The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-16128, in the name of Liz Smith, on 300 years of the Black Watch. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament marks the tercentenary of the origins of The Black Watch; understands that, in 1725, six companies were raised by General George Wade, comprising of “loyal” clans, including the Campbells, Grants, Frasers and Munros, and formed the Highland watches to police the Highlands following the 1715 Jacobite rebellion; notes that a further four companies were raised in 1739 to form the Regiment of the Line, which first mustered at Aberfeldy; understands that, throughout this period, the companies began being referred to as Am Freiceadan Dubh or The Black Watch; believes that this term was likely due to the dark tartan uniform that was worn by its soldiers; recognises what it sees as the significance of the regiment’s involvement throughout the UK’s most important and consequential military campaigns, ranging from, but not limited to, the Seven Years’ War, the American War of Independence, the Napoleonic wars, the Crimean War, the Boer War, the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the Gulf Wars; acknowledges what it sees as the fearless and renowned reputation that The Black Watch established and reinforced over the course of these conflicts, as well as the countless stories of individual gallantry, particularly the 14 soldiers who received the UK’s highest military decoration, the Victoria Cross; commemorates all who have served and died in the historic regiment, who have predominately come from across Perth and Kinross, Fife, Dundee and Angus, but also the rest of Scotland and beyond, and offers its full support to the veterans, and their families, who are alive today.
12:49
I thank all colleagues who signed the motion, and I also thank the First Minister for his presence—I know that he has deep connections with the Black Watch. I extend a warm welcome to the members of the Black Watch Association, with their famous red hackles, who are in the public gallery.
We are, of course, celebrating the tercentenary of the origins of the Black Watch, which is a momentous event that provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the impact of that proud regiment over the course of its long history. We know that that impact was greatly treasured by the late Queen Mother, who was the regiment’s longest-serving colonel in chief.
The Black Watch formed in a unique way, during a period of instability in the Scottish Highlands. As we all know, Jacobitism—the desire of some clans to return the house of Stuart to the British throne—precipitated several rebellions in the early 18th century and, in 1725, six independent companies, later called the Black Watch, were raised by General George Wade, comprising clans deemed loyal to the Crown, including the Campbells, Grants, Munros and, indeed, the esteemed clan Fraser, who we will no doubt hear from later in the debate.
The Highland watches, as they were collectively known, were tasked with policing the Highlands and enforcing the Disarming Act 1715, gaining distinction from regular soldiers as am Freiceadan Dubh, because of their dark tartan kilts, which, of course, remain a staple of the uniform today.
King George II authorised the raising of a further four companies, which, together, would form a regiment of the line, first parading in Aberfeldy in 1740. Two years later, the regiment was sent to Flanders to fight the French, leaving much historical speculation as to whether the Jacobite rebellion in 1745—culminating in the final large-scale battle on British soil, the battle of Culloden—could have been possible had the Black Watch remained stationed in the Highlands. The subsequent defeat of Charles Edward Stuart’s forces ended decades of civil unrest in the British Isles, creating stability at home and enabling global colonial expansion.
It did not take long for the Black Watch to gain its worldwide reputation for fearlessness in the face of the enemy. In the regiment’s very first engagement, at the battle of Fontenoy in 1745, a French officer described the Black Watch as
“Highland Furies who rushed in on us with more violence than ever did the sea driven by tempest”.
Despite British defeat, the regiment’s valiant conduct was noticed by the Duke of Cumberland, who was greatly impressed by its Highland style of fighting.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Black Watch was heavily involved in every major British campaign across the globe, starting with the seven years war, in the North American continent. During the subsequent American war of independence, the Black Watch helped to inflict a crushing defeat on George Washington’s forces at the battle of Long Island in 1776. Further, of course, the Black Watch was in the thick of the fighting during the 1815 battle of Waterloo, which saw the final defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte, paving the way for pax Britannica and Britain’s rise to global dominance.
Throughout that period, the Black Watch was active across the globe—in the Crimea, India, Egypt, Sudan and South Africa—and I look forward to other members’ speeches, which may delve deeper into some of the gallantry across the world, which shaped the international reputation of this proud regiment.
