The Cameronians Scottish Rifles.
The regiment as we know was formed in 1881 with the merger of two regiments, The 26th Cameronians and The 90th Perthshire Light Infantry, two unique regiments each with a varied and interesting history of their own. One from the Scottish religious turmoil of the 17th century, the other from the love of a beautiful woman in the 18th century Napoleonic wars.
26th Cameronians.
Raised without a beat of a drum on the 14th of May 1689 by James Douglas the 18 year old Earl of Angus of the famous Douglas family, the regiment being formed from followers of the Reverend Richard Cameron, a covenanter field preacher who was killed at the battle of Airds Moss 1680.
Their first battle on 21st August 1689 at Dunkeld Perthshire, the regiment held the town against the Jacobite army who had won weeks before at Killiecrankie. thus a Jacobite rebellion was broken but at the cost of the death of Lt Colonel William Cleland. Proving to be a fine regiment they were thus engaged in the wars in the european low countries, first led by King William of Orange, then Marlborough's campaigns, unfortunately again losing a notable leader in the Earl of Angus at Steenkirk. Again in 1715 the regiment help break up a Jacobite rebellion, this time at Preston, proving to be a scourge of the Jacobites? In the years up to the war of American independance and after the now 26th or Cameronians were mainly on garrison duty in parts of the early British empire. The Napoleonic wars found them in Egypt and the Low countries again before off to China, whence it helped capture Hong Kong in 1841 to 1842 during an opium war. Thus we come to 1881 and the Amalgamation with the 90th Perthshire light infantry.
90th Perthshire Light Infantry.
The regiment which was to become the 2nd Battalion of the regiment was raised in its own individual way, the love of one of the most beautiful women of the time. Thomas Graham (later Lord Lyndoch) of Balgowan Perthshire raised the 90th upon request to the government to avenge the insult to his wife Mary by French Revolutionaries by forcing open her coffin.
Nicknamed the Perthshire Greybreeks their first actions were in the Peninsular campaigns of Wellington then onto the Egypt campaigns of Abercrombie against Napoleon's forces.
From then the regiment was on Garrison duties throughout the British Empire till the outbreak of the Crimean war of 1854, then to India and the Indian mutiny of 1857 where the regiment won many honours including VC's at the siege of Lucknow.
The next campaigns for the 90th were the South African and Zulu wars of 1877 to 1879 returning to India for garrison duties being renamed as the 2nd Battalion the Cameronians in the Childers reforms of 1881. The two regiments now becoming The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), the regiment of the Old Lanarkshire.
The 2nd Battalion Classing themselves as the Scottish Rifles they fought the 2nd Boer war of 1899 to 1902.
Thereafter till the start of The First World War in 1914, both regular battalions served on Garrison duty, the Haldane reforms of 1908 creating the Territorial Battalions of the regiment in the recruiting areas of Glasgow, Lanarkshire and the edge of the Lothians and Border country.
1914 found the two regular battalions in France with the BEF soon to be followed by the TA units and then the Kitchener volunteer units.
 Rifleman Khan Statue. The sculpture of Khan before going to be cast at foundry with the model of Muldoon about to be completed by Sculptor John McKenna of Girvan. The statue will eventually be placed in Strathaven Common Green with details to follow from councillor Margaret Cooper. |
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 VJ Day Motherwell 2019. The 1st Battalion fought in the Burma retreat 1942 then as Chindits. |
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 VJ Day Motherwell 2019. |
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 Lest We Forget. |
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 Malaya. Percy, Ern, Jack Shepherd served with regiment. Thanks to Jane Baghori. |
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 Maryhill Barracks 1914. 1st Battalion. Thanks James Taub. |
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 Pipers plaid brooch courtesy Alex McBroom. |
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 Glasgow Cathedral. |
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 Rifleman James Coutts at Kohima. |
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 Swap German infantry training school 1962 |
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 Winston Barracks. As they are now being 're developed as housing. |
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 Bert Greig German infantry training school 1962 |
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 Old Cameronians Remember at Douglas. |
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 Regimental Badge. The Cameronians badge is made up of Scottish thistles, star or spur rowel of the Douglas Family, stringed bugle of the Perthshire Light Infantry. |
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 Douglas Regimental Tartan Patch. |
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 Cameronians. Reverend Robert Cleland on the story of the regiment. |
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 Memorial Hamilton Museum. Gift from Dutch to say thanks to the liberators of their country. |
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 Grassmarket Edinburgh. Site of the gallows where Covenanters were hung. |
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 Royal Guard Ballater 1964 - 1965. |
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 Perth, Memorial to the 90th. |
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 Kelvingrove Memorial. Wreaths 2015. Bob Murray's shot of the wreaths at the Kelvingrove Memorial. |
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 Earl of Angus Memorial Douglas. |
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 Earl Haig inspects the Cameronians Kelvingrove Memorial Unveiling. |
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 90th Memorial Perth Inches. |
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 Training 1930's. |
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 Kenya 1958. |
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 Durham Cameronians. Bill Charles from Durham Light Infantry, transferred to 9th Cameronians Dday plus till 1946 in Germany. Proudly donated by son Jim. |
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 Clelands Sword. |
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 Regimental flag over memorial Dunkeld. |
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 Winston Barracks. The once proud orderly room. |
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 Winston Barracks 2014. |
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 National Memorial Staffordshire |
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 Doc Halliday Aden. Doc firing GPMG Aden. |
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 Territorials Edinburgh Castle Guard1980s |
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 Glasgow Cathedral |
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 Ballater 1965 |
