Scottish Battalions to lose their names (1 Viewer)

Well - now there's a surprise!:wink2:

Anyone that's been watching what has been going on with the Military Services since around the 1950's - can see that it's been death by a thousand cuts!

First they almalgamate - then chop battalions - then axe famous name Regiments one by one. In the case of the Scots regiments (and the Wesh ones) - they then combine the lot into one super-Regiment - with named battalions after the old regiments. And now - surprise-surprise - someone comes up with the bright idea - to go with numbers - instead of names (that'll save a shilling!). Easier then to drop Battalion 5 - and just have 4.......then 3........then.........- get the picture?

Stay around long enough - and you will see those chopped eventually too.

As to the sense of pride and tradition built up over centuries with some of these Regiments - it matters not one jot to the bean counters.

Will the last member of the British Army to get de-mobbed - please switch the lights off when leaving! jb.
 
johnnybach said:
Well - now there's a surprise!:wink2:

Anyone that's been watching what has been going on with the Military Services since around the 1950's - can see that it's been death by a thousand cuts!

First they almalgamate - then chop battalions - then axe famous name Regiments one by one. In the case of the Scots regiments (and the Wesh ones) - they then combine the lot into one super-Regiment - with named battalions after the old regiments. And now - surprise-surprise - someone comes up with the bright idea - to go with numbers - instead of names (that'll save a shilling!). Easier then to drop Battalion 5 - and just have 4.......then 3........then.........- get the picture?

Stay around long enough - and you will see those chopped eventually too.

As to the sense of pride and tradition built up over centuries with some of these Regiments - it matters not one jot to the bean counters.

Will the last member of the British Army to get de-mobbed - please switch the lights off when leaving! jb.
Click to expand...

You hit the nail JB!

Martin

View attachment untitledd.bmp
 
No more Black Watch! A real tragedy not only to the Army but GB as well. Very disturbing news.
 
Only being slightly facetious in suggesting that a proposal be advanced to the MoD for the raising of a Muslim regiment paralleling the Handschar Division of the Waffen-SS in World War II. What a wonderfully P.C. move, and they certainly have a population to draw from within the U.K. They potentially could be tasked as an advanced element of any SAS mission in order to ‘clear the way’, so to speak.
 
It's a shame that people with no sense of history and tradition come into power.
Mark
 
Yes this was always going to come. I'm curious though as as a foreigner - do the old names still resonate with the general public. We, as history enthusiasts see advantages in keeping traditions alive, but would young Britons still be motivated to enlist by these names?

I know they're pretty much all gone but some of the ones that 'ring out' for me are The Scots Greys, The Buffs, The Dukes, The Green Howards, The Glorious Glosters, The Welch Regt, The Ox & Bucks, the KOSBs and The Gordons.
 
Interesting question larso. The short answer to your question "Would young Britons still be motivated to enlist by these old Regimental names?" - is yes they would.

The old Highland Light Infantry - to take just one famous example - was always seen as a "Glasgow Regiment". If you look through the names of it's former members - you see the same names appearing, time and again. Sons of fathers following their own fathers and grandfathers into the Regiment are there for everyone to see.

I read the other day that the British Army now stands at around 102,000 - and the current head Bean Counter wants to reduce this to 82,000 by the year 2015.

You don't have to be a genius to work those numbers out - that's 20% in anyone's language! So there will inevitably be more of the same to come.

Well - look on the bright side, I suppose - we won't get sucked into so many ridiculous Wars in future. Not because the Brave Boys in Government don't want us to - we simply won't have the manpower - or the hardware - to mount them.

Anyone want a couple of second-hand Aircraft carriers (brand-new and unused - but no planes!. Same Bean Counter Genius at work there I see!).
Watch out for them on e-bay? jb
 
These days we give certificates and trophys left right and centre so no one feels left out.
But some twat will throw out , in some cases hundreds of years of hard fought honours and
traditions to save a few $$$ [which in reality probably cost twice as much on cosultants
etc than any savings made ] it just leaves you scratching your head.
 
