Scotland's Regiments: The Cameronians (The Scottish Rifles)

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[@CrimsonChaos73]

Thank you for this, my 3x great grandfather was in this regiment (26th of foot) for 21 years service (1839-1860) I appreciate the history 😊

[@chrismacpherson7230]

In 1967 I was working in Victoria London when I heard in the distance a sound I shall never forget. The whole of Victoria was brought to a halt. It was The Cameroonians marching from Chelsea Barracks to perform Royal Duties at Buckingham Palace. Three Bands. The Pipes & Drums, The Regimental Band and the Bugle Band, A Drum Major and a Bugle Major. They were given the honour of performing Royal Duties for about six as they were to be disbanded the following year,1968. I’ll never forget it, a tragedy that they were disbanded.

[@gordonlandreth9550]

I say bring them back ! The British Army needs a few more regiments . Or divisions . Just a thought from California , U S A .

[@Alex_Mitchell]

Thank you for this enlightening history. Both my father, Alex Mitchell and my uncle, Bill Mitchell, (both of Coatbridge), and my maternal grandfather, Thomas Morrison, (of Gartcosh), served as Cameronians. As a young boy I can remember a discussion between my father and uncle about the standing down of the regiment.

[@thomaslovano6492]

Hello Alex, my great grandfather Alexander Cooke served as a Cameronian. Do you know how I would be able to find information about him and his service?

[@Alex_Mitchell]

@@thomaslovano6492 Hi Thomas. My brother, (also named Thomas), did a search for our father's service records a number of years ago and was unable to find anything. Apparently a lot of record keeping has gone amiss. If I was going to do another search I think I'd visit the UK's Ministry of Defence website and see what I could learn there. Also there is a Cameronian, Sco. Rifles museum in Hamilton, UK. Contacting them might be a thought. Best of luck!

[@lg9052]

Excellent presentation of very complex, and fascinating, history of our people.

[@davidgray3321]

Thank you for this history my grandfather George Gray MC , was in the 5th Cameronians, and went to France November 1914.

[@Rory_Herbert]

What great history and what wonderful artwork.

[@jimcy1319]

An old friend of mine found out eventually where his brothers grave was in Germany, the cemetery in the Riechswald forest on the Dutch/ German border. Many Cameronian soldiers lay there. I now live in Germany close to cemetery and regularly visit his grave ( another Yorkshire man with Scots heritage, like myself).

[@lochlainnmacneill2870]

Very, very good.

[@Viscount_Castlereagh]

What a fascinating history!

[@niklasdanielson2728]

Great video and great series! My Great-Grandfather served in the Highland Light Infantry during the First World War, I'm looking forward to your video about them!

[@Cammy1RHF]

my father was a cameronian 1959-64

[@emstirling-is4nu]

Bro 1963-68...3 Gt Uncles WW and 3 in WW2.

[@benturnbull4009]

Excellent

[@NCPD25]

Great presentation! My Uncle, Rflmn John Lionel Halsall lost his life on 5/25/44, while fighting in Burma. I'm trying to find out what type of arms did the 1st Btn. have in Burma during WWII? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated..... Best, Greg

[@tombrydson781]

I was at a conventicle on Sunday 4th feb 2024 at sorn

[@RozLinning]

Thank you for this video. Too bad it was probably one of the few taken and quality not the best but it was a sign of the times...new technology....B & W and in those days and the only videos would have been taken by local ?News.

[@tombrydson781]

Still the best regiment in the world

[@RozLinning]

Absolutely.

[@jamesmurdoch9805]

A grand old Regiment.

[@outpostraven]

Another great video

[@corybell6551]

Bell of The Borders here.

[@rickyp6815]

This is the first I've heard of it's religious origins. My grandfather who was in the regiment during WW2 was a Catholic of Irish descent so that was surprising. I am not sure exactly when, but at some point he was transferred into the Essex regiment. No big deal for him, but I vaguely remember watching a documentary about a 'mutiny' where many Sots refused such orders. Does anybody have any info on this?

[@emstirling-is4nu]

As fr as I know many were Catholic but they all blended well together as christians and brothers in arms. Many came from Catholic orphanages in he Lanarkshire area.

