which links past generations through those serving and into the local community.”
Jeff Duncan, of the Save Our Scottish Regiments’ campaign, was scathing of Alistair Irwin’s part in the regiments’ merger. “Alistair Irwin, who is universally accepted as having written a paper which was the blueprint advocating the creation of a single super regiment, has for the past 16 months stressed that the golden threads that bind the regiments together would be retained by the individual Scottish regiments.
“Now his own regiment, The Black Watch, has this week learned that it will retain nothing of its former identity.
“Alistair Irwin’s final chance to do the right thing has arrived.
“He can either help in the fight to save his regiment but if he does not then his next move may just be about saving his own already-damaged reputation.”
A spokesperson for the army in Scotland clarified the Red Hackle situation after what he called “misinformation” that the symbol of The Black Watch would completely disappear.
“It is absolutely not true that the Red Hackle will disappear,” stressed the spokesperson.
“It will be worn with the Tam o’Shanter headdress with the new Royal Regiment of Scotland cap badge while in combat dress, which will be most of the time.
“On ceremonial occasions the Glengarry will be worn without the hackle and with the new cap badge.
“This is commensurate with all the other battalions who have hackles at the moment. Also, those regiments which do not have hackles at the moment will get hackles, so each battalion of the new Royal Regiment of Scotland will have a hackle in combat dress.”
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