THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11598, 5 December 1899, Page 3

THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS. TO THE EDITOR.

Sic,-—Your correspondent is wrong in thinking, that the battalion now in Ladysmith under General White does not contain men with experience of Dargai. When the Ist Battalion (old 75th) left India, Colonel Matthias drafted out 200 of his youngest soldiers, and left them with the 2nd Battalion (old 92nd). These man all wear the Dargai medals, and are now in Ladysmith. ;

The real Dargai regiment, or the Ist Battalion, on their return from India, were quartered in Edinburgh until their recent departure for the Cape. Before leaving, all men who had not seen fighting were drafted for garrison duty in India, their places, I presume, being filled by reservists who had recently quitted their ranks as time-expired men. I hardly see- how the 2nd Battalion can be said to be more Scotch than the Ist Battalion. Both regiments have been exceedingly popular, and have had abundance of recruits. While on this subject, I would protest against the carping spirit which tries to deny Scotland her due when any of her regiments distinguish themselves. The public may take it that 90 per cent, of the various British regiments are of the nationality shown by the regimental title. The other 10 per cent can often be accounted for satisfactorily. London contains as many Scotchmen as Edinburgh, and as many Irishmen as Dublin. Any of these men joining the army are shown as recruited in London ; but they are not Cockneys! I have mixed sufficiently among our kilted soldiers to know that they are essentially Scotch, and the occasional Paddy or Cockney are the exceptions which prove the rule. They have probably had a Scotch parent, and think themselves as good Scots as the others. As far as fighting is concerned, they doubtless are. Under the existing territorial systems, all regiments will become more and more representative of the district to which they owe their title.—l am, etc., N. Dunedin, December 4-.