THE ROYAL SCOTS (THE ROYAL REGIMENT)
The Royal Charter which raised The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) was given by King Charles 1st in 1633 making it, without dispute, the oldest regular Regiment of Infantry in the British Army. Prior to the granting of the Royal Charter, the Regiment did exists and its traces its ancestry to those many Scottish Units who, from medieval times, fought in the service of the Kings of France, Bohemia, Holland, Denmark and Sweden.
The nickname of Pontius Pilates Bodyguard traditionally dates from 1643, when considerable rivalry existed between the French Regiment of Picardy (now the First Regiment of the Line of the French Army) and Douglass Regiment (the then title of the Royal Scots), on the subject of precedence.
In 340 years of soldiering, the Regiment has been awarded 136 Battle Honours from Tangier in 1680-84 to Burma (1939-45). The Regiment is allied, or affiliated, to the Canadian Scottish Regiment (1927), 10th (Princess Marys Own) Gurkha Rifles and the Royal Newfoundland Regiment (1957).
Over the years a very close association has developed between the Regiments and its Recruiting Area comprising the City of Edinburgh, The Lothians and Peebleshire. In recent years this has been exemplified by the Regiment being granted the Freedom of the Royal Burghs of Haddington (1947, Peebles (1954), Linlithgow (1960) and Musselburgh (1971). To commemorate this long association, ten Burghs in the Regimental Are have combined to present to the Regiment a set of Fanfare Trumpets and Banners. These are to be officially presented to the Regiment in the autumn of 1973 but with permission are used for the first time on this record.
REGIMENTAL MUSIC
Pipers were not officially sanctioned on the establishment of the Regiment until 1882. However there have always been drummers and since 1635 at least one piper. The Muster Roll of 1679 shows a Drum Major and a Pipe Major so it would appear that the Pipes and Drums existed a long time before they were officially sanctioned. The members of the Pipes and Drums are all fully trained soldiers as well as Pipers and Drummers and they travel everywhere with the Regiment on exercised and on operations. They have chosen to play a varied selection on this record. H.R.H. Princess Marys Wedding March is little known outside the Royal Scots. It was composed by Pipe Major G.S. Allan who was a Royal Scot Pipe Major and is frequently played in the Officers Mess. The Royal Scots Polka as the name suggests was composed by another Royal Scot, Pipe Major Willie Denholm.
The first mention of a Band of Musick is in the Inspection Report of the 1st Battalion for the year 1767. Although now they are one of the most youthful musical units in the British Army, there can be no doubt that they are one of the most served with the Royal Scots, including the present Director of Music of the Scots Guards, Major J.H. Howe, MBE, whose march Pentland Hill opens side one of this record.
The Regimental March Dumbarons Drum is the same Scots March which Pepys recorded hearing in 1667. When Royalty is on parade, however, the tune The Daughter of the Regiment is substituted. The tune commemorates the fact that Queen Victoria was born when her father, the Duke of Kent, was Colonel of the Regiment.
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Eye Level - Royal Scotsby BADBIKERBENNY3,818 views
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