The Black Watch was, of course, involved in some of our country’s darkest moments. In the first world war, the regiment was seriously depleted, suffering more than 8,000 fatalities in costly battles such as Loos, the Somme and Passchendaele. Among those members of the regiment who were killed was Fergus Bowes-Lyon, the brother of the late Queen Mother.
In the second world war, soldiers of the Black Watch were victims of the German blitzkrieg in France, but the regiment rebounded, contributing to the defeat of Erwin Rommel’s forces at the battle of El Alamein—one of the major turning points of the war—and participating in the invasions of Sicily and Normandy, and also of Burma, when Field Marshal Wavell, or Earl Wavell, the most distinguished Black Watch officer, was commander-in-chief and viceroy of India.
Throughout the post-war era, the Black Watch largely returned to its original roots as a police force, engaging in peacekeeping and counterinsurgency roles once again, in Kenya, Cyprus, the troubles in Northern Ireland and Iraq.
In 1963, the Black Watch pipes and drums and military band toured the USA and were invited to play at the White House. Nine days later, President Kennedy was assassinated and Jacqueline Kennedy requested that the Black Watch pipe major and eight pipers play at the funeral—they led the cortege from the White House to Washington cathedral.
Just as they had been active during the rapid expansion of empire, soldiers from the Black Watch were also the last troops to leave the Hong Kong garrison during the handover of 1997, marking the end of the British empire.
Many changes and reforms have impacted on the Black Watch over the centuries, including what was at the time the highly controversial merger in 2006 of the distinct Scottish regiments into the Royal Regiment of Scotland. During my early days of election campaigning, along with the First Minister at the time, that was a very emotive issue, not least because the regiment was on active duty in Iraq. What has never changed is the exceptionally high regard in which the regiment is held, not just in Britain but across the world. One has only to look across the Atlantic to the Canadian Black Watch, with its own Highland heritage of tartan, bagpipes and a distinct red hackle, to appreciate some of the far-reaching legacy.
I will finish by honouring all those who have served and died in this historic Highland regiment, and to pledge our support to the veterans and their families, some of whom are with us today. The Black Watch continues to instil an enormous sense of pride in those of us who live in Perth and Kinross, Fife, Angus and Dundee. It is truly a pillar of our regional identity. I also thank all the volunteers at Balhousie castle in Perth, who maintain an excellent establishment to keep the history of this proud regiment alive.
I have the immense pleasure of knowing many Black Watch veterans, some of whom are here today. Their unyielding loyalty and dedication to duty and public service are always evident. Reaching 300 years is strong testament to the commitment and tenacity of the exemplary Black Watch individuals who have dedicated their lives to the service of this country. Long may that story continue.
12:56
I thank Liz Smith for bringing this members’ business debate to the chamber today.
I am slightly nervous standing here, because my ex-brigade commander, Brigadier Garry Barnett, is sitting up in the public gallery. I would just like to say to him that I have spent time in the Parliament trying to convince everyone that I was a good soldier. Brigadier, your memories of all the good things that happened in your brigade were, of course, down to me—I do not know who was responsible for the bad things. It is delightful to see you all here today and to look back on the Black Watch.
It is probably quite odd for a Household Cavalry man and for somebody who represents the Highlands to be standing here paying tribute to the Black Watch. We are now joined as one, but maybe there is a certain amount of rivalry, as there was before. There is no doubt that, as an ex-soldier, I have a huge amount of respect for all the work that the Black Watch has done during our long history, including our recent history, especially in Korea, Kenya, Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Iraq. Huge areas of our history have relied on the Black Watch.
I would like to talk about one particular member of the Black Watch who I find quite interesting. I am sure that I am going to get this story wrong, but I did as much research as I could on William Speakman-Pitt, who served in Korea in 1951. He was a Victoria cross winner and, I think, a worthy one. Let us look at his history.
