Call to bring The Black Watch ‘home’.

Clamour grows to bring Black Watch home to its Fife heartland

Leuchars should become Scotland’s army hub and The Black Watch should be brought “home”, according to defence experts and politicians.

The former RAF base, now home to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, is expected to expand over the next 15 years to accommodate units from Forthside Stirling and DSG Stirling.

It has also been speculated that other regiments may also be relocated to Fife as part of the UK Government’s review of defence bases across the country.

This will see eight military bases in Scotland close over the next 15 years, including MoD Caledonia, spelling the end for the navy’s presence locally.

Condor Airfield, part of the Royal Marines base in Angus, will also be sold.

It has been argued, however, that these changes could prove beneficial to north-east Fife if Leuchars is transformed into the main home for the army north of the border.

Ronnie Proctor, an Angus councillor and former Black Watch major, said bringing the 3 Scots back to their traditional heartland would go down well – and would have historical significance.

He said: “The Black Watch and the Scots Dragoon Guards charged together for quite a long time over the campaigns of the Napoleonic wars, the Crimean wars and the Second World War.

“There is quite a lot of history between the two regiments.

“I think a lot of the troops would be quite happy to be in Leuchars. I would say the sensible thing would be to base the Highland Fusiliers at Faslane, as they recruit from the Glasgow area, and have Black Watch at Leuchars as they recruit from Tayside and Fife.”

Both north-east Fife’s MP and MSP have backed the call as well, despite hailing from different parties.

Willie Rennie, the Liberal Democrat leader at Holyrood, said expansion “would create a welcome boost to Fife”.

He added: “Recently I called on the Black Watch HQ to return to Leuchars, its natural recruiting ground, as I strongly believe that is the best way forward. Expanding Leuchars further would create a fantastic chance for it to become a real army hub.

“The community in Fife should get behind this campaign as not only will it bring a welcome boost to the economy but it would also cement the position of Leuchars base for years to come.”

The Ministry of Defence was asked to comment but had not responded at the time of going to press last night.

Picture: PA. There are hopes The Black Watch could bring their hackles back “home” to Leuchars.