The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)

The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland
III Cap Badge of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Active	28 March 2006–
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Line infantry
Role	Light role
Part of	51st Infantry Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Fort George, Inverness, UK
Motto(s)	Nemo Me Impune Lacessit ("No One Provokes Me With Impunity")
Anniversaries	Red Hackle Day (5 January)
Commanders
Royal Colonel	HRH The Duke of Rothesay
Insignia
Tactical Recognition Flash
Tartan	Government Royal Stewart (Pipers kilts and plaids)
Hackle	Red

The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
Badge and tartan
Active	1 July 1881 – 28 March 2006
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Army
Type	Line Infantry
Role	Light infantry
Size	Battalion
Part of	51st Infantry Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Fort George, Inverness
Nickname(s)	"The Forty Twa" "Black Jocks" (slang term used by members of other regiments) "Ladies from Hell"
Motto(s)	(Scotland's) Nemo me impune lacessit Latin: "No One Provokes Me With Impunity"
March	Quick: "All the Blue Bonnets are o'er the Border" Slow: "The Garb of Old Gaul" Pipes & Drums Quick: "Hielan' Laddie" Pipes & Drums Slow: "My Home" Pipes & Drums Slow: "Highland Cradle Song"
Anniversaries	Red Hackle Day (5 January)
Battle honours	see below

The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot (The Black Watch) was amalgamated with the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot. It was known as The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) from 1881 to 1931 and The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) from 1931 to 2006. Part of the Scottish Division, it was the senior regiment of Highlanders.

The source of the regiment's name is uncertain. In 1725, following the Jacobite rebellion of 1715, General George Wade was authorised by George II to form six "watch" companies to patrol the Highlands of Scotland, three from Clan Campbell, one from Clan Fraser, one from Clan Munro and one from Clan Grant. These were to be "employed in disarming the Highlanders, preventing depredations, bringing criminals to justice, and hindering rebels and attainted persons from inhabiting that part of the kingdom." The force was known in Gaelic as Am Freiceadan Dubh, "the dark" or "black watch".

This epithet may have come from the uniform plaids of dark tartan with which the companies were provided. Other theories have been put forward; for instance, that the name referred to the "black hearts" of the pro-government militia who had sided with the "enemies of true Highland spirit", or that it came from their original duty in policing the Highlands, namely preventing "blackmail" (Highlanders demanding extortion payments to spare cattle herds).