On 4 November 1951, when things were particularly difficult, he filled his pockets with grenades and charged the Chinese, hurling his grenades until they ran out. He then ran back to his lines, collected more grenades and some of his colleagues, and charged back to the Chinese lines, throwing more hand grenades to break up their charge. Sadly, that did not work, so they had to resort to throwing anything they had, which appeared to be mess tins, cans and a large amount of beer bottles. I am reliably informed by the record that those beer bottles came to be in the Black Watch lines purely to be filled with water so that they could cool the machine guns—how they were emptied was not actually clear in the dispatches. William was obviously a worthy VC winner.
I have seen other acts of bravery in the Black Watch history, and that is one that I like. I have heard that William was represented as beer-bottle Bill, the VC winner. I do not know whether that is right, but I am sure that the brigadier will correct me afterwards. He was a worthy winner. People like him typify the valiant soldiers who have served in the Black Watch. When I was a soldier in the British Army, which I was for 12 years, I would have liked to have had the Black Watch at my side, but not always to have had a brigade commander from the Black Watch in charge of me.
13:00
It is a privilege to participate in this members’ business debate, and I congratulate my colleague, Ms Smith, on securing it. She did a fine job of adumbrating the illustrious and gallant history of one of Scotland’s famous line infantry regiments. It pains me to say that, as a Glaswegian and as someone with a close association to the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Glasgow.
It is, however, welcome that, even under the new regime of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, the Black Watch, or 3 SCOTS, and the Royal Highland Fusiliers, or 2 SCOTS, are the only two line infantry battalions in the Royal Regiment of Scotland to retain their pipes and drums, which is perhaps a sad indication of the decline of the line infantry in Scotland in recent years. Nonetheless, it is a tangible thread through the illustrious history of the regiment. In the Edinburgh military tattoo, more often than not, it is the Black Watch and the Royal Highland Fusiliers that keep the residual traditions of those cap badges alive.
Ms Smith outlined the great gamut of the Black Watch’s history up to this tercentenary. In recent years, the Black Watch has not been without its challenges. There have been a number of tragic losses in recent operations. Many young people lost their lives in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. I think back to just over 20 years ago, to the very fraught period of the deployment to camp Dogwood in central Iraq, in the so-called triangle of death, where, sadly, three members of the battalion lost their lives—Sergeant Stuart Gray, who was 31 years old, Private Paul Lowe, who was 19 years old, and Private Scott McArdle, who was 22 years old.
I am struck by the youth of many of the young soldiers who put themselves in harm’s way for the interests of our country. There are many others, including one of my own friends, Private Robert Hetherington, who was in the reserves with 7 SCOTS—the 7th battalion—and who sadly lost his life in Afghanistan on 30 April 2013. It seems strange, now that it is so long ago, but the loss of such a close friend is a very real and visceral memory.
Such real losses are felt keenly by all members of a regimental family. That is why it is such a close-knit organisation. I commend the members of the Black Watch Association for carrying on the fine traditions of the regiment, particularly through the regimental museum, which is a fine establishment in Perth.
Ms Smith also mentioned the battalion’s role in the handover of Hong Kong in 1997. Funnily enough, I realised that the commanding officer in my company, Major Nick Ord, carried the Queen’s colour out of Hong Kong on that parade. I found out very late in the day that he had done that early in his career, as a young officer in the Black Watch. He was a fine officer and a brilliant mentor to me as a young soldier, as a reservist in 6 SCOTS in the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The traditions and spirit of the Black Watch carry on today through the Royal Regiment of Scotland, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in this month next year.
As we look back over the traditions, the ethos and the great history of the Black Watch, we see that 14 Victoria crosses and many other awards for gallantry have been awarded over its three centuries, and that it has been involved in every major conflict in which this country has been engaged. We also note the gallantry of young men from Forfar, Angus, Dundee and Perthshire in their contribution to this country’s martial traditions. That is important and worthy of commemoration today.
The late President John F Kennedy, on meeting the regiment on the lawn of the White House, asked for the motto of the regiment, and the commanding officer said that it was “Nemo me impune lacessit”—no one strikes me with impunity. The President rather jokingly remarked that that is probably a good motto for the rest of us. Indeed, it is probably a good motto in the combat and back and forth of politics.
