Scots Guards

Scots Guards. The Scots Guards is a regiment of Foot Guards in the British Army, tracing its origins to 1642. As one of the five regiments of the Guards Division, it is renowned for its ceremonial duties in London, including guarding Buckingham Palace, and its distinguished operational combat record. The regiment has served in virtually every major British conflict for over three centuries, maintaining a unique identity rooted in Scottish heritage.

History

The regiment was originally formed in 1642 by Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll, as a bodyguard for King Charles I during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Disbanded after the English Civil War, it was re-raised in 1662 as the **Scottish Regiment of Foot Guards** for service under Charles II. It fought with distinction at the Siege of Namur during the War of the Spanish Succession and played a key role in suppressing the Jacobite rising of 1745 at the Battle of Culloden. Throughout the Napoleonic Wars, it served in the famed Peninsular War under the Duke of Wellington and fought at the climactic Battle of Waterloo. In the 20th century, it endured heavy casualties in the trenches of the First World War, particularly at battles like Loos and the Somme, and fought across multiple theatres in the Second World War, including the North African campaign and the Italian Campaign. More recently, it saw intense combat during the Falklands War at the Battle of Mount Tumbledown and deployed on operational tours in the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Organisation

The regiment currently maintains a single operational battalion, the 1st Battalion, which serves as a Light Infantry unit within the Guards Division. It is part of the 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East and is based at Aldershot Garrison. The battalion rotates through public duties in London, including providing the Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace, St James's Palace, and the Tower of London, and field infantry roles. The regiment's incremental company, F Company, is permanently stationed in London to support ceremonial tasks. The overall command structure falls under the Headquarters London District, and the regiment is affiliated with the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

Uniform and insignia

The regiment's full-dress uniform is the iconic scarlet tunic and bearskin cap common to all Foot Guards, but it is distinguished by several unique features. Buttons on the tunic are arranged in groups of three, and the plume on the bearskin is white. The regiment's Tartan trews, worn for certain orders of dress, are in the Royal Stewart pattern. The cap badge features the Star of the Order of the Thistle, and the collar badge is the thistle within a circlet bearing the motto *Nemo Me Impune Lacessit*. In combat dress, personnel wear the standard Multi-Terrain Pattern uniform with the distinctive Tam o' Shanter bonnet, adorned with a black cockade and the regimental cap badge.

Traditions and customs

The regiment upholds numerous unique customs that reinforce its identity. The pace of its ceremonial slow march is distinctively quicker than that of other guards regiments. Its mascot is a Drum horse named **Cruachan**. A key tradition is the observance of **St. Andrew's Day**, the feast day of Scotland's patron saint, which is marked with a special dinner. New officers are traditionally given a silver Quaich upon commissioning. The regiment maintains a close association with The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and is allied with several Commonwealth regiments, including the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) in Canada.

Battle honours

The regiment displays a vast array of battle honours on its colours, reflecting over 380 years of service. Selected honours from its early history include Namur 1695, Dettingen, and Waterloo. First World War honours include Mons, Ypres, Loos, Somme, and Cambrai. Second World War honours encompass key engagements like Dunkirk, El Alamein, Anzio, and the advance to Gothic Line. Post-war honours include the Falklands War honour **Tumbledown Mountain** and **Gulf 1991**. In total, the regiment holds honours from over 80 major engagements, a testament to its frontline role across centuries.

Notable members

Many distinguished individuals have served in the regiment. Royal colonels have included The Duke of Kent and The Princess of Wales. Notable military figures include Field Marshal The Lord Gort, a Victoria Cross recipient and commander of the BEF in 1940, and Lieutenant General Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart, a legendary soldier wounded numerous times. The Falklands War hero Lieutenant Colonel John Kiszely later became a senior army officer. Beyond the military, notable members have included the explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, politician Sir Nicholas Soames, and actor James Robertson Justice.