The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum is located at Scotland’s world-famous Edinburgh Castle.
The Museum is a charitable trust and is also responsible for the Regimental Archive. It is accredited by Museums Galleries Scotland and the Scottish Regimental Museums’ collection is recognised as nationally significant by the Scottish government.
Operating as usual
Thank you to everyone who, despite the weather, came out on Friday to make their SCOTS DG crackers and decorate their own Glengarry. We had a lot of fun seeing all the creativity and hope you enjoy pulling the crackers at Christmas.
The curator has just about finished scraping the glue and glitter off his hands!
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918 the Armistice began. At Leuze it was sounded by Private Rowe of the 3rd Dragoon Guards on this bugle.
We will remember them.
Are you in Leuchars and looking for something to do with the kids off school on the 18th? We'll be back up at Leuchars Community Centre in the morning to make Christmas crackers and decorate your own Glengarry hat. So come along with the children or grandchildren to get crafty and prepare for Christmas.
Today is ‘Balaklava Day’, an important date for the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (and other regiments). It marks the anniversary of the Battle of Balaklava when the Scots Greys, as part of the British Heavy Brigade, halted and routed a 3,000 strong Russian cavalry force attempting to capture the British base at Balaclava.
In the aftermath of the battle Captain George Buchanan wrote to his mother giving a sense of the brutal battle, 'I have only time to write you a short letter, to let you know I am safe. I have just come in from outpost duty, and having been out 26 hours, am dead beat; but as there is a post going, I write to let you know I am well. We had a fearful engagement at Balaclava on the 25th of last month. The Light Brigade of cavalry are quite cut up: some of the regiments do not now muster 30 men. We lost 46 killed and wounded - for the Greys not bad, as we did not go into the field more than 300 strong. I assure you it made me sad, to see our beautiful grey horse cut to pieces with shot and shell. We were exposed to a most terrific fire for four hours... We charged a Russian regiment of cavalry; they were more than six to our one. We went through them, and cut them to pieces. My second dragoon who was in my troop, was killed; I escaped, with the exception of a cut to my hand, which is now healed. Lord Raglan sent down to day , "Well done, the Greys!" and he came down in the evening, and complimented our behaviour.'
Like many soldiers that fought in the Crimean War he was later inflicted by dysentery. He doesn't appear to have ever fully recovered and left the Regiment in March 1863 'through extremely delicate health' and would sadly die in November.
The painting shown is the “Charge of the Heavy Brigade” by Felix Philippoteaux, 1876 and its part of the Regiment’s collection. The painting depicts the Regiment thick in the fight against the Russian cavalry at Balaclava.
Booking is now open for our ‘On The Battlefield’ and ‘Hard Tack and Curry’ school sessions!
Learn about life as a soldier from WWI to present day with a visit to the Museum of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Royal Scots Museum and The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum at Edinburgh Castle. Our exciting sessions include a number of interactive activities and can be tailored to focus on WWI, WWII or modern day topics.
Contact our Learning Officer at [email protected] or 0131 310 5014 to find out more and book in. Visits are currently free and schools may be eligible for travel subsidies.
ID: A school group stands in front of the museum building. Each pupil is wearing a dark coloured winter jacket. They pose for the camera with thumbs up.
Can you help! If you served with the The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards between 1971 and 2010 you could be exactly who we are looking for. We would like to set up two panels that can meet and help identify our photo collection. The Museum will improve the documentation for its collection and the volunteers can have reminisce about the Regiment and its characters (the Museum wants to hear these stories too!). This is part of our Regimental Family Project that has been funded by Army Museums Network
We had so much fun at Leuchars Community Centre yesterday helping the children (and some adults!) making tanks, colouring in and trying on some different hats. Lots of enthusiasm and creativity.
A big thank you to those who came along and also everyone at the Community Centre who let us use their space and helped make sure we had everything we needed.
We are trying something a bit new for us this half term! The Museum will be at Leuchars Community Centre, Wednesday October 12th, 10am-1pm so bring your children (or grandchildren) along to make their own tank and handle some of our objects.
It was with great sadness we heard about the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. As Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Scots Greys and then the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards her visits to the Regiment always showed her strong interest, her humour and her kindness. Rest in peace.
This week we installed our new Operation Granby display. This conflict is an incredibly important part of the regimental history. It was the first time the Regiment had been to war since the 1971 amalgamation, they recorded a record tank-to-tank kill of around 3 miles and everyone from the Regiment was able to return home safely.
To tell the long history of the Regiment we are reliant upon the generosity of those that served and their families. Without their donation of material we can't tell the story. Many of the items were kindly donated by Brigadier Edwards who has been at Home Headquarters this week and stopped by to have a look.
