Atholl Highlanders
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The Atholl Highlanders is a Scottish
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infantry
regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...
. A ceremonial unit, it acts as the personal bodyguard to the Duke of Atholl, chief of the Clan Murray, a family that has lived in
Perthshire Perthshire (Scottish English, locally: ; ), officially the County of Perth, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore, Angus and Perth & Kinross, Strathmore ...
for roughly seven centuries. Although it has no official military role, this hand-picked body of local men are armed with Lee–Metford rifles, and the regiment includes a
pipe band A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term pipes and drums, used by military pipe bands is also common. The most common form of pipe band consists of a section of pipers playing the Great Highland bagpipe, ...
. Joining the Highlanders is by invitation from the Duke, who selects men with ties to the estate or the local area. The regiment is not part of the
British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the unified military, military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its British Overseas Territories, Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests ...
but under the command of the Duke of Atholl, and based at
Blair Castle Blair Castle (in Scottish Gaelic: ''Caisteil Bhlàir'') stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland. It is the ancestral home of the Clan Murray, and was historically the seat of their clan chief, chief, the ...
,
Blair Atholl Blair Atholl (from the Scottish Gaelic: ''Blàr Athall'', originally ''Blàr Ath Fhodla'') is a village in Perthshire, Scotland, built about the confluence of the Rivers Tilt and Garry in one of the few areas of flat land in the midst of the G ...
. It is the only legal private army in Europe.


History


First raising as a regular regiment in the British Army

The regiment was raised in
Perthshire Perthshire (Scottish English, locally: ; ), officially the County of Perth, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore, Angus and Perth & Kinross, Strathmore ...
by John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl as the 77th Regiment of Foot (or Atholl Highlanders, or Murray's Highlanders) in December 1777. The regiment was formed as a relief for other regiments serving in North America, and spent most of its existence in
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
. The terms upon which the regiment was raised stated that the men were to be employed for either three years or the duration of the war in America. In 1781, the original three-year term ended, and the men expected the regiment to be disbanded. However, the regiment was transported to England and marched to
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
to be embarked for service in
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. Upon learning of this, the men mutinied, and the embarkation orders were countermanded. The regiment was marched to Berwick, where it disbanded in 1783.


Second raising as a private regiment of the Duke of Atholl

More than 50 years later, in 1839, George Murray, 6th Duke of Atholl, as Lord Glenlyon, re-formed the regiment as a bodyguard which he took to the Eglinton Tournament at Eglinton Castle,
Ayrshire Ayrshire (, ) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county, in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. The lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Ayrshire and Arran covers the entirety ...
. Three years later, in 1842, the regiment escorted
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
during her tour of
Perthshire Perthshire (Scottish English, locally: ; ), officially the County of Perth, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore, Angus and Perth & Kinross, Strathmore ...
and, in 1844, when the Queen stayed as a guest of the Duke at
Blair Castle Blair Castle (in Scottish Gaelic: ''Caisteil Bhlàir'') stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland. It is the ancestral home of the Clan Murray, and was historically the seat of their clan chief, chief, the ...
, the regiment mounted the guard for the entire duration of her stay. In recognition of the service that the regiment provided during her two visits, the Queen announced that she would present the Atholl Highlanders with
colours Color (or colour in Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is the visual perception based on the electromagnetic spectrum. Though color is not an inherent property of matter, color perception is related to an object's light absorpt ...
, thus giving the regiment official
Scottish regiment Scottish regiments are Military organization#Commands, formations, and units, military units which at some point during their existence have had a form of connection with Scotland. Though the military history of Scotland dates back to the era o ...
status, in perpetuity. The regiment's first stand of colours was presented by Lady Glenlyon in 1845. It received new colours in 1979 from Myra Butter, the wife of the Lord Lieutenant of Perth and Kinross. A third stand of colours was presented in 2006 by the Duchess of Atholl. Under John Stewart-Murray, 7th Duke, the regiment regularly provided guards for royal visitors to Blair Castle (which was a convenient stopping point on the journey to Balmoral). The regiment also attended the
Braemar Gathering Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee, Aberdeenshire, River Dee, sitting at an ele ...
, while the annual Atholl Gathering was held in the first week in September in which the regiment paraded, then participated in various trials of strength and stamina. Following the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, parades of the regiment became fewer, although it did provide guards when the Crown Prince of Japan and King Faisal of Iraq visited Blair Castle in 1921 and 1933 respectively. After many years of inactivity the regiment remained in abeyance until in 1966, when it was reformed by Iain Murray, 10th Duke of Atholl. The 10th Duke made the decision to revive the regiment’s annual parade. To this effect eight local men mostly estate employees and all with previous military service training were invited to join, seven accepted. They paraded on 8 April 1966 at Blair Castle for the first time in 33 years. They marched past the Duke led by two Atholl Highlander pipers. In 1973 the regiment returned to the
Braemar Gathering Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee, Aberdeenshire, River Dee, sitting at an ele ...
and took part in a march past in front of the
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and other members of the royal family. The Atholl Gathering was re-introduced at Target Park in June 1984. It was feared that the regiment would be disbanded following the 10th Duke's death in 1996, until his successor, John Murray, 11th Duke of Atholl, wrote to the estate trustees insisting that he would continue his traditional role.Daily Mirror, March 20, 1996 The 11th Duke, although resident in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
, visited
Blair Atholl Blair Atholl (from the Scottish Gaelic: ''Blàr Athall'', originally ''Blàr Ath Fhodla'') is a village in Perthshire, Scotland, built about the confluence of the Rivers Tilt and Garry in one of the few areas of flat land in the midst of the G ...
almost every year to inspect the regiment's annual parade until his death. The 12th Duke continues this tradition. The Atholl Highlanders continue with the current Duke of Atholl as their
Colonel-in-Chief Colonel-in-Chief is a ceremonial position in an army regiment. It is in common use in several Commonwealth armies, where it is held by the regiment's patron, usually a member of the royal family. Some armed forces take a light-hearted approach to ...
.


Alliances

* – Solomon Mahlangu Regiment (formerly the Transvaal Scottish) * – Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse


See also

*
Military history of Scotland Historically, Scotland has a long British military history, military tradition that predates the Acts of Union 1707, Act of Union with England in 1707. Its soldiers today form part of the armed forces of the United Kingdom, more usually referre ...
* Lonach Highlanders * Clan Murray


References


External links


The History of the Atholl Highlanders
* {{Regiments of Foot Military units and formations established in 1777 Military units and formations established in 1839 Guards regiments Bodyguards Scottish regiments Perth and Kinross Highland regiments Clan Murray Private armies Scottish ceremonial units