The Black Watch Badge is made up of the following:
The Star of the Scottish Order of the Thistle. The star of the Order consists of silver St Andrew's saltire, with clusters of rays between the arms thereof. On the Star, a thistle wreath. Within the wreath there is an oval inscribed with "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit" (or Lacesset) (No One Provokes Me with Impunity), which is surmounted by a crown. Also within the oval stands St. Andrew holding a cross. The patron saint of the Order of the Thistle is St Andrew.
Across the top of the wreath the scrolls are inscribed with "The Royal Highlanders". At the bottom on either side of the sphinx the scrolls are inscribed with "Black Watch".
The Black Watch was raised in a unique way. In the wake of the 1715 Jacobite rebellion companies of trustworthy Highlanders were raised from loyal clans, Campbells, Grants, Frasers, Munros.
Six companies were formed from 1725 and stationed in small detachments across the Highlands to prevent fighting between the clans, deter raiding and assist in enforcing the laws against the carrying of weapons.
In 1739 King George II authorized the raising of four additional companies and these all to be formed into a Regiment of the Line of the regular army with the Earl of Crawford as the Colonel. The men were to be “natives of that country and none other to be taken". The first muster of the new Regiment took place near Aberfeldy the following year and is commemorated by a monument in the form of a soldier dressed in the uniform of those days.
The original uniform was a twelve yard long plaid of the dark tartan which is now so well known as The Black Watch tartan. This was fastened around the body with a leather belt. The jacket and waistcoat were scarlet with buff facings and white lace and a blue bonnet was worn. The men were armed with a musket and bayonet, a broadsword and generally also a pistol and dirk (long dagger).
The title “The Black Watch” was derived from the dark colour of the tartan and the original role of the Regiment to “watch” the Highlands. The name has remained and is now incorporated in the official name of the Regiment.
In the British Army (as well as Commonwealth armies), Cap Badges are extremely important, with each regiment and corps having its own. In some regiments, officers and other ranks have different cap badges. When a soldier is assigned to a regiment or corps, it is known as being capbadged to that organization.
Additional items that reflect a regiment's historical accomplishments, such as backing cloth and hackles, may be worn behind the cap badge. In Scottish regiments, for instance, it is a tradition for soldiers to wear their cap badges on a small square piece of their regimental tartans.
Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), only the pipers and drummers wear the regimental cap badge with their glengarries and feather bonnet, while the rest of the regiment wears the red hackle with their blue balmoral and tam o'shanter.
The Star of the Scottish Order of the Thistle. The star of the Order consists of silver St Andrew's saltire, with clusters of rays between the arms thereof. On the Star, a thistle wreath. Within the wreath there is an oval inscribed with "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit" (or Lacesset) (No One Provokes Me with Impunity), which is surmounted by a crown. Also within the oval stands St. Andrew holding a cross. The patron saint of the Order of the Thistle is St Andrew.
Across the top of the wreath the scrolls are inscribed with "The Royal Highlanders". At the bottom on either side of the sphinx the scrolls are inscribed with "Black Watch".
The Black Watch was raised in a unique way. In the wake of the 1715 Jacobite rebellion companies of trustworthy Highlanders were raised from loyal clans, Campbells, Grants, Frasers, Munros.
Six companies were formed from 1725 and stationed in small detachments across the Highlands to prevent fighting between the clans, deter raiding and assist in enforcing the laws against the carrying of weapons.
In 1739 King George II authorized the raising of four additional companies and these all to be formed into a Regiment of the Line of the regular army with the Earl of Crawford as the Colonel. The men were to be “natives of that country and none other to be taken". The first muster of the new Regiment took place near Aberfeldy the following year and is commemorated by a monument in the form of a soldier dressed in the uniform of those days.
The original uniform was a twelve yard long plaid of the dark tartan which is now so well known as The Black Watch tartan. This was fastened around the body with a leather belt. The jacket and waistcoat were scarlet with buff facings and white lace and a blue bonnet was worn. The men were armed with a musket and bayonet, a broadsword and generally also a pistol and dirk (long dagger).
The title “The Black Watch” was derived from the dark colour of the tartan and the original role of the Regiment to “watch” the Highlands. The name has remained and is now incorporated in the official name of the Regiment.
In the British Army (as well as Commonwealth armies), Cap Badges are extremely important, with each regiment and corps having its own. In some regiments, officers and other ranks have different cap badges. When a soldier is assigned to a regiment or corps, it is known as being capbadged to that organization.
Additional items that reflect a regiment's historical accomplishments, such as backing cloth and hackles, may be worn behind the cap badge. In Scottish regiments, for instance, it is a tradition for soldiers to wear their cap badges on a small square piece of their regimental tartans.
Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), only the pipers and drummers wear the regimental cap badge with their glengarries and feather bonnet, while the rest of the regiment wears the red hackle with their blue balmoral and tam o'shanter.
Canadian Black Watch
Canada from 1862 has its own Black Watch, being raised as the 5th Battalion of the Canadian Militia, being renamed by 1914 as the 5th Regiment (Royal Highlanders of Canada). It adopted its current title, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, prior to the Second World War, in which it served in the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division from mobilization in 1939 to 1945. Two battalions of the Black Watch (RHR) of Canada also served in Canada, one in the Regular Army, the other as a Reserve unit. For brief time between 1953 and 1970, the Regiment had two battalions on the order of battle of the Regular Force, with a battalion in the Militia. The Regiment reverted to a one-battalion Militia unit in 1972 and remains in that status today. As the senior Highland regiment in Canada they were associated with the Black Watch of the British Army, eventually taking the same name and later the red hackle that all Black Watch soldiers wear on their headdress.
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