Save The Scottish Regiments

Gentlemen:
I think my view on the amalgamation of the Scottish infantry regiments into The Royal Regiment of Scotland can best be summed up by the following short anecdote:

I am a piper in the Niagara Peninsula region of Ontario, Canada, and very recently I was playing at a wedding in the city of St.Catharines. The father of the bride was complementing me on my uniform, and asked me to explain some of the pieces of my kit. When I mentioned that my jacket and sporran were ex- Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (from an army surplus dealer in the U.K.) this gentleman said excitedly: "Argylls? Hey, that's my regiment!"

When I asked him when he had served with the Argylls, he explained that he hadn't, but that he grew up near Stirling......so that made them his regiment! If you could have seen the look of dismay on his face when I explained to him just what was about to happen to his beloved Argylls and company, I think you would agree with me when I say it was very nearly heart breaking. In fact, I was immediately sorry that I brought the matter up, he looked so crestfallen. And on the day of his daughter's wedding, to boot!

The fact that this man, after 30 years and thousands of miles, still identifies so strongly with his native city's regiment in my opinion speaks volumes about the power of the regimental system of the British Army. A system that is currently in very grave danger.

I am proud to say that both sides of my family served in the Black Watch and the Argylls, and my piping teacher was a former piper in the first battalion The Black Watch. To see all of this tradition and heritage in jeopardy is incredibly disturbing to me. And please don't anyone try to convince me that things will be alright after the amalgamation, and that all the regimental traditions will be preserved. I am a Canadian, and I've seen it all before. Just look at what the bean counters, number crunchers and self-serving politicians masquerading as Generals have done to my country's armed forces over the past three decades.

God (or somebody!) Save The Scottish Regiments!!!

Mitchell McDowell,
Canada
July 19 2005