The Black Watch

[ianess]

Just exactly what country`s army is the Black Watch part of?

Thet seem to always fly a blue and white flag  [The Saltire] so can I assume they`re not part of the British Armed Forces?

[Quizmonster]

Of course they're part of the British forces. They recruit largely in the counties of Perth and Fife in Scotland...hence the saltire.

[Romeo]

They are a Scottish regiment of the British Army.  The Black Watch was formed by the British authorities to recruit Highlanders loyal to the British Crown and keep down rebellion in the Highlands.  Later they fought around the world to build the British Empire and today they fight and die (ultimately) for global oil companies.  They are Scottish based, and most of the lower ranks are Scottish working class, but their officers are mainly English upper middle class career builders.

[Zen]

That's why Tone sent them to Iraq,he'll lose Scottish votes but
as long as there not English he,ll get back in again.

[Quizmonster]

I'm sure the Chiefs of the General Staff will be astonished to hear that the Prime Minister selects regiments by name or geographical region for deployment!

Don't battle-readiness and appropriate training/weaponry come into the equation somewhere along the line? And, if they do, what would a barrister/MP know about it? 

[bernardo]

No, you can't assume that.  Scotland is part of Britain.

[ianess]

With all due respect and not intending to deliberately offend anybody, perhaps the Black Watch need reminding that they are part of the BRITISH army and should be flying the Union Flag instead of the Saltire.

They are all VOLUNTEER professional soldiers paid by the taxpayer via the BRITISH government to basically kill or be killed according to the whim of the government of the day.  Of course it is a tragedy that lives have been, and probably always will, be lost in unnecessary and stupid conflicts but they didn`t expect to sign up to go sightseeing and sunbathing.....although the recruitment process may have emphasised that bit.

All this twaddle about Scottish regiments being done away with needs to be put into perspective.  We have a British Royal Navy, a British Royal Air Force, and it`s about time we had a British Army too.

While I`m still ranting on, surely the Black Watch base at Warminster is in England?  Is that considered a foreign posting?    A quick glance at a passport will show Nationality as BRITISH.

To close before AB shut me down, Tony Blair and his "Labour Party" could be in for one helluva shock come the election for getting involved in George Bush`s election campaign. 

[tartanwiz]

ianness, the reason the Black Watch march under a Scottish rather than a Brit flag is a clever piece of management by the MOD.  Let the squaddies think they are fighting for their native Scotland, let them march under a Scottish flag if it means they'll do as they're told and obey orders.  It was the same when Ireland was part of the UK.  Irish regiments marched under a green flag with a gold harp.  It made them feel they were fighting for old Ireland, when in fact they were fighting for the Brit Empire.  It's an old trick that goes back centuries - allow a conquered people their IDENTITY, if you want them to fight for you.  Take away their identity and they may turn against you.