The Black Watch is a fine regiment with a great tradition, which is carried on today as part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. As we look towards the next era for the line infantry in Scotland, let us hope that we can continue to support the efforts to build the regiment and to maintain its traditions.
13:05
I am delighted to contribute to this important debate celebrating 300 years of the Black Watch, and I thank my friend and colleague Liz Smith for bringing it to the chamber.
Seven generations of my family have been born and raised in Perthshire, and some of them have served in the ranks of the Black Watch during its history. Growing up in Perthshire, I was aware of the Black Watch from an early age and recognised the regiment’s cultural significance across many areas of Scotland. That awareness only grew stronger with age, as many local families had a connection and, often, lifelong involvement with the regiment.
Liz Smith spoke about the regiment’s reputation for fearlessness in many conflicts, which is renowned. Those sentiments are shared among all Black Watch families from many areas across Perthshire, Fife, Dundee and Angus. Each family has a strong story to tell about the bravery and dedication of individuals who served in the regiment.
Liz Smith also spoke about the Black Watch museum at Balhousie castle. I pay tribute to all the volunteers who keep that venue open. I am a regular attendee at Balhousie castle, and I was pleased that the museum marked its 10th anniversary in 2023. More than a million people have visited the museum since it opened, and the site has received multiple industry awards since the £3.5 million development was completed in 2013. I was privileged to serve as a councillor on Perth and Kinross Council when the museum was being developed, which I supported. The museum’s trustees and success remind us of the importance of showcasing local history. That legacy is alive, and we must ensure that it remains for future generations. The Black Watch certainly plays its role in that regard.
Many individuals visit the facility through the education programme that it provides. Our military history is vital and plays a huge part in maintaining our Scottish traditions. We should all ensure that there are opportunities for young people to learn about the hard work and the sacrifice of regiments such as the Black Watch, including in our classrooms.
In the four minutes that I have for my speech, I cannot even scratch the surface of the Black Watch’s history. Many members will impart their views, opinions and stories throughout the debate, and I look forward to hearing them.
It is important to reflect on the spirit, honour and dedication that have been fundamental to the regiment. A Black Watch historian once said:
“In a Highland Regiment every individual feels that his conduct is the subject of observation ... independently of his duty”.
I pay tribute to each and every individual who has served, has given their time and talent and has made sacrifices, including those who have lost their lives for the regiment. The Black Watch continues its historic legacy, and I wish it continued success. The regiment’s dedication and past reputation are still very relevant today, as they will be in the future.
13:08
I thank Liz Smith for securing the debate and for highlighting the role that the Black Watch has played down the years—300 years now—in communities across Scotland. I, too, welcome the members of the Black Watch who are in the gallery today.
I will start with words that I took directly from the Black Watch website:
“In a Highland regiment every individual feels that his conduct is the subject of observation and that, independently of his duty, as one member of a systematic whole, he has a separate and individual reputation to sustain, that will be reflected on his family and district or glen.”
It adds that those words
“are as relevant today as when they were written by a 19th century Black Watch historian. They lucidly illustrate that The Black Watch boasts a history of honour, gallantry and devoted service to King, Queen and country. The battles which have contributed most to The Black Watch history have been those in which the odds have been most formidable. From Fontenoy to Fallujah with Ticonderoga, Waterloo, Alamein and two World Wars in between the Black Watch has been there when the world’s history has been shaped.”
As Liz Smith has referred to, the Black Watch is now part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, which was formed of not only the Black Watch but the Royal Scots, the Royal Highland Fusiliers, the Highlanders, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. As an MSP, I am from not Perthshire but the South Scotland region, so it is only appropriate that I talk a wee bit about what was until recently the Royal Scots Borderers but was for decades the King’s Own Scottish Borderers and the King’s Own Borderers, with a lineage dating back to the 17th century.
During the first world war, members of the KOSB were sent to Mons, Ypres, the Somme and Arras, among other places, as well as Gallipoli, where casualty rates were recorded as 100 per cent. That is a staggering figure. That war involved four members of the KOSB being awarded the Victoria cross—in three cases, posthumously. The surviving recipient was Piper Laidlaw, who struck out from the trenches playing his pipes. That links to the piping history that Liz Smith highlighted in her speech. The horrendous loss of life in, and the justification for, the first world war have been debated and discussed ever since, but what cannot be doubted is the bravery that was shown by those who served in the KOSB and who suffered hugely over the course of the war.
