The Highlanders, 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (4 SCOTS) is an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...

of the

Royal Regiment of Scotland The Royal Regiment of Scotland is the senior and only Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of three regular (formerly five) and two reserve battalions, plus an incremental company, each formerly an indiv ...

. Prior to 28 March 2006, the Highlanders was an infantry

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

in its own right; The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons), part of the

Scottish Division The Scottish Division was a British Army Infantry command, training and administrative apparatus designated for all Scottish line infantry units. It merged with the Prince of Wales' Division, to form the Scottish, Welsh and Irish Division in ...

. The regiment was one of only two in the British Army with a

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, an ...

motto – ''Cuidich 'n Righ'' which means "Help the King". The other is the Royal Irish Regiment, whose motto is ''Faugh a Ballagh'' (an anglicised version of the Gaelic ''Fág an Bealach!'' - Clear the Way!)

History

Royal Regiment of Scotland Saddleworth Moor

The regiment was formed on 17 September 1994 as part of the

Options for Change Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in summer 1990 after the end of the Cold War. Until this point, UK military strategy had been almost entirely focused on defending Western Europe against the Soviet Armed Forces, ...

defence review, by the amalgamation of the Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) and the

Gordon Highlanders Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Clan Gord ...

. The new regiment undertook a two-year tour of Northern Ireland from April 1995, and were stationed at

Ebrington Barracks Ebrington Barracks was a military installation on the east bank of the River Foyle in Derry, Northern Ireland. History The present barracks, named after Hugh Fortescue, Viscount Ebrington (later Earl Fortescue), were built on the site in 1841 ...

County Londonderry County Londonderry ( Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry ( ga, Contae Dhoire), is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty two counties of Ireland and one of the nine counties of Ulster. ...

. After being based in various locations around the United Kingdom, the battalion was deployed to

Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and Pars pro toto#Geography, often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of Southern Europe, south and southeast Euro ...

in 2003. In 2004, as part of the restructuring of the infantry, it was announced that The Highlanders would be amalgamated with the other Scottish infantry regiments into the single large

. The amalgamation took place on 28 March 2006. As with the other Scottish regiments, the Highlanders were permitted to retain their former name as the new

's primary title, with the battalion number as a subtitle. They therefore became ''The Highlanders, 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland''. Prior to amalgamation, the battalion moved to the Bergen-Hohne Garrison,

Bad Fallingbostel Bad Fallingbostel (Northern Low Saxon: ''Bad Fambossel'') is the district town (''Kreisstadt'') of the Heidekreis district in the German state of Lower Saxony. Since 1976 the town has had a state-recognised Kneipp spa and has held the title of ...

, in Germany, as part of

7 Armoured Brigade The 7th Armoured Brigade was an armoured brigade formation of the British Army. The brigade is also known as the "Desert Rats", a nickname formerly held by the 7th Armoured Division, of which the brigade formed a part of during the Se ...

, the descendants of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

's Desert Rats, equipped with the Warrior Infantry Vehicle. From here they undertook six-month tours of

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

in 2005–06 and 2008, and

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...

in April 2011. In September 2015 the battalion moved from Germany to Bourlon Barracks in

Catterick Garrison Catterick Garrison is a major garrison and military town south of Richmond, North Yorkshire, England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world, with a population of around 13,000 in 2017 and covering over 2,400 acres (about 10 ...

, where they became a heavy protected mobility battalion forming part of 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade. As a result of

Army 2020 Refine Army 2020 Refine was the name given to the restructuring of the British Army, in light of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. Army 2020 Refine The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 announced that the structure of the Reacti ...

restructure, the battalion joined the Strike Experimentation Group in 2020.

Uniform and traditions

While the 4 SCOTS now wear th
Government 1A pattern tartan
prior to amalgamation in 2006 the regiment wore the Gordon

tartan Tartan ( gd, breacan ) is a patterned cloth consisting of criss-crossed, horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Sc ...

when in

kilt A kilt ( gd, fèileadh ; Irish: ''féileadh'') is a garment resembling a wrap-around knee-length skirt, made of twill woven worsted wool with heavy pleats at the sides and back and traditionally a tartan pattern. Originating in the Scottish ...

s and the Seaforth Mackenzie when in trews. The battalion's pipers and drummers wear kilts in the

Cameron of Erracht The Camerons of Erracht were a minor noble Scottish family and a branch of the Clan Cameron, a Highland Scottish clan. In Scottish Gaelic they are known as the ''Sliochd Eòghain mhic Eòghain'' (the children of Ewen, son of Ewen). History Origin ...

tartan. The battalion recruits from the

Hebrides The Hebrides (; gd, Innse Gall, ; non, Suðreyjar, "southern isles") are an archipelago off the west coast of the Scottish mainland. The islands fall into two main groups, based on their proximity to the mainland: the Inner and Outer Hebri ...

, the

Northern Isles The Northern Isles ( sco, Northren Isles; gd, Na h-Eileanan a Tuath; non, Norðreyjar; nrn, Nordøjar) are a pair of archipelagos off the north coast of mainland Scotland, comprising Orkney and Shetland. They are part of Scotland, as are th ...

