2012-01-06

Scottish soldiers and sailors




Military of Scotland

History prior to the Union

Royal Scots Navy

Scottish armies

Wars and battles

Castles

Part of the British Armed Forces

Napoleonic Wars

Scots had a notable influence in naval warfare during this period. Prominent sailors of the era included:

Victorian & Colonial Warfare

First World War

Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig led the British Army on the Western Front from 1915, and oversaw some of the largest and bloodiest episodes of the war. Battles included the Somme(1916) Ypres (1917) Cambrai (1917) Amiens (1918) and Arras (1918) Due to the kilts worn by the Scottish soldiers on the World War I battlefront, their German enemies called them the "ladies from hell". Haig founded the Earl Haig Poppy Fund, for ex-servicemen in the aftermath. From 1914 to 1918

Second World War

The Cold War & The End of Empire

Defence establishments in Scotland

Army

In the wake of the Jacobite risings, several fortresses were built throughout the Highlands in the 18th century by General Wade in order to pacify the region, including Fort George, Fort Augustus and Fort William. The Ordnance Survey was also commissioned to map the region. Later, due to their topography and perceived remoteness, parts of Scotland have housed many sensitive defence establishments, some controversial. During World War II, Allied and British Commandos trained at Achnacarry in the Highlands and the island of Gruinard was used for an exercise in biological warfare. Regular British Army Garrisons currently operational in Scotland are: Fort George near Inverness; Redford Barracks and Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh; and Glencorse Barracks at Penicuik.

Royal Naval

Between 1960 and 1991, the Holy Loch was a base for the US Navy's fleet of Polaris-armed George Washington class ballistic missile submarines. Today, HM Naval Base Clyde, 25 miles (40 km) west of Glasgow, is the base for the four Trident-armed Vanguard class ballistic missile submarines which are armed with approximately 200 Trident nuclear warheads. Since the decommissioning of free-falling bombs in 1998, the Trident SLBM system is the UK's only nuclear deterrent. HMS Caledonia at Rosyth in Fife is the support base for navy operations in Scotland and also serves as the Naval Regional Office (NRO Scotland and Northern Ireland). The Royal Navy’s LR5 and Submarine Rescue Service is based in Renfrew, near Glasgow. The Royal Navy's submarine nuclear reactor development establishment, is located at Dounreay, which was also the site of the UK's fast breeder nuclear reactor programme. HMS Gannet is a search and rescue station based at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire and operates three Sea King Mk.5 helicopters as part of 771 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm. RM Condor at Arbroath, Angus is home to 45 Commando, Royal Marines, part of 3 Commando Brigade. Also, the Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines is based at HMNB Clyde.

Since 1999, the Scottish Government has had devolved responsibility over fisheries protection duties in Scotland's Exclusive Economic Zone, carried out by the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency, which consists of a fleet of four Offshore Patrol Vessels and two Cessna 406 maritime patrol aircraft.

Royal Air Force

Two frontline Royal Air Force stations are also located in Scotland. These are RAF Lossiemouth, the RAF's primary airfield base for the Panavia Tornado GR4 strike aircraft and RAF Leuchars, the most northerly air defence fighter base in the United Kingdom and home to one squadron of Eurofighter Typhoon. Two Sea King HAR3A helicopters, stationed at RAF Lossiemouth, operate in the Search and Rescue role.

The "Scottish Air Traffic Control Centre (Military)" is located at RAF Prestwick, in Ayrshire, which is also home to a "Distress and Diversion Cell" specifically tasked to assist both military and civil aircraft encountering emergency situations.

Military Training Areas

The only open air live depleted uranium weapons test range in the British Isles is located near Dundrennan. As a result, over 7000 radioactive munitions lie on the seabed of the Solway Firth. This has led to many environmental concerns. In 2007, the MoD land holdings in Scotland (owned, leased or with legal rights) was 1,153 km² representing 31.5% of the MoD's British estate. Prominent Training Areas include Garelochhead, Cape Wrath, Barry Buddon and Castlelaw in the Pentland Hills.

Industry

Defence contractors and related companies employ around 30,000 people in Scotland and form an important part of the economy. The principal companies operating in the country include: BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Raytheon, Thales and Babcock.

Royal Navy bases in Scotland

Former Royal Navy bases in Scotland

Former Royal Naval Air Stations in Scotland

Royal Air Force bases in Scotland

Former Royal Air Force stations in Scotland

Scottish Units in the British Army

Previously within the British Army, the Scottish Infantry previously comprised a number of 'county regiments', each recruiting from a local area. In 2006, the remaining regiments, known collectively as the Scottish Division, were amalgamated to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The amalgamation was vigorously opposed by veterans and supporters of the old regiments. Scottish soldiers also serve in all Combat Support Arms and Services (RA, RE, Signals, Intelligence, AAC, RLC, AGC, REME and AMS), Special Forces, the Household Cavalry and the Parachute Regiment of the British Army, with the following current Formations and Units having specific Scottish connections:

Former Scottish Units in the British Army

Regular British Army Units currently based in Scotland

Scottish units that are not part of the British Army

Scottish regiments in other countries

Canada

List of active regiments in the Canadian Forces:

France

Inactive regiments of the French Army:

South Africa

There are three regiments in the South African Defence Force with Scottish roots:

New Zealand

See also

References

External links

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recognition Other entities
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