Less than three decades later, the KOSB was part of the effort against the evil of Hitlerism and axis aggression. Servicemen were at Dunkirk as the British expeditionary force was evacuated and, four years later, they were part of the Normandy landings as the allies returned to the European continent to defeat the axis powers and restore democracy to that continent’s peoples.
In December 2021, the Royal Scots Borderers were again reorganised—this time, they were incorporated into the Ranger Regiment headquarters in Belfast. However, the history of the KOSB is not forgotten. It lives on at the Berwick-upon-Tweed barracks, whose museum, which is being redeveloped and refurbished, is due to reopen next year for future generations to learn about the history of the KOSB.
The regiment’s history also lives on through work in the community that is undertaken by projects such as the veterans garden in the Crichton campus, in Dumfries, which has been led by my constituent Mark Harper—he is no relation—and his massively hard-working team. Over recent years, they have not only grown the support and services that operate from the garden to help armed forces veterans and their families, but worked with the wider community to put on activities for everyone in Dumfries and surrounding areas. That work has been recognised multiple times, with award after award for the garden and the team behind it.
Although the Black Watch is 300 years old and the King’s Own Scottish Borderers has had a long and distinguished past, the service that has characterised both regiments over the decades is very much with us today, right across Perthshire and the south of Scotland. I pay tribute to all the veterans who have served over the years.
13:13
I congratulate my friend Liz Smith on securing this timely and important debate. As others have done, I welcome the Black Watch veterans to the gallery this afternoon. I say to Brigadier Garry Barnett that I sympathise with his having to keep in order my friend Edward Mountain, but his experience has nothing on what the Conservative whips in the Parliament have had to put up with over the past number of years.
As Liz Smith said, the origins of the Black Watch date back to a turbulent time in our country’s past. In the wake of the Jacobite rising of 1715, six companies of loyal Highlanders were assembled in 1725 to patrol the Highlands of Scotland, disarm the clans and restore order. Those men were not outsiders but Highlanders policing Highlanders, tasked with preserving peace in their own lands. As Liz Smith mentioned, that included the Fraser clan—a clan that was not always loyal to the Crown, although it was on that occasion.
To set themselves apart from the existing regiments of the British Army and to drum home their independent identity, those Highland soldiers ditched the traditional red coat and donned the now-famous dark green, blue and black tartan. Those companies became known, in both fear and respect, as am Freiceadan Dubh in Gaelic or, as we know them, the Black Watch—a name that could be derived either from the 12-yard dark green military tartan or, possibly, the sombre nature of their duties.
In 1739, King George I ordered the formation of four additional companies, bringing the total to 10, which were all to be recognised as a regiment of the line of the British Army. Crucially, the King stipulated that those soldiers were to be natives of that country and that none other were to be taken—a declaration that solidified the regiment’s unique Scottish identity.
The first official muster of the new regiment took place the following year, in 1740, on the banks of the River Tay in Aberfeldy. Since then, as we have heard from others, the Black Watch has gained a reputation for bravery, discipline and direction on the battlefield, and it has played a part in every major conflict involving Britain, including the battles of Fontenoy and Culloden; the national Napoleonic wars; the American war of independence, where the regiment famously defeated forces under George Washington; both world wars; and, more recently, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, where the regiment served with honour.
It is testament to the courage and sacrifice shown by soldiers of the Black Watch that they have been awarded no fewer than 14 Victoria crosses—Britain’s highest military decoration for valour. Notwithstanding their indisputable loyalty, many members of the Black Watch have always considered themselves, as one of their commanders described, as men who felt a responsibility towards the country for which they cherished a devoted affection—notably Scotland.
