London Scottish (regiment)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=The London Scottish


caption=Cap Badge of the London Scottish
dates=1859-
country=United Kingdom
branch=Army
type=Infantry
role=Light infantry
size=One company
command_structure=London Regiment
current_commander=
garrison=London
ceremonial_chief=Baron Robertson of Port Ellen KT, GCMG, FRSA, PC
ceremonial_chief_label=Honorary Colonel
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
motto="Strike Sure"
colors=
identification_symbol_2= [http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb309/hammersfan_01/Tartans/HoddenGrey.gifHodden Grey]
identification_symbol_2_label=Tartan
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=The London Scottish is a unit of the British Army. Formerly a regiment, the unit is now a company of The London Regiment.

Founding of the regiment

Founded in 1793 as the Highland Armed Association of London and in 1803 as part of the country's Volunteer Forces ready to repel Napoleon's threatened invasion of England. In 1859, sponsored by The Highland Society of London and The Caledonian Society of London, a group of individual Scots raised The London Scottish Rifle Volunteers under the command of Lt Col Lord Elcho, later The Earl of Wemyss and March. This was the formation of the London Scottish as an official recognized Territorial Force (TF) by the government. Over many years the London Scottish have changed titles and lineage, today they are A (London Scottish) Company of The London Regiment.

The regimental tartan is Hodden Grey.Lt Col Lord Elcho clothed the regiment in Hodden Grey, the homespun cloth known throughout Scotland. This avoided all interclan feeling on the subject of tartan and, as Lord Elcho said "A soldier is a man hunter. As a deer stalker chooses the least visible of colours, so ought a soldier to be clad."

Titles and lineage

* Highland Armed Association of London - raised in 1793 in response to the threat of invasion by Napoleon, disbanded in 1816
* The London Scottish Rifle Volunteer Corps - raised in 1859
* 15th Middlesex (London Scottish) Rifle Volunteer Corps - official designation under county titles later in 1859
* 7th Middlesex (London Scottish) Rifle Volunteers - renamed in 1880
* 7th Middlesex (London Scottish) Volunteer Rifle Corps - renamed in 1891
* 14th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Scottish) - renamed 1908 with the creation of the Territorial Force
* 14th London Regiment (London Scottish) - renamed 1922
* The London Scottish, The Gordon Highlanders - 1937
* in 1967 the regiment was reconstituted as two companies: G Company (London Scottish), 51st Highland Volunteers (AVR III); and C Company (London Scottish), The London Yeomanry and Territorials (AVR II)
* AVR II disbanded (?date)
* G Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Battalion 51st Highland Volunteers (1/51 HLD)- 1971 (the Argyll & Sutherland Highlander companies of 51st Highland formed 3rd Battalion, whilst the Gordons and Queen's Own Highlanders companies formed 2nd Battalion. 1/51 was essentially Black Watch with London Scottish and Liverpool Scottish add-ons.
* A (London Scottish) Company, The London Regiment - 1993
* A (London Scottish) Company, The London Regiment (Guards Division) - 2006 (Each company links to a Foot Guards Regiment for operational support and from which permanent staff instructors are drawn. The London Scottish is paired with the Scots Guards.)

London Scottish Cadet Corps

The earliest record of The London Scottish Cadet Corps ("LSCC") was in 1902. It existed alongside their sponsors The London Scottish Regiment now A (London Scottish) Coy The London Regiment. The London Scottish Cadets originally formed as a battalion with three companies and a pipe band. It was one of a very few cadet battalions to be presented its own Colours. The LSCC is now 235 London Scottish Detachment, a member of 23 Group [Middlesex and NW London ACF] . Formally based at the RHQ 95 Horseferry road until 2005 and now at the RMP barracks on Rochester row. 235 lives on to share its traditions with two other cadet detachments now Capbadged to the London Scottish in the Greater London & South East Sector ACF.

95 (London Scottish)Cadet Coy - Eltham was formed in the 1940's with a nucleus of boys from Eltham College. It is based on the site of a former Royal Artillery TA Centre in Footscray Road SE9. Ocs included Major (later Lt Col) Stewart Allward, Capt Eric Botell and Capt Nigel Betts. In the 1970's the Eltham Company enjoyed some success at Cadet Rifle shootng with Cpls Nigel Godden, L/Cpl Steven Godden and Cadet Steven Bourne scoring high in the Cadet 100. Also in the 1970's the Company did well with international marching, being in the Nijmegen Marches 5 times and the Val de Marne Marches 6 times between 1972 and 1978.

The third London Scottish Cadet unit is 102 (Bromley) Pltn, 10 (Kent) Cadet Regiment, formed originally in 1913 as part of the 1st Cadet Btn Royal North West Kent Regt, over the years the unit was re-badged a number of times, firstly as a Royal Artillery unit and in the 1970s as a Royal Signals unit. In 1989 6 Pltn of G (London Scottish) Coy 1/51 Highland Vols. along with the 1/51 Recce Pltn were re-housed at Hill House TA centre in Bromley, the location of 102 at that time. The good relations between the two units lead to 102 being given permission to become a London Scottish cadet unit later that year under the command of Major John Smith MBE.During Major Smith's time as OC the unit had upwards of 40 cadets at times and like its near neigbour at Eltham many cadets took part in the Nijmegan marches. When Hill House was sold off, 102 were homeless for a number of years and lodged with other Cadet units until a new home was found in 2003, after much work by the OC at the time Lt Murdo Durrant with the help of the London Scottish Regimental Col. John Clemence CBE, when they moved into a purpose built cadet centre at Baring Road TA Center in Lewisham.

Regimental band

Victoria Crosses

Victoria Crosses were awarded to the following members of the London Scottish: Robert Edward Cruickshank, Charles William Train, and George Allan Mitchell

Alliances

*CAN - The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own)

External links

* [http://www.londonscottishregt.org/ London Scottish Regiment website]
* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-london/vinf/L14scot.htm London Scottish Regiment entry at regiments.org]
* [http://www.charitiesdirect.com/charity8/ch011678.htm London Scottish Regiment Headquarters Trust entry at charitiesdirect.com]
* [http://www.londonscottishcadets.com/ London Scottish Cadet Corps website]
* [http://www.londonscottishgolfclub.co.uk/ The London Scottish Golf Club]
* [http://www.gcompany.org.uk/ London Scottish Association Website]