Scottish Blog

The Black Watch was a regiment of Scottish infantry until 2006.

The Black Watch is an infantry division of the United Kingdom Army. The black Watch was formed in 1881 as an amalgamation of the Royal Highland Regiment and the 73rd (Perthshire) Foot Regiment. The Black Watch has always been known for their dark green tartan, this came to be the origin of their name, as the other section comes from their duty to “watch” over the Highlands.

As the senior regiment of the Highland Battalion, the Black Watch has traditionally been charged with protecting the Scottish Highlands. Yet they have been deployed in a number of international conflicts.

All 25 battalions of the Black Watch were deployed in World War II. Predominantly they were found in France and Flanders, although the 2nd and 10th battalions were sent to Palestine and the Balkans respectively. During these encounters in World War I the Black Watch was often referred to as “The Ladies from Hell” due to their ferocious fighting and the kilt being a mandatory part of their uniform.

The Black Watch was present in all aspects of World War II where British presence was strong. They were also deployed during the Korean War.

In recent times, the Black watch is known for its involvement in the Iraq War. It was also played a large role in the 1997 Hong Kong handover ceremony.