RRS 05 MARCH.pdf - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

Foreword by
Lieutenant General AJN Graham cbe,
colonel of the Regiment
It may be only 3 short years since the
Regiment was formed but carry the
martial tradition, the pride and the
fighting history of more than 1800 years
of Regimental soldiering on our collective
shoulders. In 2008 four of the five Regular
battalions, supported by men from both
Territorial battalions, have performed
with great distinction in Afghanistan and
Iraq. The Black Watch 3 SCOTS deploy
to Afghanistan in 2009 to complete the
Full House; 51 Highland 7 SCOTS will be
providing a sizeable slice of manpower
and a formed platoon (Minden platoon)
from the First Battalion will reinforce them
for the tour.
The upturn in public interest in the
Services has been marked by a number
of homecoming ceremonies and parades
across Scotland as part of a national
effort by the Army to get out and be
seen, and a corresponding effort by the
public to show their appreciation. We
have had our fair share and perhaps more
and the Regiment has looked the part
as Scotland`s Infantry Regiment. The
granting of the Freedom of Canterbury to
the Regiment is something of a first – a
relationship between an English City and
a Scots Regiment made possible only by
the permanent stationing of one of its
battalions in that City and a determination
by both sides to build a relationship
characterised by mutual respect,
understanding and support. Sadly the
pleasure of a safe return has been coloured
by sadness for the loss of comrades killed
in action and for their families. The names
of those who have been killed in action
are recorded in the Book of Remembrance
at the Regimental memorial in the
Scottish National War Memorial; we in the
Regiment will not forget their sacrifice.
On the positive side our other casualties
all appear to be coming through their
treatment very satisfactorily and we wish
them a safe recovery.
Manning is the key issue for the
Regiment. Manning is about much more
than recruiting – difficult in Scotland
for 5 years now but there may be some
signs that we could have reached the
bottom of the curve. Getting the name
of the Regiment into the public eye as
Scotland`s Infantry Regiment is crucial
and something to which we need
everyone to bend their backs. A bad
word from a serving or retired member
of our or any Regiment or bad publicity
stemming from ill-discipline or poor
behaviour undoes months of hard work
by the recruiters. Our retention rates
Honours and Awards
CMG
498582 Col (Retd) PD Fraser-Hopewell MBE
KBE
495192 Lt Gen GCM Lamb CMG DSO OBE
Regimental Information
are relatively healthy and the loss rate
from Catterick is one of the lowest in
the Infantry, a tribute to the leadership,
inspiration, man management, example
and determination of all the training
staff in the ARTD. At Sandhurst we
are undoubtedly competing for the
attention of the best; the quality is
coming through.
The Regiment is making its mark in
all sorts of ways. I am immensely proud
of the performance of our battalions,
Regular, Reserve and ACF, of the efforts
of RHQ and the Home Headquarters,
and of our commanding officers, officers
and warrant officers, non-commissioned
officers and Jocks wherever they are
serving and whatever they are doing
– operations, public duties, Royal Guard,
recruiting, pre-deployment training,
postings at E, courses etc.
The interplay within the Regiment
across the board and especially the
experience of operating in combat
shoulder to shoulder embodies the
enduring truth for Scots soldiers of the
Beaumont Hamel inscription that `friends
are good on the day of battle`. Keep it
up and let us build together on a very
positive, testing but successful 3rd year of
soldiering for our Regiment.
541684 Maj A McLay Rennie
557855 Capt SD Samson
549721 Actg Capt A Stirling – Glasgow and Lanarkshire
Battalion Army Cadet Force
24772681 Capt RJ Stuart
CBE
513345 Brig AD Mackay OBE
OBE
483815 Lt Col CE Price
MBE
517356 Actg Lt Col M Cameron – Argyll & Sutherland
Highlanders Battalion Army Cadet Force
551511 Maj (Retd) K Campbell
549740 Maj JJ Haughie
525873 Maj TAW Ingram
QVRM
532419 Maj WG Lee TD
MSM
24755053 WO2 DJL Bruce
24743151 Capt WGA Hunter
24753993 CSgt T Henderson McBride
24753928 CSgt WS McDougall
564925 Capt JK Law
Joint Commander’s Commendation
25144702 Pte SN Kedreyate – 1 SCOTS