The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Colonel Cosmo of 7 Scots
Scottish actor and Game Of Thrones star James Cosmo has been appointed honorary colonel of Perthbased army battalion 7 Scots.
The film and TV favourite, who played Lord Commander of the Night Watch in Game Of Thrones and the commanding officer of the King’s Fusiliers in Soldier Soldier, said he was delighted to take up the position with the 7th Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Speaking exclusively to The Courier, the Braveheart actor and MBE recipient said he hoped he could help bring the work of the Army reserve unit into the public domain.
“I was so proud when they offered me the honorary colonelship,” he said.
“I was absolutely delighted to accept.
“Through my career I’ve played an awful lot of soldiers and it was nice to be thought of by some real soldiers. I think this is a great opportunity to bring to notice the great work the battalion is doing.
“During the pandemic they’ve done the most fantastic work and they continue to do so, and I’m very proud of them.
“I hope to go up there and visit as soon as I can.”
The role of an honorary colonel is to foster pride and mutual loyalty within the group and show a genuine interest in the unit and personnel to which they are appointed.
Mr Cosmo will represent the battalion in both civilian and military communities while also taking on the role of a figurehead.
The actor was approached to take up the role after showing interest in the work of the Army both in his career and other commitments.
“I started off my career playing corporals and I’ve worked my way up to field marshal,” he said.
“I’ve always enjoyed playing soldiers but I’ve nothing but admiration for real soldiers.
“They do a fantastic job and we should be grateful to them – especially now.”
The 7th Battalion is an Army reserve infantry unit based in Perth which supports the field Army by recruiting and training soldiers from across the northern half of Scotland.
In recent years 7 Scots have supported operational deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq and currently have people deployed to Kenya, Cyprus and Iraq on operations.
In 2019, members of the battalion trained as part of the Nato Very High Readiness Joint Task Force and were part of the Covid-19 mobile testing units across Scotland.
Lieutenant-colonel Duncan Mackinnon, commanding officer of 7 Scots, said he was delighted the actor had accepted the appointment.
“We are really looking forward to having him visit, when restrictions allow, and meet his battalion to see what we do,” he said.
“I have spoken with him on several occasions and I am really struck by his sense of duty and desire to help raise the profile of the battalion and the role reservists play in the Army and society.”
I started off my career playing corporals