The Royal Scots Regiment

The regiment that became known as the The Royal Scots was raised by Sir John Hepburn on April 24, 1633.

The Privy Council issued a warrant ordering Hepburn to raise the regiment to fight in the French service. The recruits came mainly from the Scottish mercenaries of Gustavaus Adolphus in the Thirty Year's War.

Once known as "The Royal Regiment of Foot", they were the oldest and most senior line of infantry in the British Army. The Regiment maintained service (the 2nd Battalion fought at Falkirk and Culloden) until 2006, when it was amalgamated with The King's Own Scottish Borderers to become the 1st Battalion of the newly-formed Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The Regimental motto is "Nemo me impune lacessit": Latin for "Nobody touches me with impunity"; "Touch me and draw back a bloody stub".

The Regiment is also known by its nickname of "Pontius Pilate's Bodyguard". There is no definitive history to explain how they got this nickname. One theory is that Pontius Pilate was either born in Scotland and/or the child of a Scottish mother. This claim is based on the existence of the "Pilate Stone".

Another popular explanation is that, while on their extended tour of duty in France, members of the Royals and the French Regiment of Picardy were arguing over which regiment deserved to be placed in the coveted spot on the right of the line. The French claimed that they had been on guard at the Crucifixion, thereby making them the senior regiment and most deserving of the honor.

The Royals counter-claim was that had the Scots been on guard, Jesus would never have gotten out. The French conceded the seniority.

The official site of The Royal Scots can be found here.

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April, the Month of Rebellion

What is it about the month of April that makes us want to fight?

Seriously, look at these dates:

April 6 (1320) - Declaration of Arbroath is signed
April 16 (1746) - Battle of Culloden
April 19 (1775) - Battle of Lexington Green - The Shot Heard 'Round the World
April 19 (1861) - Baltimore Riot - Considered by historians as the first bloodshed of the American Civil War

Isn't it interesting that four of the watershed moments in our history occurred in the month of April?

What are your thoughts?

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