The Scots in Wartime (A Wee Look at Scottish Regiments) – Part One

Until the end of World War 2, a private soldier in the British Army was paid little more than a shilling per day plus keep, for which he was expected under oath to serve his king and country to the extent of laying down his very life.Successive British governments greedily exploited the loyalty of thousands of ordinary men (and more recently women) who volunteered their lives to join the ranks – and when actual volunteers were seen as insufficient for the needs of Whitehall, thousands more were ‘legally’ pressed into service to defend and uphold British vested interests at home and overseas.Since the Union of the Crowns, 1603, Scotland also provided — possibly more than — its fair share of what came to be described as ‘human cannon fodder’, all in the greater interest of an ever-expanding British Empire which came to dominate vast areas of the globe and which were often depicted coloured pink on most world maps!

In the September isssue of our newsletter MacFarlane’s Lantern  we are proud to present a brief look at how Scottish soldiers have been depicted through the ages, giving some insight into the more than worthy contribution the Scottish nation has given to the steady development of what we call modern human society across the world.Even in these so-called enlightened times, many Scots and their descendants still rally to the Colours and battalions in countries worldwide.

This article has been extracted from the newsletter for the benefit of all.

The Scots in Wartime – Part One