We are also grateful to Army Museums Network who provided us with funding for the display.
We are looking for one more person to help us with this project!
We will be at Leuchars on Monday 12th September to do the interviews for the Regimental Family Film project. If you are a family member of serving or ex-serving members of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards we would love to hear from you. We want to hear the experiences of family members - a really important point of support for many soldiers but something that is often missed in army museum displays. We need your story!
If you are interested please contact [email protected] for more details.
The weather has taken a turn for the worse in Edinburgh in the last couple days but it could be worse. In August 1873 the Royal Scots Greys were on manoeuvres in Dartmoor. The weather was so bad that the officers marked the 'experience' by having a medal produced. Instead of marking battles fought the clasps represent places they had to stay and fight off the elements. At first glance the reverse might look scratched but actually it is the rain falling on a closed up tent sitting in a field.
We were very excited this week to receive a donation from the relatives of Private John Riddell. Private Riddell is best known in regiment history for being a champion boxer. In the 1960s the family had kindly donated the Boulogne Boxing Cup he won in 1916 and a silver mounted boxing belt. We also have a photograph of John wearing the boxing belt which we thought was won in 1916 as well.
These new donations have helped us dig further into John’s time with the Royal Scots Greys. A promotional leaflet showing his record from 1911 tells us a number of things. It shows the same picture of him wearing the belt while he is being managed by a Yorkshire based man, therefore its likely the belt was won before 1914. Is it the belt of the Welterweight Champion of Scotland? The records show his successes he had but his defeat to Young Joseph is also significant. Young Joseph was the British welterweight champion from 1908 to 1912. Riddell was competing against the very best in the country.
We now have a photograph of him in uniform. Taken by a York based photographer this will have been while the Greys were stationed in the city from 1910-1914. In it you can see above his left cuff the crossed rifle badge of a marksman. This is a detail of his army career we were unaware of.
Riddell had transferred to the Reserve by 1913 and had moved to box in Canada. He was called back to the Colours at the outbreak of the war. In 1916 he won the Boulogne Boxing Cup and in January 1917 he competed in an inter-Brigade boxing competition. We think this is when he was awarded the small medal.
Sadly, John sustained serious wounds from shelling at the Battle of Cambrai. When he was approached by Captain Elliott to see if there was anything he could do to help John’s reply was, ‘No, just dig a hole for me, and look after the others.’ He died shortly afterwards on 27th November 1917 and is buried at Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt.
The 18th June is Waterloo Day, remembered by the Regiment for the famous cavalry charge of the Scots Greys as part of the Union Brigade.
Initially the Brigade were sited on the reverse side of a ridge - unseen from the French army. As Napoleon’s men came up the slope to attack the infantry, the Union Brigade emerged, charging down and smashing into the French ranks halting the first major attack. What must it have been like for the French to suddenly hear the thunder of hooves and see the cavalry picking up speed towards them?
Instead of returning to their lines the Scots Greys continued on to the French lines. Unfortunately this was a step too far. Their horses tired and the French Cuirassiers and Lancers swooped on the Greys as they attempted to return. The 2nd Dragoons had halted Napoleon’s advance but at great cost. From 391 men who went into battle 102 were killed and 98 wounded.
The individual stories of bravery are incredible. Captain Edward Cheney, whose Waterloo medal is held by the regimental museum, had four horses killed and a fifth wounded from under him in the battle. Lt-Col James Inglis Hamilton who led the charge was seen holding his horse’s reins in his teeth as he had been badly wounded in both arms; he would be killed before the end of the battle. The saddle of Lieutenant James Gape still has two musket balls lodged in it but was one of the fortunate men that survived.
The most famous story is that of Sergeant Charles Ewart who took the French 45th Regiment of Infantry of the Line’s standard, cutting down two French soldiers and that standard bearer in the process. Ewart was sent to the rear so as to protect the trophies. As a result he survived the conflict and was made a commissioned officer with the rank of Ensign. The eagle and standard were housed in Chelsea Hospital before being returned to the Scots Greys in 1956. They are now on display for hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum to see every year.
Sometimes in a museum collection we come across an object with a label that sparks curiosity. Earlier this year we were looking at the flaks. Its a fine item that would have been treasured by Lt Sprot. The story on the label sounded interesting but it left questions. Is there more to the story? Is it McHardy or McHardey? When was it returned?
Recently we were answering an enquiry and by chance came across the article in a scrapbook. It had no connection to the enquiry but the headline caught the eye. We did a little jig when we realised that it would help fill in some gaps. Its brilliant when we can use the archive to inform our knowledge of the museum collection.
Thanks to funding from the Army Museums Ogilby Trust we are starting a project to produce a film for the Museum. We are looking for family members of serving and ex-serving soldiers to talk to us about the Regiment. For more detail please see the images.
Some items in our collection have unexpected stories behind them. Sometimes literally! This small oil painting is Lt Col Calvert Clarke of the Scots Greys. On the back it tells us that Thomas Jones Barker used this to paint Clarke in 'Allied Generals Before Sebastopol'. Many prints were made of this painting including one held at the British Museum which helpfully identifies Clarke as number 6. If you look very carefully you'll find Clarke with the same pose but the addition of a bearskin.
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Ahead of the 1971 amalgamation, the new Regimental Band and Pipes and Drums were asked to record all the music for the new regiment. The Greys already had a music contract with RCA Records and Farewell to the Greys was to be the result.
The album was recorded at Edinburgh’s Redford Barracks. Grey army blankets were hung from the walls to improve the acoustics. It took less than a day to record and with space left for one more song they decided to add Amazing Grace.
In early 1972 Amazing Grace was played on BBC Radio's Late Night Extras. It was a huge hit. RCA had expected to sell only 5,000 Farewell to the Greys albums. The response to this one song on BBC radio pushed them to release Amazing Grace as single.
In April it went to Number 1 and stayed there for six weeks. It sold over 1 million copies in the UK and 7 million worldwide.
The chart success led to the Regimental Band and Pipes and Drums being in demand all over the world. By the end of the 1970s they had played in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and North America.
The 13th April is Nunshigun Day, an important day for the Regiment. It marks the incredible actions of B Squadron, 3rd Carabiniers during the Battle of Nunshigum - one of the most crucial actions during the Burma campaign.
In early 1944 the Japanese had taken the high, steep sided Nushigum ridge, eight miles north-east of Imphal. The ridge dominated the area and its recapture was vitally important. On the 13th April a major assault was led by 1st Battalion of the Dogra Regiment supported by B Squadron of the 3rd Carabiniers.
As the 3rd Carabiniers’ tanks neared the summit the enemy emerged from their bunkers and inflicted large casualties on the tank commanders who had been forced to expose their head and shoulders above the turrets to guide drivers up the steep slope. All the officers of the Carabiniers and Dogra became casualties. At this moment Squadron Sergeant-Major Craddock and Subedar Ranbir Singh took command, jointly planned and then launched another attack which force the Japanese from the hill top. Craddock received the DCM for his action and Nunshigum was awarded to the 3rd Carabiniers as a battle honour. Nunshigum is still commemorated annually when B Squadron lead the parade but without its officers and under the command of its Squadron Sergeant-Major.
In 1935 Brigadier-General Oswald Smith-Bingham presented a new pair of banners for the kettledrums to the 3rd Carabiniers in Aldershot. This was on behalf of the Old Comrades Association in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the raising of the 3rd and 6th Dragoon Guards. You can just about make out the banners being attached to the drums carried by Jumbo, the drum horse. While a much clearer photograph shows Smith-Bingham and General Weir, Colonel of the Regiment, taking part in the presentation.
Thanks to the National Fund for Acquisitions we are delighted to have purchased The Brigadier-General Walter Long Collection - a wonderful mix of medals and archival material that covers almost 20 years of regimental history.
Long joined the Royal Scots Greys in 1899 and travelled with the regiment in November to South Africa. Soon afterwards, he took part in the ride under Sir John French to the relief of Kimberley and was badly wounded at Dronfield. He was mentioned in dispatches several times in South Africa, and while there, gained the DSO, the Queen's South Africa Medal and the King's South Africa Medal.
As an officer with the Royal Scots Greys he was awarded the Order of Stanislas 3rd Class in 1907 and 2nd Class in 1915. These were granted by Tsar Nicholas II, Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Scots Greys from 1894 until his death. After serving with his regiment for some years, Long went to Canada to serve as ADC to Field Marshal His Royal Highness The Duke of Connaught in 1911.
Captain Long spent the early part of the First World War in France, and took part in the Battle of Mons. In 1915 Long, along with many other cavalry officers, was invited to command an infantry battalion as the role of cavalry diminished. He took command of the 6th Battalion of The Wiltshire Regiment and rose rapidly. Long was made Brigadier General in November 1916 commanding the 56th Brigade, 19th Division. He was mentioned in dispatches several times by Lord French and also Sir Douglas Haig, and made a Companion of St Michael and St George (CMG).
Brigadier General Long was killed in action at Hébuterne, France on 28 January 1917, aged 37. King George V sent a telegram to his father, the Rt. Hon. Walter Hume Long, P.C., M.P. , Secretary of State for the Colonies, expressing his heartfelt sympathy and regretting that his army had lost one of its promising young generals. Long is buried at Couin British Cemetery, France.
in 1901 Lt Col Hippisley took command of the Scots Greys in South Africa. Hippisley’s diaries are a fantastic resource for us that cover the Zulu War, Boer War and the 1895 visit to meet Tsar Nicholas II - the new Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment.
