Back

 

 

 

 

After the War, as always, the Army was severely reduced.  By Text Box:         1967, all Territorial units with Highland antecedents were combined into one new Regiment, The 51st Highland Volunteers. (So called to keep by the Highland Division).

 

Each of the former Territorial Battalions were represented by no more than a Company of the new Regiment.  For example, the 6th battalion of the Black Watch became ‘HQ’ Company, but were still based in Perth and still wore the Croix de Guerre lanyard.   Other Companies of the new Regiment wore the tartans of their parent Regiments- Seaforth, Cameron, Gordon, Argyll or the Hodden Grey of the London Scottish, but all wore the stag’s head on a Scottish Saltire above the motto Cuidich’n Righ (Help to The King) as a bonnet badge.

 

The 51st Highland Volunteers expanded over the years to form three Battalions and celebrated its 25th Anniversary on the North Inch in Perth in 1992. 1st Battalion 51st Highland Volunteers consisted of  The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), Liverpool Scottish and London Scottish.  The 2nd Battalion represented the Seaforth, Gordons Lovat Scouts and Camerons, and the 3rd Battalion (later 7/8th Volunteers) predominantly Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

 

Following the Strategic Defence Review in July 99, 1/51, 2/51 and 3/51 were amalgamated to form The 51st Highland Regiment. Headquarters Company remained in Perth and along with A Company in Dundee remained aligned to the Black Watch.  B Company in Peterhead and C Company in Inverness remained cap-badged to the Highlanders.  D Company in Dumbarton and E company in Stirling remained with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. The Regiment covers approximately 1/5 of the landmass of the UK but contains only 2%  of the population.

 

Today the 51st Highland Regiment continues to reinforce the Regular Army.  Members of the Regiment have recently served in Afghanistan and Iraq.  The Battalion is currently re -rolling as a Mountain Infantry Battalion and as part of the UK reaction to 11th September is forming a key component of the  Civil Contingency Reaction Force (CCRF).

Back