King & Country
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KING & COUNTRY DISPATCHES
July 2020
July 2020
Hi Guys, welcome to this month’s ‘DISPATCHES’. As you will soon see there is a strong ‘Ceremonial’ element in our toy soldier releases this time around as well as a return to the very earliest days of King & Country.
So, as I like to say, let’s get this show on the road...
1. BEING RELEASED IN JULY...
A. ‘The Auld Forty Twa’
The Black Watch’s origins go all the way back to 1725, ten years after the first failed Jacobite rebellion of 1715. King George I (‘German Geordie’) authorized the formation of six “watch” companies to patrol the wild Highlands of Scotland.
These troops were to be employed in disarming rebel Highlanders, preventing sheep stealing and cattle rustling and bring Highland fugitives to justice.
Because the “watch” themselves were fellow Highlanders, many belonging to the Clan Campbell , they wore the dark plaid of the Campbells and thus gained the nickname “The Black Watch”.
Eventually the “Watch” gained regimental size and status and were included in the British Army’s regular list as the “42nd Regiment of Foot” ... ‘the auld forty twa’ in old broad Scots, (a Scottish version of English).
In 1881 they were amalgamated with the 73rd Perthshire Regt., to form the 1st and 2nd Battalions The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) . From that day on they saw action in virtually every corner of the world with the expanding British Empire.
During the years before the First World War broke out they fought in Egypt, the Sudan, India and South Africa.
WWI SERVICE
The outbreak of war in August 1914 saw an expansion of the regiment from its original two regular battalions to an additional seven territorial and war service battalions which again saw action around the globe but especially on the Western Front. After the end of the war the 1st returned to India while the 2nd remained in Scotland before moving to Palestine to try and keep the Jews and Arabs from each other’s throats... at least for a little while until the Second World War erupted in September 1939.
K&C’s LATEST BLACK WATCH
The Black Watch has appeared in the King & Country inventory several times since the company began in 1984.During the 1980’s and 1990’s we produced a series of ‘Parade’ figures that included marching Highlanders, Colour Parties and a number of different ‘Pipes & Drums’ sets.
In more recent times we have had ‘Napoleonic’ Black Watch fighting the Emperor’s armies at Waterloo as well as taking part in WW2.
Now, we are going back to the more colourful days when the ‘Watch’ and other Scottish Regiments of the Line wore bright red scarlet tunics, feather bonnets and swinging kilts and sporrans.
The ceremonial uniforms worn by these ‘parading figures’ are those that were in use from 1908, when the MK III Lee Enfield rifle was introduced, up until 1939 when WW2 began.
The figures you see here are just the ‘Advance Guard’ of The Black Watch on parade... Many more are to follow.
CE029 ‘Mounted Black Watch Officer’
In an infantry regiment of this period only a few of the battalion officers would be mounted; The Colonel, his Second-in-Command and the Regimental Adjutant... All others marched on foot alongside their men.
It should be noted that kilt-wearing was not a good choice while horse riding... therefore tartan trews, in the Regimental tartan, was adopted.
CE030 ‘The Colonel’s Bugler’
This marching soldier was also attached to the Regimental Band and Pipes & Drums as a Drummer / Bugler. However when accompanying the Commanding Officer only a bugle was required.
CE036 ‘Black Watch Sergeant’ (marching)
Second-in-command of an infantry platoon and the officer’s right hand man. On parade he wears three golden yellow stripes on his right tunic arm and a red cloth sergeant’s sash over his right shoulder.
CE037 ‘Black Watch Private’ (marching)
Similar in basic uniform to CE036 but no stripes and no sash. Marching with Lee Enfield rifle and fixed bayonet on the left shoulder.
CE060 ‘Black Watch Escort Set’ (value added set)
Sergeant and three Privates combined at a slightly better price!
AVAILABLE: Early July
PLEASE NOTE: Additional Black Watch soldiers and a special Pipes & Drums set will be available in the coming months... Watch out for them!