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 Return from India |
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 Raymond Kelly kneeling. |
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 Johnny Gray Malaya Thanks son Ian |
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 Dechmont Ranges Lanarkshire |
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 Singapore |
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 Ballater 1965 |
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 Training 1930s |
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 Cameronian Firs Memorial Bodney Camp. |
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 Westminster Garden Rememberance |
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 Dechmont |
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 William Briery, Jordan 1968. |
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 Exercise Short Commons. James Morris on left Jim Torrance drinking from mess tin. Any other names please. |
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 Bob Rankin. A Pro footballer and Cameronian. |
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 WO 2 Johnny Burns. Medals and decorations thanks to son Barry. |
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 Sad sight of orderly building Winston barracks. |
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 Bahrain New Year 1958. |
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 Ration trials Germany 1962. |
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 Charles McLaren, Aden. The next eight pictures were donated by Charles McLaren whose late father was killed in action, Aden 1967. |
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 Charles McLaren Aden. |
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 Aden. |
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 Wessex Helicopter Aden. |
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 Charles McLaren Aden. |
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 Charles McLaren Aden. |
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 Charles McLaren Aden. |
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 Charles McLaren Aden. |
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 Charles McLaren Aden. |
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 Doc Halliday Aden. |
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 Exercise Short Commons. 1962 Ration Trials. |
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 Sennelager. Studs McLaughlin, Shug Rushberry, Willie Crawford, Jim Torrance. Who is Willie, answered by John Steele. |
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 TA 1930s |
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 Hong Kong 1948 |
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 Pipers Singapore. |
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 Maxi McDonald. Drum Major parade in Aden. |
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 6th Battalion. Sgt John Shearer DCM in picture, thanks to Waggi Wardrope for grandfather picture. |
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 Aden 1966. |
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 BAOR 1960s late Rab Dell left. |
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 Claim McInnes. |
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 Calum McInnes. |
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 Calum McInnes. |
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 James MaGuire. Middle Baor 1954. |
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 Stewart Calquoun. |
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 Stewart Colqohoun. |
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 Last church parade. Thanks to George Wight for the next 7 pictures of the last church parade from Greyfriars Kirk through the Heriot Schools before the disbanding, next 7 pictures. |
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 Thanks to George Wight for the next pictures of the last church parade from Greyfriars Kirk through the Heriot Schools before the disbanding, next 7 pictures. |
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 Thanks to George Wight for the next 7 pictures of the last church parade from Greyfriars Kirk through the Heriot Schools before the disbanding, next 7 pictures. |
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 Thanks to George Wight for the next 7 pictures of the last church parade from Greyfriars Kirk through the Heriot Schools before the disbanding, next 7 pictures. |
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 Thanks to George Wight for the next 7 pictures of the last church parade from Greyfriars Kirk through the Heriot Schools before the disbanding, next 7 pictures. |
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 Thanks to George Wight for the next 7 pictures of the last church parade from Greyfriars Kirk through the Heriot Schools before the disbanding, next 7 pictures. |
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 Thanks to George Wight for the next 7 pictures of the last church parade from Greyfriars Kirk through the Heriot Schools before the disbanding, next 7 pictures. |
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 William Sutherland. 1920s. White for at William, thanks to Trent Sutherland. |
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 Polish Memorial Douglas. Polish Troops were camped around Douglas WW2, the regiment home village, a ceremony to honour them 17th August. |
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 Sammy Lynn. Boy soldiers at Winston barracks, thanks to sister Margaret for sending these great pictures. |
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 Sammy Lynn. Boy soldiers Winston Barracks. |
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 Sammy Lynn. With Sgt Major Winkley and King Gustav. |
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 Thanks Linda McDonald. |
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 Murryfield 1968. Thanks Tommy Todd. |
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 Murryfield 1968. Regiment band played at Scotland v England band entertained crowd year of disbanding. |
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 Ww2 1940. John Forrest of Carluke 2nd right, thanks son Gavin. |
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 1968 Parade. Thanks Margaret Sister of Sammy Lynn.
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 Buckingham palace. Sammy Lynn arrived thanks to sister Margaret |
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 Tam Anderson pipe major. Margaret Lynn for photo. |
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 Massed pipes Edinburgh Tatoo.. Sammy Lynn arrived by sister Margaret. |
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 Dutch Remember 2020. 52nd Lowland Division Walchern Memorial. |
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 Gibraltar 1947. Jim Hughes from daughter Diane Kenyon |
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 Lanark Lanimers 1953 or 54. Thanks Roy Swiffen. |
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 Malaya Johnny Smith left |
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