The connection that Alexander Stewart referred to between the Black Watch and Perthshire is not just symbolic but tangible and on-going. In 1947, the regiment was granted the freedom of the city of Perth. For decades, the Queen’s Barracks in Perth served as a depot for the regiment, housing training soldiers and acting as the main point for regimental life. Following an army reorganisation in the early 1960s, the barracks closed, but the Black Watch found a new and permanent home at Balhousie castle nearby. The historic castle has become a symbol for the regiment’s legacy, with a public campaign in 2008 raising a remarkable £3.5 million to transform the site into a five-star, award-winning visitor attraction, with a new museum and archive. The site has been a brilliant success and has welcomed nearly a million visitors from around the world over the past 10 years.
Last June, the streets of Perth came alive once more as veterans marched in the freedom of Perth parade, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the regiment’s final deployment to Iraq.
In Aberfeldy, a striking monument was unveiled in 1887 as a tribute to the first mustering of the regiment there in 1740, and there are plans for a new memorial in Dundee in the future.
The Black Watch continues to this day as 3 SCOTS, the third battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. It is currently based at Fort George near Inverness, but there are very welcome plans afoot to relocate the battalion to Leuchars in Fife, which would be closer to the traditional recruiting grounds across Perthshire, Angus, Dundee and Fife and would physically reconnect the regiment with the communities from which it draws its support. That would be a very welcome move for the future of the Black Watch. I join all members taking part in the debate in wishing members of the battalion the greatest success in the future.
13:18
First, I congratulate my friend and colleague Liz Smith on securing the motion for debate in the chamber. It gives me great pleasure to be speaking in it. I welcome members of the Black Watch, along with many others, to the gallery.
Three hundred years is a fantastic milestone for the Black Watch, and it is only right and proper that we highlight its achievements in the Scottish Parliament. The Black Watch, founded in the Jacobite rebellion, has been a stalwart of Perthshire, Fife, Angus and Dundee for centuries. Its ancestral home is at Balhousie castle in Perth, which, as we heard from my friend Murdo Fraser, is now also the home of the Black Watch museum.
I am not unique in quoting a line from the regiment’s website that embodies its ethos, because Alexander Stewart and Emma Harper have used the same quote, but I will say it anyway.
“‘In a Highland regiment every individual feels that his conduct is the subject of observation and that, independently of his duty, as one member of a systemic whole he has a separate and individual reputation to sustain, which will be reflected on his family and district or glen.’”
It goes on to say that those words
“are as relevant today as when they were written by a 19th century Black Watch historian. They lucidly illustrate that The Black Watch boasts a history of honour, gallantry and devoted service to King, Queen and country.”
It is that devotion to country and community that I will highlight today.
It would not be a contribution from me if I did not focus on the perspective of the younger generation and the Black Watch’s links with young people. While other members have mentioned the many laudable accomplishments and historical background of the Black Watch, I would like to bring us right up to date and applaud the work that it has done to empower the young people of Scotland.
The Black Watch has a long and proud association with the young people in the area through utilising the Army cadet force. It has two affiliations: one is with the Angus and Dundee Battalion, which covers the county of Angus and the city of Dundee, and one is with the Black Watch Battalion, which covers Perth and Kinross and Fife. Boys and girls can join as cadets from 12 years old.
While I do not wish to encroach too much on the subject of the second of Ms Smith’s debates today, I note that the range of outdoor pursuits and lifelong skills that our young people can gain from joining the cadets is exceptional. Each battalion provides instruction on many subjects, including first aid, map and compass work, orienteering and fieldcraft, adventurous training and leadership. Those skills are invaluable in boosting a child’s confidence and self-belief. Cadets can take part in on-site experiences and in the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme. They have opportunities to travel abroad, play sport and take part in a range of other activities that support their mental wellbeing and physical agility.
If music is their thing, young people can join one of two pipe bands—one for each battalion—or the regimental wind and brass band. The opportunities that the Black Watch affords to young people are testament to how the regiment views its communities and its neighbours. If any adult fancies joining as an instructor, they can give a little back and join the children.
The member is making an excellent speech about the value of our Army cadet forces, in particular those that are affiliated with the Black Watch. Would she also recognise the important contribution that the Army reserve forces make in the area, in particular as they maintain the traditional regimental footprint through the 51st Highland 7th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, which has succeeded to the custodianship of the Queen’s Barracks in Perth?