I have to concede that without an Empire Britain doesn't need a hundred regiments or more. So the answer was always going to be either disbandment or amalgamation. The second at least allows some traditions to be maintained and a framework to build the army back up if it needs to be. Choosing which ones however is the tricky bit. Locality has to be considered too. If Germany ever asks for the units there to be withdrawn, they'll all be disbanded as there won't be room to put them in England. I too suspect that there is an intent by some to downsize the army so that it won't be capable of offensive (Iraq) or sustained (Afghanistan) actions.
 
nothing surprises me with the powers that be. look at the recent fiasco with the u-turn on v/stol aircraft for the carriers!!! that only cost the tax payer 60million!

complete madness and a disgrace IMO
Mitch
 
I remember the reply from a "Christian Comedian" to a question about Christians burning sinful books. "If the Nazis did it, don't do it."
 
Are there enough Museums, monuments, books etc. about these famous units to carry on the distinctions w/o having living units that are not needed anymore? Folks seem to want government out of there wallets and lives except for the military.
 
Arnhemjim said:
Only being slightly facetious in suggesting that a proposal be advanced to the MoD for the raising of a Muslim regiment paralleling the Handschar Division of the Waffen-SS in World War II. What a wonderfully P.C. move, and they certainly have a population to draw from within the U.K. They potentially could be tasked as an advanced element of any SAS mission in order to ‘clear the way’, so to speak.
Click to expand...

Aleader of the British Sikh comunity offered to raise a Sikh regiment. He was told that it would be racist if only Sikhs were allowed to join!!!!!!!!!!!

Martin
 
larso said:
I have to concede that without an Empire Britain doesn't need a hundred regiments or more. So the answer was always going to be either disbandment or amalgamation. The second at least allows some traditions to be maintained and a framework to build the army back up if it needs to be. Choosing which ones however is the tricky bit. Locality has to be considered too. If Germany ever asks for the units there to be withdrawn, they'll all be disbanded as there won't be room to put them in England. I too suspect that there is an intent by some to downsize the army so that it won't be capable of offensive (Iraq) or sustained (Afghanistan) actions.
Click to expand...

There are hardly any units left in Germany!

Martin
 
Well ....we don't have "colored" regiments here anymore. It's progress.
 
It is always very sad to see traditions march into history, particularly ones as central to the nation as the battalions, but I wonder what the options are? It is about money, of course, but are their options somewhere between 'get rid of them all' and 'keep them all'? Very difficult to argue money with a government, but are there options that are not being explored?

A related question is about the strength of a battalion history. Even schools are aware of the power of group identity, as is evident in the constant reference to school spirit, but there is also the equally strong identification with the smaller unit of the school 'House'. I often hear references to the US Marine Corps, but do they draw their sense of cohesion through an identification with the Corps, or with a specific unit? Can a recruit in an English regiment (for example) tell me whether 'his' regiment was at Ypres? I would think so, but would be interested to hear.
 
You can always tell when the cuts are going too far!

1a60bb3.jpg
 
Jack said:
It is always very sad to see traditions march into history, particularly ones as central to the nation as the battalions, but I wonder what the options are? It is about money, of course, but are their options somewhere between 'get rid of them all' and 'keep them all'? Very difficult to argue money with a government, but are there options that are not being explored?

A related question is about the strength of a battalion history. Even schools are aware of the power of group identity, as is evident in the constant reference to school spirit, but there is also the equally strong identification with the smaller unit of the school 'House'. I often hear references to the US Marine Corps, but do they draw their sense of cohesion through an identification with the Corps, or with a specific unit? Can a recruit in an English regiment (for example) tell me whether 'his' regiment was at Ypres? I would think so, but would be interested to hear.
Click to expand...

I think there could be a very simple option. That would be to only issue a standard kit across the board. For instance the issue cap badge is "staybright" but nowone other than a recruit in the guards wears this. As soon as possible everyone buys a brass badge. So why couldn't a "Scottish" badge be issued until the recruit joins the Black Watch Battalion (for instance)? Then he could buy a new badge at no extra cost to the tax payer (don't forget a soldier is also a tax payer!) Although I believe that the real reason is that these cradle to the grave civil servants want to destroy any sense of history. That makes it both easier to get rid of a battalion or convert it into a battalion of a European army!
There are very few ex soldiers involved in government these days and your average office worker doesn't understand "esprit du corps" or loyalty for that matter.
Perhaps if the C.O. of a regiment was to get freindly with News International they would be safe!

Martin
 
I heard something about a referendum for Scotland to leave the UK, God forbid that the people would vote to part company with the UK but what would be the outcome then for the Scottish Battalions?. From over here it looks like being part of the EU in hindsight was a very bad idea.
Wayne.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Community platform by XenForo® © 2010-2024 XenForo Ltd.
Back
Top