The Black Watch trace their history back to the year 1725, when several companies of men were formed to act as a Highland police force. Their job was to protect the populace, stop cattle thieving, and to guard against a possible Jacobite invasion from mainland Europe. Each of the companies was formed from a specific clan, led by a captain who could claim kinship to every man under his command. These Highlanders were not the poor, uneducated men who commonly made up the British army at the time, instead, most of the men were "gentlemen" and generally came from the upper levels of Scottish society. By joining the companies, they were given the right to bear arms, which was illegal in Scotland at the time.
For the next fifteen years, these young men patrolled the Highlands in small groups, often accompanied by retinues of servants. It was during this time, that the men likely acquired their nickname of The Black Watch. Although no one can say for certain, it is commonly thought that the "Watch" part comes from their duty to watch over the Highlands, but the "Black" part is still seriously debated. Some have suggested that this is how the highlanders opposed to the companies referred to them. The more common theory is that it comes from the colour of their kilts, which is made of a very dark tartan of black and green. However, there is no proof as to when exactly this tartan was adopted. In the early days of the companies is it generally accepted that each company wore the tartan of their own clan (if the clans even had specific tartans in those days, which is a separate debate). However, at some point early on, the companies adopted the dark tartan in order that the unit would have no clan bias.
In 1740, King George II commanded that that several new highland companies be created, and that all of the companies should be drawn together to form a regular army unit. The new unit was officially named "The 43rd Regiment of Foot", but by then the name "The Black Watch" was already in common use and it would continue to be used for this unit up to the present day. The unit was put under the command of the Earl of Crawford.
The new soldiers continued to wear their dark tartan, along with a British redcoat, and were armed with a musket, bayonet, and broadsword. Many also carried a pistol and dirk (Scottish dagger).
In 1743, the new regiment was ordered to march to London in order to be reviewed by the King. However, the King had no intention of reviewing the unit, and the march was really to prepare the regiment to be sent overseas. When this was discovered, nearly one hundred of the men left the regiment, arguing that they had only agreed to serve as protectors of Scotland. These men were soon arrested as deserters. Three leaders of this group were sentenced to death and executed in the Tower of London.
Since this inauspicious beginning, the Black Watch has gone on to fight with distinction in nearly every war that has involved Britain. In the French and Indian war, they attacked Fort Ticonderoga until they suffered 50% casualties and their general ordered them three times to stop. During the Napoleonic Wars, they captured the colours from Napoleon's "Invincible" Legion and fought at Toulouse until all but sixty men in the entire regiment were left unwounded.
During the Indian Mutiny one of their number was awarded the first of the Regiment's 14 Victoria Crosses (Britain's highest military honor). In World War I & II they travelled the world over to fight in the defence of Britain. Today, the men of the Black Watch still answer the call to protect Britain and are still being sent over seas to fight and die.
But with the current state of British politics, there is a question as to how much longer The Black Watch will continue to exist. For further explanation read the blog.