Yes—I thank Paul Sweeney for that intervention, and if I had longer to speak today, I would have raised that as my second point.
In conclusion, we like to look back at the history of this esteemed regiment and recount its past achievements, but I want to applaud the work that it does for the youth of Scotland and in looking to the future.
13:22
I thank Liz Smith for lodging the motion and, as a proud son of Forfar and Angus, I am privileged to speak in support of it.
I join members on all sides of the chamber in recognising the extraordinary legacy of one of Scotland’s most distinguished regiments. Like other members, I acknowledge the presence of veterans and supporters of the Black Watch who have joined us in the public gallery today. Their service, commitment and continuing efforts to uphold the traditions and memory of the regiment are deeply valued, not only by the Parliament but by the people of Scotland, and I thank them.
Today, we mark a significant anniversary for the Black Watch, as Liz Smith’s motion mentions. Since its formation in 1725, it has been synonymous with fierce courage, discipline and a sense of duty to Crown and country. It stands proudly among the pantheon of great British regiments and great Scottish regiments, including—from my new part of the world for 40 years, Stirlingshire—the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Those regiments share a proud common history of service in the darkest hours of war, and in peacekeeping, in lands far and near, from Waterloo—as has been mentioned—to the western front, and from the hills of Korea to the streets of Basra.
However, those regiments were, and are, not just military units—they were, and are, families. More than 20 years ago, when the then Labour Government announced its plans to amalgamate Scotland’s historic regiments of the line, it struck at something far deeper than structure—it struck at heritage. The save the Scottish regiments campaign was born, which has been referenced by a couple of members who spoke before me.
If I may be personal for a moment, although the campaign did not succeed in stopping the changes, it gave me one of the great honours—if not the greatest honour—of my political life. In one of her final public interventions, Margaret Thatcher came to Stirling to support me as the Conservative candidate and to back the campaign. Her support spoke volumes about what she and so many of the rest of us realised was at stake: the defence not only of regimental history but of the values that built our nation.
The Argylls, which were deeply rooted in Stirling and the surrounding districts, twice faced the existential threat of extinction. The communities rallied twice to defend them—sadly, not successfully on the last occasion. However, that same spirit lives on in the Black Watch and in all who wear and have worn the cap badge and the famous red hackle. The work of the regimental museums and the veterans associations ensures that those traditions are not forgotten.
Through Liz Smith’s motion and this debate, let us pledge that this heritage, these great names and the values that they embody shall never fade from our national story. We honour the Black Watch and, through it, we honour the very best of Scotland.
13:26
I begin with the many kind words about our dear colleague Christina McKelvie. She was a friend and a first-class ministerial colleague. We were a team working to promote Scotland internationally, promoting Scottish culture and international development. My condolences, as those of others, are with Keith Brown and Christina’s family.
In reflecting on military service today, it is worth recalling that Keith Brown is the only member of the Parliament who served in front-line combat during the Falklands conflict. Our thoughts are with him today.
I am delighted to close this debate on behalf of the Scottish Government. I thank Liz Smith for bringing forward the motion and members for their contributions. However, I speak with some personal trepidation, as those who know their Jacobite and Perthshire history will know where clan Robertson came from—in highland Perthshire. They might also be able to guess on which side it fought in the 45. I will not be dwelling on any family connections.
However, regimental campaigners will know how involved I was as the Scottish National Party’s defence spokesman in the House of Commons during the campaign to protect and sustain the regimental traditions of the Black Watch in 2006.
The Scottish Government—primarily through its excellent Minister for Veterans, Graeme Dey—has continued to be clear in its support for our entire armed forces community. That includes serving personnel—regular and reserve—veterans, their families and the wider sector, including our outstanding partners in the third sector.
Members will have heard Graeme Dey and others reiterate the Government’s commitment to ensuring that our veterans, service personnel and their families are not disadvantaged as a result of their service and that Scotland is a destination of choice when they leave the armed forces. I do not think that I will be speaking out of turn when I say that that commitment and dedication to our entire armed forces community is shared by members across the chamber.
