Loss of The Black Watch ‘huge blow to morale’ among other Scottish regiments, says veteran

Former Army major and Provost of Angus, Ronnie Proctor, who served almost 40 years with The Black Watch, said: “There are lots of members of the armed forces who live in Angus in all three services and any reduction will have a knock-on effect in the county, irrespective of cap badge.

“These are the young men and women who have taken on to serve their country.”

Neil Fin lay son, chairman of the Glenrothes branch in the

British Legion, said the loss of The Black Watch would send shock waves across Scotland.

He said: “To lose a regiment as famous the world over as The Black Watch would be a disaster and a huge blow to morale among the Scottish regiments.

“The Black Watch is known and revered the world over and to see it disbanded would signal the end to an illustrious 140-year history in an instant.

“Nowhere more than in

Fife would such a loss be so personally felt, the very heartland for Black Watch recruitment over successive generations.

“It would be a very sad loss felt by so many if it was to be axed.”

Those thoughts were echoed by former Black Watch soldier John Donovan, vice-chairman of the British Legion in Kirkcaldy, who enrolled in the 6/7th Black Watch as a 15 - year- old and served for 24 years.

He said: “T here is hardly a person in Fife that does not have a connection with The Black Watch, be it a family member or a friend that has served.

“People join their local regiment and that affinity is passed on through generations of families.

“My own son followed me into the regiment, serving for a total of 22 years.

“It’s in the blood for many people.

“To not have a Black Watch regiment, given its links to so many Fifers, is unthinkable.”