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Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons)

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Active
  
1961–1994

Branch
  
British Army

Role
  
Armoured Infantry

Country
  
United Kingdom

Type
  
Line Infantry

Size
  
One Battalion

Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons)

The Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons), officially abbreviated "QO HLDRS," was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division. It was in existence from 1961 to 1994.

Contents

History

The regiment was formed on 7 February 1961 at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh, with the amalgamation of 1st Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders and 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders.

The battalion was sent to Singapore in April 1961 from where it was deployed to Brunei in December 1962 in order to help suppress the Brunei Revolt at an early stage of the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. On return to Scotland in January 1964, it was based at Milton Bridge Camp, a former facility for German Prisoners of War, located south east of Glencorse Barracks. In June 1964 the battalion moved to Mercer Barracks at Osnabrück Garrison, part of British Army of the Rhine, remaining there until August 1966 when the battalion moved to Wavell Barracks in Berlin.

The battalion returned to Redford Barracks in September 1968 from where units were deployed to Sharjah in May 1969. In April 1971 the battalion returned Osnabrück Garrison and moved into Belfast Barracks: from there units were deployed to Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles. In June 1976 the battalion returned to Scotland, this time to Ritchie Camp from where more units were deployed to Northern Ireland. Then in March 1980 the battalion was despatched for a tour at Stanley Fort in Hong Kong before moving to Tidworth in November 1981. Units of the battalion saw action in the Falklands War the following year. The battalion moved to Alexander Barracks, Aldergrove in November 1983 and on to Fort George in November 1985. In March 1988 the battalion moved to Buller Barracks in Munster from where units were deployed to Northern Ireland again and to the Gulf War in 1991. The battalion returned to Scotland again in October 1993 and moved into Dreghorn Barracks this time.

Due to the Options for Change defence review the battalion was amalgamated with 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders on 17 September 1994 to form 1st Battalion, Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons).

Traditions

The regiment wore the MacKenzie tartan kilt and Cameron trews, with the reverse for the band members.

Colonel-in-Chief

  • 1961–: F.M. HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT, OM, GBE, AC, QSO

    • Regimental Colonels

    Colonels of the regiment were:

  • 1961–1966: F.M. Sir Archibald James Halkett Cassels, GCB, KBE, DSO (ex Seaforth Highlanders)
  • 1966–1975: Gen. Sir Peter Mervyn Hunt, GCB, DSO, OBE, ADCGen
  • 1975–1983: Lt-Gen. Sir Chandos Blair, KCVO, OBE, MC
  • 1983–1994: Maj-Gen. John Charles Oswald Rooke Hopkinson, CB
  • 1994: amalgamated with The Gordon Highlanders to form The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)

    • Allied regiments

    The regiment had the following alliances:

  •  Canada - The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own)
  •  Canada - The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada
  •  Canada - The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
  •  Australia - The Royal Western Australia Regiment
  •  Australia - The Royal South Australia Regiment
  •  New Zealand - 4th (Otago and Southland) Battalion, The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment
  •  New Zealand - 7th (Wellington and Hawkes Bay) Battalion, The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment

    • References

    Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA