The King's Own Scottish Borderers

King's Own Scottish Borderers
Cap badge and tartan of the King's Own Scottish Borderers
Active	1689 – 1 August 2006
Allegiance	Kingdom of Scotland (1689–1707)  Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1800)  United Kingdom (1801–2006)
Branch	British Army
Type	Line Infantry
Size	One battalion
Part of	Scottish Division
Garrison/HQ	Berwick Barracks, Berwick-upon-Tweed
Motto(s)	In Veritate Religionis Confido (I put my trust in the truth of religion) Nisi Dominus Frustra (Without the Lord, everything is in vain)
Anniversaries	Minden – 1 August
Commanders
Last Colonel-in-Chief	HRH the late Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, GCB, CI, GCVO, GBE
Notable commanders	John Cooper (Operation Banner, 1993–97)
Insignia
Tartan	Leslie (trews) Royal Stewart (pipers kilts and plaids)

The King's Own Scottish Borderers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division. On 28 March 2006 the regiment was amalgamated with the Royal Scots, the Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment), the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), the Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland, becoming the 1st Battalion of the new regiment.

The regiment was raised on 18 March 1689 by David Melville, 3rd Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It's claimed that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours. The regiment's first action was at the Battle of Killiecrankie on 27 July 1689. Although this battle was a defeat for the Williamite army, the Jacobite commander, John Graham, 1st Viscount Dundee (Bonnie Dundee), was killed by a volley fired by Leven's Regiment, bringing an end to James II's attempt to save his throne in Scotland. The regiment was judged to have performed well and was granted the privilege of recruiting by beat of drum in the City of Edinburgh without prior permission of the provost.

For a period it was known as Semphill's Regiment of Foot, the name under which it fought at the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745 and the Battle of Culloden in 1746. When the British infantry were allocated numerical positions in the 'line' of Infantry the regiment was numbered 25th Regiment of Foot (based on its formation date) in 1751. The regiment fought at the Battle of Minden on 1 August 1759 with five other regiments; this battle honour was celebrated by the regiment each year on 1 August. The 25th was the county regiment of Sussex in 1782 when it became known as the 25th (Sussex) Regiment of Foot.