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THE SCOTTISH REGIMENTS

QUEEN'S OWN HIGHLANDERS (SEAFORTH AND CAMERONS) (72ND, 78TH, 79TH)

Queen's Own Highlanders were an amalgamation of three of the famous Highland regiments raised in the late 18th Century; The 72nd Highlanders (Duke of Albany's Own), The 78th Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs) and the 79th Cameron Highlanders, who became Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in 1873.

The 72nd Highlanders were originally numbered for the 78th Highlanders, they were recruited by the Earl of Seaforth mainly from Ross-shire and Lewis, and first mustered at Elgin in 1778. They were subsequently renumbered as the 72nd Highlanders. In 1881 they were amalgamated with the 78th Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs) to become the 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. The 78th has the emblem of the Assaye Elephant in India in 1803, and the 79th has the Sphinx for their service in Egypt in 1801.

On 7 February 1961 the Seaforth Highlanders and The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders were amalgamated to form the Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth, and Camerons).

From its formation 1st Battalion Queen's Own Highlanders has served all over the world. Its operational duty has included the Brunei revolt in 1962, the confrontation campaign in Borneo, patrolling the Hong Kong border, the rehabilitation of the Falklands Islands and the Gulf War and many tours of Northern Ireland. Other services abroad included Germany and Berlin, Sharjah, Belize, with regular training exercises in Canada and the USA.

Under the 1980s programme of Defence cuts, Queen's Own Highlanders were amalgamated on 17 September, 1994, with the Gordon Highlanders to form The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons).

Museum: Fort George, Ardersier, near Inverness
Web site: Regimental Association