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Highland Brigade (Scottish)
Encyclopedia
The Highland Brigade is a historical unit of the British Army
, which has been formed a number of times. It recruited men from the Highlands
of Scotland
.
(1854-1856), as part of the 1st Division; it was initially under the command of Major-General Sir Colin Campbell
(Lord Clyde
). It played a significant role in the Battle of Alma
.
This Highland Brigade consisted of the:
from 1882, during the Egyptian Rebellion
(1882-1885), under the command of Major General Archibald Alison
. Major General Alison's Brigade formed the left wing of General Sir Garnet Wolseley's army at the Battle of Tel-El-Kebir where they suffered 243 casualties (from the total casualties for Wolsey's force of 339).
This Highland brigade consisted of the:
(1899-1902) in South Africa
, under the command of Major General Andrew Gilbert Wauchope
. It suffered severe losses at the battle Magersfontein
(including General Wauchope). Command of the Brigade was then given to Major General Hector MacDonald
who led the brigade throughout the remainder of the war. The Brigade fought at the Battle of Paardeberg
where on the 18th September (known as Bloody Sunday
) it again suffered heavy casualties.
The Highland Brigade consisted of the:
After the Second World War the British Army had fourteen infantry
depots, each bearing a letter. The depots were territorially organised, and Infantry Depot N was the headquarters for the highland regiments. In 1948, the depots adopted names and this depot became the Highland Brigade, with all regiments being reduced to a single battalion at the same time.
The Highland Brigade was formally created on July 14, 1948 from the depots of six regiments:
Under the Defence Review
announced in July, 1957, the infantry of the line was reorganised, and by 1961 the Brigade was reduced to four battalions:
From 1958 all regiments in the Brigade adopted a common cap badge consisting of the saltire
of St. Andrew
on which was superimposed a stag's head and a scroll inscribed Cuidigh 'n Righ. The various Territorial Battalions that were also part of the then five Highland Regiments were split off in 1967 and grouped together, eventually forming the 51st Highland Volunteers
.
On July 1, 1968 the Highland Brigade was united with the Lowland Brigade
, to form the Scottish Division
.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, which has been formed a number of times. It recruited men from the Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Crimean War
A Highland Brigade was present at the Crimean WarCrimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
(1854-1856), as part of the 1st Division; it was initially under the command of Major-General Sir Colin Campbell
Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde
Field Marshal Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde GCB, KSI was a British Army officer from Scotland who led the Highland Brigade in the Crimea and was in command of the ‘Thin red line’ at the battle of Balaclava...
(Lord Clyde
Lord Clyde
Lord Clyde may refer to*Field Marshal Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde , Scottish soldier*James Avon Clyde, Lord Clyde , Scottish Conservative politician and judge...
). It played a significant role in the Battle of Alma
Battle of Alma
The Battle of the Alma , which is usually considered the first battle of the Crimean War , took place just south of the River Alma in the Crimea. An Anglo-French force under General St...
.
This Highland Brigade consisted of the:
- 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot42nd Regiment of FootThe 42nd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Originally the 43rd Highlanders they were renumbered the 42nd in 1748.- Early history :...
- 79th (The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders) Regiment of Foot
- 93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment of Foot93rd Regiment of FootThe 93rd Regiment of Foot was a Line Infantry Regiment of the British Army . In 1881 during the Childers Reforms it was united with the 91st Regiment of Foot to form the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders .- The 93rd Regiment :The 93rd Regiment was raised three times before it became the...
.
Egyptian Rebellion
There was a Highland Brigade operating in EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
from 1882, during the Egyptian Rebellion
Urabi Revolt
The Urabi Revolt or Orabi Revolt , also known as the Orabi Revolution, was an uprising in Egypt in 1879-82 against the Khedive and European influence in the country...
(1882-1885), under the command of Major General Archibald Alison
Sir Archibald Alison, 2nd Baronet
General Sir Archibald Alison, 2nd Baronet GCB was a Scottish soldier who achieved high office in the British Army in the 1880s.-Military career:...
. Major General Alison's Brigade formed the left wing of General Sir Garnet Wolseley's army at the Battle of Tel-El-Kebir where they suffered 243 casualties (from the total casualties for Wolsey's force of 339).
This Highland brigade consisted of the:
- 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
- 1st Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
- 1st Battalion, Cameron Highlanders
- 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
Second Boer War
A Highland Brigade participated in the Second Boer WarSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
(1899-1902) in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, under the command of Major General Andrew Gilbert Wauchope
Andrew Gilbert Wauchope
Major-General Andrew Gilbert Wauchope was a British Army officer, killed commanding a brigade at the Battle of Magersfontein in the South African War....
. It suffered severe losses at the battle Magersfontein
Battle of Magersfontein
The Battle of MagersfonteinSpelt incorrectly in various English texts as "Majersfontein", "Maaghersfontein" and "Maagersfontein". was fought on 11 December 1899, at Magersfontein near Kimberley on the borders of the Cape Colony and the independent republic of the Orange Free State...
(including General Wauchope). Command of the Brigade was then given to Major General Hector MacDonald
Hector MacDonald
Major-General Sir Hector Archibald MacDonald, also known as Fighting Mac , was a distinguished Victorian soldier....
who led the brigade throughout the remainder of the war. The Brigade fought at the Battle of Paardeberg
Battle of Paardeberg
The Battle of Paardeberg or Perdeberg was a major battle during the Second Anglo-Boer War. It was fought near Paardeberg Drift on the banks of the Modder River in the Orange Free State near Kimberley....
where on the 18th September (known as Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday (1900)
For other incidents referred to by this name, see Bloody Sunday.Bloody Sunday of February 18, 1900, was a day of high Imperial casualties in the Second Boer War.It occurred on the first day of the Battle of Paardeberg...
) it again suffered heavy casualties.
The Highland Brigade consisted of the:
- 2nd Battalion, Black Watch
- 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
- 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
- 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
Administrative Brigade 1948 - 1968
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
depots, each bearing a letter. The depots were territorially organised, and Infantry Depot N was the headquarters for the highland regiments. In 1948, the depots adopted names and this depot became the Highland Brigade, with all regiments being reduced to a single battalion at the same time.
The Highland Brigade was formally created on July 14, 1948 from the depots of six regiments:
- The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)Black WatchThe Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
- The Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)Highland Light InfantryThe Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
- The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's)Seaforth HighlandersThe Seaforth Highlanders was a historic regiment of the British Army associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The Seaforth Highlanders have varied in size from two battalions to seventeen battalions during the Great War...
- The Gordon Highlanders
- The Queen's Own Cameron HighlandersQueen's Own Cameron HighlandersThe Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1793. In 1961 it was merged with the Seaforth Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders...
- The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)Argyll and Sutherland HighlandersThe Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
Under the Defence Review
1957 Defence White Paper
The 1957 White Paper on Defence was a British white paper setting forth the perceived future of the British military. It had profound effects on all aspects of the defence industry but probably the most affected was the British aircraft industry...
announced in July, 1957, the infantry of the line was reorganised, and by 1961 the Brigade was reduced to four battalions:
- In 1958, the Highland Light Infantry was controversially transferred to the Lowland BrigadeLowland Brigade (Scottish)The Lowland Brigade is a historical unit of the British Army which has been formed a number of times. It is traditionally Scottish as the name derives from the Scottish Lowlands.-World War II:...
, to become part of the amalgamated Royal Highland FusiliersRoyal Highland FusiliersThe Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
. - On February 7, 1961, The Seaforth Highlanders and Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders were amalgamated to form The Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons).
From 1958 all regiments in the Brigade adopted a common cap badge consisting of the saltire
Saltire
A saltire, or Saint Andrew's Cross, is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter ex . Saint Andrew is said to have been martyred on such a cross....
of St. Andrew
Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
on which was superimposed a stag's head and a scroll inscribed Cuidigh 'n Righ. The various Territorial Battalions that were also part of the then five Highland Regiments were split off in 1967 and grouped together, eventually forming the 51st Highland Volunteers
51st Highland Volunteers
The 51st Highland Volunteers was a regiment and is now a battalion in the British Army's Territorial Army or reserve force in the Scottish Highlands, forming the 7th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, also known as 7 SCOTS...
.
On July 1, 1968 the Highland Brigade was united with the Lowland Brigade
Lowland Brigade (Scottish)
The Lowland Brigade is a historical unit of the British Army which has been formed a number of times. It is traditionally Scottish as the name derives from the Scottish Lowlands.-World War II:...
, to form the Scottish Division
Scottish Division
The Scottish Division is a British Army Infantry command, training and administrative apparatus designated for all Scottish line infantry units. The Scottish Division was formed on July 1, 1968 with the amalgamation of the Lowland Brigade and Highland Brigade...
.