Highland Brigade (Scottish)

The Highland Brigade is a historical unit of the British Army, which has been formed a number of times. It recruited men from the Highlands of Scotland.

Historic Highland Brigades

A Highland Brigade was present at the Crimean War (1854-1856), as part of the 1st Division; it was initially under the command of Major-General Sir Colin Campbell (Lord Clyde). It played a significant role in the Battle of Alma.

There was a Highland Brigade operating in Egypt from 1882, during the Egyptian Rebellion (1882-1885), under the command of Major General Archibald Alison.

A Highland Brigade participated in the Second Boer War (1899-1902) in South Africa, under the command of Major General Andrew Gilbert Wauchope. It suffered severe losses at the battle Magersfontein (including General Wauchope).

Administrative Brigade 1948 - 1968

After the Second World War the British Army had fourteen infantry depots, each bearing a letter. The depots were territorially organised, and Infantry Depot N was the headquarters for the highland regiments. In 1948, the depots adopted names and this depot became the Highland Brigade, with all regiments being reduced to a single battalion at the same time.

The Highland Brigade was formally created on July 14, 1948 from the depots of six regiments:
*The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
*The Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)
*The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's)
*The Gordon Highlanders
*The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
*The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)

Under the Defence Review announced in July, 1957, the infantry of the line was reorganised, and by 1961 the Brigade was reduced to four battalions:
*In 1958, the Highland Light Infantry was controversially transferred to the Lowland Brigade, to become part of the amalgamated Royal Highland Fusiliers. ["HLI merger "an insult" - March by 20,000 in Glasgow", The Times, September 30, 1957]
*On February 7, 1961, The Seaforth Highlanders and Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders were amalgamated to form The Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons). [Army Order 91/1960]

From 1958 all regiments in the Brigade adopted a common cap badge consisting of the saltire of St. Andrew on which was superimposed a stag's head and a scroll inscribed "Cuidigh 'n Righ". The various Territorial Battalions that were also part of the then five Highland Regiments were split off in 1967 and grouped together, eventually forming the 51st Highland Volunteers.

On July 1, 1968 the Highland Brigade was united with the Lowland Brigade, to form the Scottish Division.

References

External links

* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/depot/948high.htm Highland Brigade]
* [http://www.electricscotland.com/history/scotreg/bwatch/bw24.htm The Black Watch - 1854 - 1856]
* [http://www.eze33.com/brigade/bw3.htm The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)]

[sv: Höglandsbrigaden]