, the mainland counties of

Inverness-shire Inverness-shire ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Nis) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. Covering much of the Highlands and Outer Hebrides, it is Scotland's largest county, though one of the smallest in popula ...

Ross and Cromarty Ross and Cromarty ( gd, Ros agus Cromba), sometimes referred to as Ross-shire and Cromartyshire, is a variously defined area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a registration county and a lieutenancy area in current use, the lat ...

Sutherland Sutherland ( gd, Cataibh) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in the Highlands of Scotland. Its county town is Dornoch. Sutherland borders Caithness and Moray Firth to the east, Ross-shire and Cromartyshire (later c ...

Caithness Caithness ( gd, Gallaibh ; sco, Caitnes; non, Katanes) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. Caithness has a land boundary with the historic county of Sutherland to the west and is otherwise bounded ...

Moray Moray () gd, Moireibh or ') is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with a coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland (council area), ...

and Nairnshire, and from the traditional Gordon heartlands in

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), a ...

and

Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially different boundaries. The Aberdeenshire Council area inclu ...

. The Battalion Headquarters is located at

Cameron Barracks Cameron Barracks stands on Knockentinnel Hill on the eastern outskirts of Inverness in Scotland. History The barracks were built by the Royal Engineers' Office between 1880 and 1886. In 1873 a system of recruiting areas based on counties had bee ...

Inverness Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histor ...

. The battalion is the mainstay of the British Army's only

shinty Shinty ( gd, camanachd, iomain) is a team game played with sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread in Scotland, and ...

team,

The Scots Shinty Club SCOTS Camanachd is the only shinty team in the British Armed Forces. History It was established in 1994 by Fraser MacKenzie and the club originally played under the name of the Queen's Own Highlanders. They continued as the Highlanders Shinty ...

. Due to the 4th Battalion's regular placements abroad, the team only plays in cup matches.

Colonel-in-Chief

*1994–2021: F.M.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from E ...

Regimental Colonels

Regimental colonels were: *1994–2001: Gen. Sir John Jeremy George Mackenzie *2001–2006: Brig. Hugh Brisbane Henry Ewart Monro * ''2006: Regiment amalgamated with The

Royal Scots The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest and most senior infantry regiment of the line of the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of Scotland. The regime ...

, The

Royal Highland Fusiliers The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. Prior to 28 March 2006, the Royal Highland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment in its own right, ...

, The

King's Own Scottish Borderers The King's Own Scottish Borderers (KOSBs) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division. On 28 March 2006 the regiment was amalgamated with the Royal Scots, the Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's O ...

, The

Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regime ...

and The

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland. Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...

to form The

Alliances

* -

The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) is a Canadian Army Primary Reserve infantry regiment. Regimental badge The regimental badge is laid out as follows: within a wreath of thistles and maple leaves, the figure of St And ...

* - The 48th Highlanders of Canada * -

The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada (Ready) , colors = , colors_label = , march = " The Piobaireachd of Donald Dhu" and "March of the Cameron Men" , mascot = , equipment ...

* - The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada * - The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own) * - 10th/27th Bn,

Royal South Australia Regiment The Royal South Australia Regiment is a reserve regiment of the Australian Army consisting of a single battalion, the 10th/27th Battalion, part of the 9th Brigade. It was raised on 1 July 1960, as The South Australia Regiment. History The Regime ...

* - 5th/6th Bn, The

Royal Victoria Regiment The Royal Victoria Regiment is an Infantry Regiment of the Australian Army, consisting of two battalions, the 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment, 5th/6th Battalion and the 8th/7th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment, 8th/7th Battalion. Hist ...

via

The Victorian Scottish Regiment The Victorian Scottish Regiment (VSR) was an infantry regiment of the Australian Army. Formed in 1898 as a volunteer unit of the colonial Victorian Military Forces, the unit went through a number of changes in name over the course of its 62-year ...

* - 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment * - The Royal South Australia Regiment * - 16th Battalion, The Royal Western Australia Regiment - Formally the 16th Battalion, The Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia * - The Otago and Southland Regiment * - The Wellington (City of Wellington's Own) and Hawke's Bay Regiment * - Cape Town Highlanders * - HMS ''Sutherland'' * - HMS ''Victorious''

Lineage

, - style="text-align: center; background: #F08080;" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="4", Lineage , - style="text-align:center;" , rowspan="5" style="width:20%; ", The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) , rowspan="3" style="width:20%; ", The Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) , colspan="2" style="width:20%; ", The

Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders or 79th (The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders) Regiment of Foot was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1793. It amalgamated with the Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Al ...

, - , rowspan="2" style="width:20%; text-align:center;", The

Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's) The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, mainly associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The regiment existed from 1881 to 1961, and saw service ...

, style="width:20%; text-align:center;", The 72nd (Duke of Albany's Own) Highlanders , - , style="width:25%; text-align:center;", The 78th Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs) , - , rowspan="2" style="width:20%; text-align:center;", The

, colspan="2" style="width:20%; text-align:center;", The 75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot , - , colspan="2" style="width:20%; text-align:center;", The 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot , -

References

External links

4 SCOTS
- on the British Army official website
The Highlanders MuseumThe Gordon Highlanders Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) Highland regiments Infantry regiments of the British Army Royal Regiment of Scotland