Duncan 'Steve' Simson, Major(Retd)
Sir,
An informative and interesting site.
Attached is a letter I sent to the PM, Tony Blair, and many others, some time ago. I have had a number of replies but not one from the PM.
I have been informed by No 10, now about six times, that this letter has been passed on to MOD with instructions that they should reply to it. As yet the MOD has failed to do so.
I wonder if you would be so kind as to publish this on The Royal Regiment of Scotland website?
NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT
SAVE ALL THE INFANTRY REGIMENTS
Do these things not matter at all anymore?
If I were to be asked what I thought of the sorry situation we find ourselves in with regard to the Government's, and the MOD's, plans to do away with the Scottish Regiments as they currently exist, I would say that it is a shameful disgrace.
It is an insult to those Regiments and to all those currently serving in them, and in particular to those currently serving in Iraq and other such places, and to those who, in the very near future, will also go to serve there. It is also an insult, sorely felt, to all those who have served in them in the past as I myself have done.
If the Government's plans are put into effect the end result will be an absolute disaster, not only for those Scottish Regiments, but for the rest of the British Infantry as a whole, and indeed for the rest of the British Army itself, and thus for the British Nation.
It will be the greatest mistake the Government driven, not led, by Messrs Blair and Brown, and the MOD driven, not led, by Messrs Ingram, Hoon and Gen Jackson, and, so sorry to say, the Council of Scottish Colonels by a majority vote whilst under pressure from above, have ever made. And, yet to be seen, perhaps, to their detriment.
If such plans are put into effect the end result, could be likened to the greatest defeat these Regiments have ever suffered - a defeat not at the hard hands of an enemy, but at the soft, wet lettuce-like hands of our own Government, our own MOD, and some of our Generals and Colonels.
In the case of the latter is the Motto 'Serve to Lead' or is it 'Serve to Bleed'? Yes, a defeat! A total annihilation of glorious Names, of glorious Regiments, of glorious Traditions and glorious Histories.
It will mean total annihilation of that globally admired and envied British Army Regimental System and Spirit exemplified by all our Infantry Regiments, English, Irish, Welsh and Scots. It will also mean the demise of our Regimental Family System and Spirit, and the ties which the Regiments have with their local villages, towns, cities and counties, all of which built up over, literally, hundreds of years.
What right-thinking person could deny all this? What right-thinking person could propose such plans? All in the name of modernisation? To catch up with the 21stCentury? Smart, high technology? Is modernisation really the crux of the matter? Or is there some other consideration - financial perhaps?
From a personal aspect, perhaps to help reinforce what is said here, I myself served in my regiment for many years, in many situations, in many parts of the world. My father served in the regiment in WW 2. My youngest brother served in the Regiment in National Service days.
I proudly wore, and still possess, my father's cap badge which he, equally proudly, put into my safekeeping when I joined the Regiment - when I took the Shilling.
I know, and have served with, many 'Royals', as we proudly call ourselves, who also have such family ties with the Regiment, grandfathers, fathers, sons, brothers, cousins, and so on. A member of the Royal Family is considered to be a 'Daughter of the Regiment', my daughter was born as one. My son was born in the Regiment, in Berlin, whilst the Regiment was based in that, then, divided city behind the Iron Curtain.
How can they, the powers that be, be so 'stupid, so unfeeling', as to do away with such systems, traditions, spirit and feelings, built up over hundreds of years of continuous, unbroken existence and loyal service to, and with many sacrifices made for, Crown and Country ?
Do these things not matter at all anymore? During the whole of my service, many years, the Regimental Spirit was what we lived by. It was instilled in me by my father, and by my seniors, and I in turn instilled it in my juniors. And now, in this new 21st Century, it seems, it is implied, of a sudden, that it doesn't matter anymore. Really ???
Of course, I am biased towards saving my own Regiment - The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), First of Foot, Right of the Line, Pride of the British Army, and 'Pontius Pilate's Bodyguard'. The oldest Regiment in the British Army, if not the world. Nevertheless, my object in this matter is, in my small way, to help save not only my own Regiment, but all those currently existing Regiments, English, Welsh as well as Scottish, that are under the 'hammer' wielded by the Government and the MOD.
The current world situation, and recent history, are such as to warn us all that the plans to reduce the most important, efficient and effective tools that we have to deal with such, that is, 'the man on the ground', or rather, sufficient men on the ground, high and smart technology notwithstanding, is surely ill-thought out, ill-advised and ill-timed.
It may even be seen, perhaps, in the long term as (criminally) negligent! 'Overstretch' and 'mission-creep' must also always be kept in mind and suitably dealt with. Consideration should be given to situations such as currently in Iraq, Afganistan, and those that may well develop, or continue to develop, in the near future, in the Middle East, the Balkans, Sudan and, perhaps, many other parts of the African Continent. Of course, the Home Front, to use an old phrase, must be a consideration.
Even the NI situation could well come to the fore yet again, as it seems to do with every passing generation. What if another Falkland Islands type of situation transpired? Where would we be without the man on the ground - the Infantryman? Where would we be without sufficient men on the ground - all the Infantry Regiments?
Finally, if I may, let me quote my Regimental Motto, in capitals, and in Latin, so that it can be read, heard and understood, not just locally, but globally, "NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT".
If quoted in the plural, perhaps more appropriately in context, it can be read, heard and understood as representing all the Infantry Regiments, English, Welsh and Scottish, currently under threat of the 'hammer',
"NEMO NOS IMPUNE LACESSET".
Come on General Jackson, with respect - 'GO', and prepare the Army to be "READY FOR EVERYTHING".
Come on Scottish Colonels, with respect - 'GO', stand up, stand firm by your traditions '………AND THINK AGAIN'.
Come on Messrs Blair, Brown, Ingram and Hoon, with respect - 'GO', BE SENSIBLE AND DO THE RIGHT THING, or just 'GO'.
Do these things not mean anything at all now?
Does all this also not matter anymore?
This photo was taken in-between tours of duty in Iraq!
NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT
