THE 1st Battalion The Seaforth Highlanders came home to Scotland on January 17, 1961, for the final 21 days of the regiment’s life.
The 420 officers and men, who had travelled from Munster, Germany, paraded for the last time in public and marched into Redford Barracks, Edinburgh, through lines of the 1st Battalion The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, with whom they were to amalgamate on February 7.
The new regiment would be known as The Queen’s Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Cameron).
Lieutenant-Colonel Niall Baird, Commanding Officer of the Camerons, who would take command of the new regiment, welcomed the men.
Both regiments had had long and distinguished records of service. The Seaforths had been formed in 1881 and the Cameron Highlanders in 1793.
On February 7 the amalgamation was carried out with a simple ceremony at Redford Barracks. The two colours of each regiment were uncased and placed in one group. Lt-Col Baird then called for a toast to “The Queen’s Own Highlanders” and within an hour the guard at Edinburgh Castle, mounted by the Camerons, was taken over by the Queen’s Own Highlanders.
It was reported that more than 80 telegrams of congratulations were received at the barracks following the amalgamation. They came from Australia, New Zealand and from allied battalions throughout the world. Territorial units, association branches, cadets and old members’ associations also sent their congratulations.
Buckingham Palace said the Queen had given her formal approval of the appointment of the Duke of Edinburgh as Colonel-in-Chief of the new regiment.
He had previous held the same post of the Cameron Highlanders. One of the first occasions on which he had appeared in the uniform was when he accompanied the Queen to Scotland in 1953.
Read more: Herald Diary
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