Visitor Comments

Sir,
The fine and proud Motto 'NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT', it would seem to me, is itself being assailed or provoked with impunity.

As many will know, not only is it the motto of a number of famous and historic Scottish Infantry Regiments in the British Army, but it is the very motto of Scotland itself - it appears on the Scottish Royal Arms.

It is also the motto of the Scottish chivalrous order, The Knights of St Andrew, The Order of the Thistle, and probably (although I'm not sure of this) of The Queen's Bodyguard in Scotland - The Royal Company of Archers. It also is inscribed on the rim of the 1984 'Scottish' pressing of the One Pound coin.

Yes a fine and proud motto! "No one provokes me with impunity !". "Wha daur meddle wi' me?"

Perhaps it may represent the very essence of Scotland itself, the very essence of being a Scot, the very essence of being a Scottish Soldier in any one of our famous Scottish Infantry Regiments.

As will now be known, it is to be adopted by the new Royal Regiment of Scotland and incorporated in the badge of that regiment. But will it stand that new regiment in good stead?

Those Regiments that currently hold to this motto are to be, in effect, done away with. They are being treated with impunity. Not only are they being meddled with, they are being decimated, this glorious and honourable motto not withstanding.

Her Majesty's Government, the Ministry of Defence, the Chief of the General Staff, the Army Chain of Command, and, so sorry to say, our own Council of Scottish Colonels are all paying no heed to our motto and all it represents. They are certainly treating our infantry with 'impunity', they do '...daur meddle wi'... our regiments. In effect, it can be said, they are insulting all that it stands for and all those that hold to it.

All those mentioned in the paragraph above are on the one hand discarding the motto, literally making it worthless, and yet, on the other, by adopting it for the new regiment, extolling its virtue. Are they not trying to have their cake and eat it, as the saying goes? Are they not putting on some sort of spin on the whole sorry situation?

Major (Retd) D 'Steve' Simson - Once a Royal. Always a Royal.
Edinburgh
27 August 2005

NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT