It was on 28th March 1633 that Sir John Hepburn received a Royal Warrant from Charles I to "raise a regiment of 1200 Scotsmen from all the Kingdom". This was followed by 373 years unbroken RS service to the Crown and hence the description The First and Royal Regiment of Foot. Today is the 381st Anniversary of the founding of our Regiment. May 2014 is the 75th Anniversary when I became a Royal Scots and remember so many Brother Royal Scots during the Second World War who supported me when courage was needed, their comradeship and friendship still supporting me as I face the frailties of age. Our Regimental Battle Charge still rings in my ears and can never be forgotten as my comrades voices sounded out in the darkness before dawn as we assaulted the German Command Post in Flushing. UP THE ROYALS Joe Brown
Thanks for drawing our attention to this date Joe. Where would we have been without you brave men. Did I read somewhere that the Royal Scots are the oldest regiment? All the best - Maria
Pontius Pilate's bodyguard: https://archive.org/stream/cu31924030726834#page/n7/mode/2up Politicians did not get it - the oldest and senior infantry regiment of the line should have been allowed to soldier on. I read some of the regimental committee reports on a different amalgamation meeting - often it is other regimental committees saying why make concessions for one and not another - I suppose even if politicians made the offer the land forces would have argued to the cows come home about the regimental list. Personally I would rather see a regiment 'march out of the army list' as did the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) than amalgamate.
Owen. Yes, that was our final march as young and a great many old Royal Scots paid our final Salute to our Colonel-in-Chief HRH The Princess Royal. It was along the full length of Princes Street in Edinburgh and there was one 96-year-old who refused to ride in the coach and proudly marched from the start to the finish. He lived to be 104. It was a very sad day for all Royal Scots. Joe