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| Guarding Black Watch Corner |
The Black Watch Corner sculpture at the southwestern tip of Polygon Wood was unveiled 100 years after the fighting it commemorates. The memorial, created by Edinburgh sculptor Alan Herriot, quickly became an essential photo-op for visitors to the battlefield. [Consequently, it does not qualify for our "Lonesome Memorial" series]. The work, showing a kilted Black Watch sergeant with a Lee-Enfield rifle and fixed bayonet, honors the 8,000 Scottish officers and soldiers from the regiment who were killed during the Great War. A further 20,000 were wounded between 1914 and 1918.
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| Monument Plaque |
Near this position men of the Black Watch (the Royal Highlander Regiment) helped stopped the last effective attack of the First Battle of Ypres mounted by the elite Prussian Imperial Guards Regiment. The battle known as "Nonne Boschen" (Nun’s Wood) was fought on 11 November 1914. The Prussian Guard together with the 54th Reserve Division had been ordered to take Polygon Wood. The barrage began at 0630. At 0900, German troops advanced on a nine-mile front in mist and rain.
Across the line the attack faltered apart from a gap between the southern end of Polygon Wood and Nun’s Wood. A company of Royal Engineers with 40 members of the Black Watch had just completed a strong point here. This was merely a trench inside a cottage garden with a few strands of barbed wire. When the Guards attacked, the British troops opened up such an effective fire that the Germans broke formation. With the help of divisional artillery they were stopped and eventually beaten back.
Polygon Wood in the Background
In researching this article I found a couple of interesting Black Watch trivia facts.
Why was the regiment known as the Black Watch?
Theory 1: Highlander cattle rustlers often demanded extortion payments to spare cattle herds, so the Watch was known for combating “black mail”.
Theory 2: The designation came from the Black Cockade of the House of Hanover (as opposed to the White Cockade of the Jacobites)
Does the regiment still exist today?
In 2006, the Royal Scots & King's Own Scottish Borderers, Royal Highland Fusiliers, Black Watch, Highlanders, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, and Territorial Army (Scotland) amalgamated to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The Black Watch tartan (with slightly lighter shades) was chosen for the new regiment and is still worn today.
Sources: Paul Harris Website; TheBlackWatch.co.uk; MacGregor, MacDuff Website
At the time of the creation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, there were two regiments that were themselves amalgamations of historic regiments. The Highlanders included the Camerons, the Seaforths and the Gordons. The Royal Highland Fusiliers included the Highland Light Infantry and the Royal Scots Fusiliers. The Scottish Rifles (Cameronians) had previously refused amalgamation and were disbanded. A whole lot of heritage carried now by just five battalions (two of which are reserves) and a ceremonial company. I hear that the next round of cuts may reduce them to four battalions.
ReplyDeleteMilitary engagements in the modern army have shifted with rapid deployment, technology, and specialized units that outweigh large standing armies. Modernization is at the cost of the traditions of the regiment, which have historical significance. Money is another factor where the UK government is trying to create a cost effective military structure. Regiments with historical significance can maintain ceremonial roles where they can keep the legacy alive through public events, state ceremonies, and parades. If the UK can be flexible, regiments could be part of the reserve units where the history and legacy continue. Public advocacy concerning the history of these regiments is essential to preserving them for the future.
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