[@fine9375]

What's the difference between them and the Cameron Highlanders? My family has a lot of history with the latter

[@WolfofAlba]

Ah that's cool, I will be doing a video on the Cameron Highlanders in the future, but the main difference is that while this particular regiment was lowland, the Cameron Highlanders were obviously Highlanders. The C.H. are a wee bit down the list but we will get to them at some point!

[@fine9375]

@@WolfofAlba ah, nice one 👌 keep it up, can't wait to see it!

[@Cammy1RHF]

the cameron highlanders were a highland regiment who amalgamated with The seaforth highlanders to form the queens own highlanders. the cameronians were a lowland regiment and scotlands only light infantry regiment.

[@AngieFraser-uh3bd]

I thought the Highland Light Infantry Regiment was also a light infantry regiment.

[@bugler75]

⁠@@AngieFraser-uh3bdA really good question and I’ll try to explain it as simply as possible but it is quite complicated. The HLI were both in tactics, equipment and name. The Cameronian SR were a Rifle Regiment Traditionally there is a vast difference between Light Infantry and Rifle Regiments. They shared certain aspects such as a faster marching pace than the rest of the Army and using Bugles as a means of communication. A KZbin comment is not the place to go in-depth into the history but essentially Light Companies remained within individual Battalions whereas Rifles formed their own Battalions and Regiments. They had different roles (basically) as a LI Company within a Battalion would move to a flank during an engagement with the enemy. They would also march ahead of the battalion to search for safe routes, forage, make a short reconnaissance. A Rifle Regiment would move ahead of a major formation, such as a Brigade, to actively search for the enemy, make reconnaissance, engage the enemy with “sniping”, generally harass them before returning to the main formation to report what had happened. Very much hit and run tactics. Over the last 250 years their tactixs and rôles became closer until now they are amalgamated into one British Army Regiment : “The Rifles”. The HLI and the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) came about after the Army Reforms of the 1870’s and 80’s when old “numbered” Regiments were given names. Often these names reflected the roles of the older Regiments amalgamating. Their Regimental website should be able to give you more insight. Two fine Scottish Regiments. One of my best mates was HLI before transferring to us. I hope this helps a bit. Yours, aye, Ian

[@voicezful]

Thanks for this post, but did you say 14th May '67 for disbandment or should it be 1968?

[@RozLinning]

Disbandment was 1968. Many soldiers were already transferred to other regiments, so this only shows a small contingent. Most of the Pipes & Drums and the Military Bands were already transferred as well. The soldiers were promised by Sr John Baynes that their names would go on record but nobody could find them. There is a semi-list (supposedly 1968) in one of his books but many names missing due to transfers. I have found many of the missing - copy of my list was sent to Edinburgh Castle, Friends of Cameronians and The Cameronian Museum. Many thanks to Douglas Torrence & Edward Boyle who bent over backwards to help me do this and provided many photos of my bro who was a Rfn/Piper. They will never be forgotten.

[@chrismacpherson7230]

Six weeks

[@markturner6755]

Puttees outside in. Brilliant.

[@Panzerbeast]

Amazing we had this Regimental history…. Now we have the Royal Regiment of Scotland…. So boring…

[@richardbrennan8271]

Minden is pronounced as it is spelt - not M'ndairn.

[@angelakelly5692]

Ma man went to war volunteer the got killed 1916 a general 2 sets o Meade’s lots o paper work little red book the wife crept on the bettle field he married the woman he met in Edinburgh isobela 18 63 his war before our ww1 what 🤔☹️😬

[@AngusMacKinnon-xm5ko]

Dear Commentator. I'd like to put forward the word for the Crowning of a Monarch is NOT CORONATED but CORONATION!!! My great grandfather was a member of the Cameronians during World War 1. Great Grandpa was a Corporal and was killed in France. he would be rolling in his grave right now to think his Great Grand son is now a Devout Roman Catholic , not of the Francis Bergoglio variety but an ultra Orthodox Catholic.

[@RozLinning]

Oh well, could be worse! FYI the Cameronians being in the Lanarkshire area did have boys (no girls in those days) who came from Orphanages and joined up, both faiths and no problem as they were loyal to each other.

[@AngusMacKinnon-xm5ko]

@@RozLinning Hi Roz. I had family from my mother's side of the family who came from Lanarkshire.

[@emstirling-is4nu]

We did as well...near Glasgow.@@AngusMacKinnon-xm5ko