We have heard excellent speeches by speakers from all corners of the chamber. We were joined at the start by the First Minister, John Swinney, who, as we know, has long represented the recruiting heartland of the Black Watch. He also comes from a military family; his uncle was posthumously awarded the Victoria cross.
I am sure that all members who spoke in the debate, and those who did not, will support me in welcoming members of the Black Watch Association and other veterans to our proceedings. They are very welcome here today. It is important to stress that there is cross-party support for our Scottish military, regimental traditions and everybody who has served.
In preparing my closing remarks today, I anticipated that little would be left for me to say about the Black Watch and its tercentenary, which we have come together to debate today. Members have already reflected sensitively and considerably on the honour, gallantry and devoted service of the Black Watch, including its extensive involvement in military campaigns throughout history. I reiterate this Parliament’s recognition of all the soldiers of the Black Watch who lost their lives in those conflicts, including the 14 who received the Victoria cross.
The Scottish Government recognises not only the sacrifices made by the soldiers of the Black Watch but those made by all our armed forces men and women, many of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedoms that, sadly, we so often take for granted today. When we remember those sacrifices, we are not seeking to glorify war but to recognise the hardships endured and the courage displayed in the face of extraordinary adversity. When we reflect on the impact of conflict, we must also remember the suffering of families at home facing the uncertainty of the future and being unsure what would become of their loved ones serving elsewhere. It should go without saying that for those whose loved ones did not return home, that suffering never ends.
Members will know that Fort George, home of the Black Watch since 2007, is still expected to be closed by the Ministry of Defence within the next decade. That move will end the Army’s association with the Fort George area, which is a relationship that has existed for more than 250 years. The Scottish Government has significant concerns over the potential impact of the proposed cuts to the defence estate, and we caution against any further proposals to close bases in Scotland due to the negative impact on local communities and economies.
I have had the opportunity to be a guest of the Black Watch at some mess dinners at Fort George. While it is an impressive historic estate, it is clear that the facilities and accommodation are far from suitable for the modern soldier. With that in mind, will the cabinet secretary consider how we can maintain the Army’s footprint in Scotland while upgrading facilities and moving away from antiquated estates such as Fort George?
The member is aware that, as the member of Parliament for Moray between 2001 and 2017, I had the good fortune to represent a constituency that had the most significant military footprint of anywhere in Scotland. I am very well aware of the role that accommodation plays in the viability of military bases, as in the cases of the two Royal Air Force bases—there is now one—the Army engineering base and Fort George, which is absolutely an historic site.
We need our armed forces to be provided with appropriate base facilities and accommodation, but I observe that the armed forces’ footprint in Scotland is now the smallest that it has been since the Napoleonic wars. Unfortunately, we are living in times in which there is a conflict in Europe and a requirement for us all to get behind appropriate defence spending in order to make sure that our armed forces are properly supported.
Today’s motion gives us the opportunity to underline how important it is that we support our veterans and their families. Members will know that the Scottish Government offers its full support and commitment to our veterans and their families, primarily through our veterans strategy action plan and our role in responding to—and supporting the delivery of—the Scottish veterans commissioner’s recommendations.
In December last year, Graeme Dey delivered his latest annual update to Parliament, in which he outlined how the Government had supported the entire armed forces community throughout the previous year. As ever, that was accompanied by a published report, which fully detailed what the Government and its partners had done in the preceding 12 months. He made particular reference to successes such as the Government’s support for veterans’ physical and mental health; its encouragement of collaboration throughout the sector to best support veterans and their families; its obtaining detailed veterans data, from the census in particular; and its continued funding of projects through the Scottish veterans fund.
The Scottish Government remains committed to providing the very best support for our veterans, their families and service families. I give my personal thanks to all the individuals and organisations who continue to support our veterans and armed forces community and who work hard every day to do so. I thank Liz Smith for bringing forward the motion today and members for their contributions and reflections on the Black Watch’s decorated history throughout the past three centuries.
That concludes the debate.
13:34 Meeting suspended.Air ais
First Minister’s Question TimeAir adhart
Portfolio Question Time