The Black Watch

Sounds ominous doesn't it? The Black Watch (RHR, Royal Highland Regiment of Canada) is one of Canada's oldest military regiments. Formed from the original 5th Battalion Royal Light Infantry in 1862 it is so named because of it's affiliation with the Scottish regiment of the same name which was assigned to keep Watch over the Scottish after the rebellion of 1715 and refers to the color of it's tartan (Black). The Canadian Black Watch was formed to accomplish almost the same thing, only it was the American's it was intended to watch.

The Black Watch was the first Canadian contingent to serve with the British in the South African Boer War (1899-1900). The First Contingent was made up of eight companies, A thru H, of 125 men each. Here the Regiment served side by side with their namesake, the Black Watch of Scotland. Since the Boer war and the formal alliance between the two units in 1905, the Black Watches have routinely traded personnel for training and duty with each other.

The Black Watch also served in World War One with bravery and distinction and not without horrendous deaths and casualties. Of the 11,000  plus members who served in the "Great War" 2,163 were killed in action, 6,014 wounded. Over 800 men were decorated, the unit won twenty-six major battle honours, and six Victoria Crosses were awarded. 

The six were:
L/Cpl Fredrick Fisher
Cpl Herman James Good
Pte John Bernard Craoke
Pte Thomas Dineson
LCol William Hew Clarke-Kenedy
Lt Milton Fowler Gregg

The Victoria Cross, much as the United States' Medal of Honor, is only given to those showing the most extreme gallantry under fire, most often posthumously.

During World War Two the Black Watch first saw combat with "C" company participating in the raid on Dieppe. With 211 honours bestowed upon Black Watch members for action in over 30 campaigns from the Netherlands, to Belgium, to France and finally to Germany. Casualties for the regiment were 2,150. The first battalions were the highest of any Canadian outfit in the war, 1,852 of which 452 were killed in action.

October 1953 saw the Black Watch enter the Korean conflict, serving alongside the 25 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group. The Watch served with distinction until their return to Canada in 1954.

The Black Watch, at it's pinnacle, was comprised of three full battalions until 1970 when the first and second battalions were reduced to nil strength and the Black Watch was again reverted to the 3rd Battalion. The

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