THE BLACK WATCH

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 January 1939, Page 10

THE BLACK WATCH

T.RADI TION AND R El'o RD. The proposal before Cabinet to establish a regiment of Highland troops in New Zealand ami to dress this regiment. in tht? uniform of the Black Watch would, in its fulfilment, link New Zealand with one of the most distinguished fighting forces .in the cavalcade of British arms. 'l’lio Black Watch came into being a.s a. regiment., in May. 17-10, and received. its baptism of fire against the French at the Battle of Font enoy on May 11. 17-15. Since then it lias been conspicuous in. British history right down to the present time. The Black Watch to-day is in Palestine, ami it. was to the assault of the- Highlanders that the Arabs iu the old; 1 city of Jerusalem recently speedily

surrendered. Before its establishment as a Regiment. the Black Watch was an -organisation of six independent companies, broken up into small detachments throughout the Highlands. Scotland at the time was preparing for the Jacobite rebellion of 17-15 and Hie responsibility placed upon the Bla.ck . Watch was that, of overawing the dm- ) affected. ami in preventing reprisals I and plunder on the part of rival I clans. They were also frequent ly 'called on to avert, the depredations of I mountaineers on their peaceable I neighbours outside the Highland line. Archibald Forbes in his history ofi [the Black’ Watch records that tiiesel six. imlependein. companies performedj their allotted duties to the satisfaction of the Government from 1730 to' 173!1. Towards the end of 17T.1l when certain truculent Spaniards cut off the ear of the English sea captain ( Jenkins and told him to lake it to hist king with their compliments war wir'd Spain began io loom up. intimately, a. clash with Spain was

enforced by rhe universal voice, of the English nation and the formal declaration of hostilities was made on November 3. 1739. King' George II t.-oti-sidcrcd it would be an ad vantage Io have a Highland regiment Io help him (.leal with the Spanish and re-, solved to incorporate the Black Watch 1 into a rcgiineni of the line to lie mm-' Ime-nfetl into lit companies.

Actually he had made his plain? belorc- the declaration of war. am! the royal warram for the cslablishim.ni. of (lie rvg.imeitl was dated October 25, 173!). The regimen!, came into being in May ol th-.: follow inv year, with the. Ear! of Crawford and Lindsay as its first colonel, but. after all, it. was not. required tit the affair with the Spanish. Tile colonel was the only ollicer in! the regiment, who was not a Highland-] er. Most were men of old family, and* possessed of landed property fur genuratioiis back. Others were' sons oi relatives of Highland lairds. Family and personal pride was the most sa 1 - iw.)t characteristic of the regimental. 1 tankers and the rank ami file.

SPECIAL INCENTIVE. The Highlanders had a special incentive to enter the Black Watch. At jtlie time of its formation, the carrypng of arms by civilians was prohibj i;.< <! by heavy penalties, and this re-1 •Urielion was galling to a high-spirited and warlike race. ! leave il. liecaine! an ambition with young Highlanders-'•-f spirii io be admitted, even as pri-'.-ucs. imo a service!, which gave ilium tin- chf.-risbi'd privilege of carrying a mis. in li;-: days c.t Hie independent cuiupanms ot lire Black- Watch, each com- 1 manding (iiiiccr nalurally wore, atm l ad his (oinpaity wear. i.he tartan of hts ov n clan. \\ inn the- (•inbodimcm of the companies into a regiment wa. ; c.rd( red. rm clan conjd arrogate to it

self a valid claim to have its tartan made common to the whole regiment, while the colonel, a Lowlander, could have no clan tartan. I In this dilemma a. pattern of tartan belonging to no clan was selected. It is distinctive from all others. A scarlet jacket and waistcoat, with buff lacings and while lace, was originally worn with the kill and plaid. but these have now been supplanted for active service wear by the more sombre and more practical khaki.

Old Scottish folk tales have, it that a Highlander is worth two other men and that. a. Black Watch Highlander is worth, it.'. The grounds for this statein-ciii. are difficult, to ascertain, but the claim probably dates back to an account of the battie of Fontenoy, in which Hie Duke of Cumberland figured.

It is related that the Duke observed i the- gallant conduct of the regiment in battle. Particularly, he noticed the. feat of Private Dim McKinnon, who had killed nine of the enemy ami was making a stroke with the broadsword at. the tenth when his arm was shot off by a. cannon ball. The duke applauded the man’s bravery and skill and promised him a reward “of value equal to the arm.’’