London Scottish Regiment

1859 - 1899

The Highland Armed Association of London and The Loyal North Britons had been raised in 1793 and 1803 as part of the country's Volunteer Forces ready to repel Napoleon's threatened invasion of England. These formations were later disbanded and it was not until after the Crimean War that the country's security seemed again to be in danger.

So, in 1859, sponsored by The Highland Society of London and The Caledonian Society of London, a group of individual Scots raised The London Scottish Rifle Volunteers under the command of Lt Col Lord Elcho, later The Earl of Wemyss and March. He decided to clothe the Regiment in Hodden Grey, the homespun cloth known throughout Scotland.

This avoided all interclan feeling on the subject of tartan and, as Lord Elcho said "A soldier is a man hunter. As a deer stalker chooses the least visible of colours, so ought a soldier to be clad." The only regiments wearing Hodden Grey are The London Scottish and The Toronto Scottish. The first Honorary Colonel of the Regiment was Field Marshall Lord Clyde (Sir Colin Campbell). Lord Elcho commanded the Regiment for 19 years and then became Honorary Colonel from 1878 to 1900.

1900 - 1902

During the South African War the Regiment supplied contingents of volunteers who served with The Gordon Highlanders, The City Imperial Volunteers and others. The battle honour "SOUTH AFRICA 1900 - 1902" is carried on the Regimental Colour and on all London Scottish badges.

These contingents took part in the engagements at Houtnek Poort, Doornkop and the Battle of Diamond Hill and were present as part of the column of 2/Gordons at Lydenburg. The links formed with The Gordon Highlanders in South Africa survive to this day.

1903 - 1913

In 1908, the Volunteer Force ceased to exist as such, and became the Territorial Force. The 7th Middlesex (London Scottish) Volunteer Rifles Corps changed its title to The 14th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Scottish). Colours were presented to the Regiment by King Edward VII in 1909.

The 1/14th Battalion was mobilized on the outbreak of war, departing for France on 15 September 1914.

On 31 October 1914 the battalion encountered German forces at Messines in Belgium, the first territorial unit to do so - a memorial stands on the site. The 2/14th Battalion embarked for France
in June 1916 but was then transferred to Salonika and Palestine.

The Battalion continued to serve in France and Flanders throughout the war and took part in all the major offensives including the last advance through Belgium to become part of the Army of Occupation on the Rhine at Cologne.

The 2nd Battalion, raised at the outbreak of war, went overseas in June, 1916, and served in France, the Balkans and Palestine, where it took part in the Capture of Jerusalem, and later returned to France. The 3rd Battalion was raised in 1914 as a Reserve Bn and supplied drafts to the two battalions overseas.

Two VCs and 19 DSOs were awarded to members of the Regiment and the total fatal casualties amounted to 1542.

There are Three War Memorials in the Drill Hall, The South African Memorial shows all who served there and the other two list all who died in the two World Wars.

It is the Regimental Custom to stand to attention for a moment, facing the 1914 - 1918 Memorial, when entering and leaving the building as a gesture of respect to those who died in the three wars.

The London Scottish raised three battalions during the Second World War, two of which served overseas. Both of the overseas battalions served with the Middle Eastern Forces in Sicily and Italy. The battalions were:

1st Battalion

The peacetime battalion of the regiment, served as infantry within the 168th (London) Infantry Brigade (alongside the 1st London Irish Rifles and 10th Royal Berkshire Regiment), part of the 56th (London) Infantry Division (nicknamed "The Black Cats"), playing a significant part in the Italian Campaign, fighting in the Allied invasion of Sicily, fighting at Monte Cassino, Battle of Anzio, Gothic Line (afterwards transferred to 167th (London) Infantry Brigade) and Operation Grapeshot, the final offensive in Italy in 1945.

2nd Battalion

Raised as a 'duplicate' of the 1st Battalion, with a core of officers and senior NCOs from that battalion. The battalion initially served in the 141st (London) Infantry Brigade, 47th (London) Infantry Division.

3rd Battalion

97th (The London Scottish) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. When the duplicate battalion was formed in April 1939, the regiment had enough recruits to form a third battalion; permission was granted provided it was formed as an anti-aircraft (AA) regiment of the Royal Artillery. It was designated 97th (The London Scottish) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA and formed with HQ and two batteries (298 and 299) at Westminster. It served in 1st AA Division (the old 47th (2nd London) Division) defending London during the Battle of Britain and the Blitz.

In March 1943 it left for North Africa where it joined British Eighth Army and served with it in the Allied invasion of Sicily and Italian Campaign.

With the depletion of the Luftwaffe and the reduced requirement for AA defences, it was converted in November 1944 into 97th (London Scottish) Garrison Regiment, RA, later designated 610 Infantry Regiment, RA.

When the TA was reconstituted in 1947, 610 Regiment was reformed as 497th (London) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA at Hammersmith, later renamed 497th (Hammersmith) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, without any London Scottish connection.