51st Highland Volunteers

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=51st Highland, 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland


caption=Cap Badge of The Royal Regiment of Scotland
dates=28 March 2006 - Present
country=United Kingdom
branch=Army
type=Line Infantry
command_structure=51st (Scottish) Brigade
role=TA Reserve Light Role
size= One Support Company
Four Rifle Companies
Commanding Officer=
garrison= HQ Company - Perth
A Company - Dundee
B Company - Peterhead
C Company - Inverness
D Company - Dumbarton
Commanding Officer
ceremonial_chief=HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay
ceremonial_chief_label=Royal Colonel
colonel_of_the_regiment= Major General William Euan Buchanan Loudon, CBE
nickname=
motto="Nemo Me Impune Lacessit" (No One Assails Me With Impunity) (Latin)
colors=
identification_symbol_2= [http://www.regiments.org/tradition/tartans/govermt.htm Government]
identification_symbol_2_label=Tartan
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=Tactical Recognition Flash
identification_symbol_3=A Company - Red
B Company - Blue
C Company - Blue
D Company - Green
identification_symbol_3_label=Hackle
march=Quick - "Scotland the Brave"
Slow - "The Garb of Auld Gaul"
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=

The 51st Highland Volunteers was a regiment and is now a battalion in the British Army's Territorial Army (TA) or reserve force in the Scottish Highlands, part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. In contrast with the 52nd Lowland Regiment, a similar regiment located in the Lowlands of Scotland, the 51st Highland Volunteers consist of a number of infantry companies scattered in various regions of the Highlands. Both 51st Highland Volunteers and 52nd Lowland Volunteers were unique in that each of their companies was officially the reserve element of a regular infantry regiment in the Scottish Division.

The 51st Highland Volunteers were formed in 1967 from the amalgamation of territorial battalions of regiments in the Highland Brigade. In 1999, however, the regiment was re-organized and became the 51st Highland Regiment.

The name commemorated that of the 51st Highland Division, which consisted of the Regiment's antecedent Territorial Battalions, and fought during the First and Second World Wars.

tructure of the Regiment 1967-1971

The 51st Highland Volunteers were formed as a TAVRII (NATO reserve role) unit on 1 April 1967 with headquarters located at Perth, Scotland:
* HQ (Black Watch) Company, located at Perth
* A (Black Watch) Company, located at Dundee
* B (Seaforth Highlanders) Company, located at Wick
* C (Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders) Company, located at Inverness
* D (Gordon Highlanders) Company, located at Aberdeen
* E (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) Company, located at Stirling
* G (London Scottish) Company, located at London
* V (Liverpool Scottish) Company, located at Liverpool

In 1969, three TAVRIII (Home defence) battalions were reduced in size and amalgamated into the 51st Highland Volunteers, forming three additional companies:
* No.1 (Lovat Scouts) Company, located at Kirkwall and Lerwick
* No.2 (Queen's Own Highlanders) Company, located at Fort William and Stornoway
* No.3 (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) Company, located at Dumbarton and Campbeltown

1971-1975

On 1 April 1971 the 51st Highland Volunteers split into two battalions. A third battalion was subsequently formed as well on 1 April 1975.
* 1st Battalion, 51st Highland Volunteers
** Headquarters located at Perth
** A (The Black Watch) Company, located at Dundee
** B (The Black Watch) Company, located at Kirkcaldy
** C (The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) Company, located at Grangemouth, formed from cadre 3rd Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
** E (The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) Company, located at Stirling
** G (The London Scottish) Company, located at Westminster, London
** V (The Liverpool Scottish) Company, located at Liverpool
* 2nd Battalion, 51st Highland Volunteers
** Headquarters located at Elgin
** A (Lovat Scouts) Company, located at Orkney and Shetland
** B (Queen's Own Highlanders) Company, located at Wick
** C (Queen's Own Highlanders) Company, located at Inverness, Dingwall, Fort William
** D (Gordon Highlanders) Company, located at Aberdeen, Laurencekirk
** G (Gordon Highlanders) Company, located at Peterhead, Keith
* 3rd Battalion, 51st Highland Volunteers
** Headquarters located at Peterhead
** B (Queen's Own Highlanders) Company, located at Wick
** C (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) Company, located at Grangemouth
** D (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) Company, located at Dumbarton

1980-ca.1994

In 1981 the 3rd Battalion effectively became the Territorial battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and in 1995 became the 7th/8th (V) Battalion of that regiment, while the 2nd Battalion became the 3rd (V) Battalion of The Highlanders.

A Z (Home Service Force) Company was formed in 1984 at Perth, Kirkcaldy and Dundee. A number of re-organizations and company re-locations also occurred in the 1980s. Between 1992-1993, the remaining 1st Battalion, the 51st Highland Volunteers were again reorganised:
* HQ Company at Perth
* A Company at Dundee
* B Company at Forfar
* K Company at Kirkcaldy

The remaining 1st Battalion was subsequently redesignated in 1994 as the 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion, The The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment). During this period, all three Battalions adopted the Cap Badges and insignia of their parent Regiments.

1999 onwards

The regiment was re-formed in 1999 by the amalgamation of all three of the battalions, 7/8 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 3 The Highlanders, and 3 Black Watch into a single battalion, in consequence of the reforms of the Territorial Army in the Strategic Defence Review. As part of the Delivering Security in a Changing World review of the British Army, the 51st Highland Regiment became the 7th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, also known as (7 SCOTS) which was formed on 28 March 2006. The TA military band of 51st (Scottish) Brigade is administered by the Battalion, as well as the units own 51st Highland Pipes and Drums.

The Battalion Headquarters is based at Queen's Barracks in Perth and the battalion has one support company with four rifle companies:
*HQ Company is based in Perth
*A (Black Watch and Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) Company at Dundee, Kirkcaldy and Argyll-affiliated Assault Pioneer platoon at Stirling.
*B (Highlanders) Company at Peterhead, Aberdeen, Keith and Lovat Scouts platoon at Lerwick
*C (Highlanders) Company at Inverness, Wick and Stornoway
*D (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) Company at Dumbarton and Dunoon

Lineage

External links

* [http://www.army.mod.uk/infantry/regts/scots/organisation/7_scots/index.htm 7 SCOTS (51st Highland) Website]