Next month is the 50th anniversary of The Pipes and Drums and the Military Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard getting to Number 1 with Amazing Grace. To mark this milestone the Museum has created a slideshow film that tells the story behind this unexpected success.
Happy ! The Pipes and Drums of have represented the Regiment across the world and are as popular and important as ever.
In March 1823 the 6th Dragoon Guards received their new Roman pattern helmets. Made of metal and with a large black bearskin crest it replaced one that had a leather skull and horsehair mane. The painting shows 6th Dragoon Guards on duty and wearing the Roman pattern helmet.
in 1991 the regiment crossed into Iraq to free Kuwait as part of Operation Granby. Fortunately the conflict was brief. By the morning of the 28th a ceasefire had been declared. The land war had lasted less than 100 hours.
This pastel and ink by Major George Haig, 2nd Earl Haig sits in our World War 2 case. It shows the Royal Scots Greys in the evening near Jericho. Despite the bright sky and some men wearing shorts it is actually from Christmas 1940. The horses in the work are a reminder that it was not until the following year the regiment would get their first tanks.
Haig was commissioned into The Royal Scots Greys at the outbreak of war and by 21 July 1942 he was a Liaison Officer between 22nd Armoured Brigade and the New Zealand Brigade in North Africa. It was then that he was taken prisoner when overrun by the Germans. He was taken to Colditz where he was allowed to continue to paint of which he wrote, ‘This new purpose was to save my morale during my time as prisoner.’. As the son of Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig he was held as one of the ‘prominente’ – prisoners with important military or political connections.
After the war Haig continued to paint and became an Associate of The Royal Scottish Academy. He has works held in galleries across the country and you can see more on the Art UK website.
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum updated their phone number.
The Battle of the Boyne
1st July 1690.
Today marks the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne. On the 12th July Orange Order Parades are held annually in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Northern England in commemoration of this event. Orange Order Banners feature depictions of a victorious King William III (1650-1702) and ‘King Billy’ adorns many gables of terraced housing within Ulster Protestant communities.
On this day in 1690, an army of 36,000 men under the command of King William III faced 26,000 men under the command of the deposed James II and VII (1633-1701) by the River Boyne, the last major obstacle for William III south on the road to Dublin.
The 9th Horse (later the 6th Dragoon Guards) under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Byerley formed part of King William’s cavalry at the Battle of the Boyne. The battle was a victory for King William in which manoeuvres played a major factor. For King William, the Battle of the Boyne was a victory and a great political gain but the fight in Ireland was to continue for another year until the decisive victories at Athlone and Aughrim. These victories enabled the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland.
For King James the Battle of the Boyne was a defeat; though his army’s losses were relatively small and his army largely intact, James took the defeat badly and retreated into exile in France. He never reclaimed his Kingdom but his Jacobite supporters continued to support the exiled Stuart dynasty in the armed risings of 1715 and 1745.
For their service in King William’s campaign in Ireland the 9th Horse was honoured by the King in 1691, being given the title ‘The King’s Carabiniers’. Over time this honorific title was shortened to become ‘The Carabiniers’ and stayed with the 6th Dragoon Guards through to their amalgamation with the 3rd Dragoon Guards in 1922, and in 1928 the 3rd/6th Dragoon Guards were re-styled the 3rd Carabiniers.
The charge of the 3rd Prince of Wales’s Regiment of Dragoon Guards at Villeselve.
On the 24th March 1918 the remnants of the Third Cavalry Division, comprising 23 Officers and 150 other ranks, were assembled. The cavalry detachment moved up to a position north-east of the village of Villeselve to protect the left flank of the 14th Division.
A Planned Mounted Attack.
At 2pm the 6th Cavalry Brigade Mounted Detachment, about one squadron in strength was sent to attack some hostile infantry and machine guns on the line of 81-Copse and to take objectives ‘A’ and ‘B’. It was hoped that a successful mounted attack would rally the British infantry and regain some of the lost ground.
The Third Dragoon Guards to attack German Machine Guns.
Fifty mounted 3rd Dragoon Guards under Lieutenant A.B.P. L. Vincent MC were ordered to attack Copse ‘B,’ to charge any Germans met, and secure the right flank. The 10th Hussars and the Royals were to make a frontal attack on Copse ‘A’. 1200 yards of ploughed land had to be crossed to reach Copse ‘B.’
Lieutenant Vincent
Lieutenant A.B.P.L (Pat) Vincent was an Irish Officer educated at Cheltenham College and R.M.C. Sandhurst. Vincent was commissioned in the 3rd Dragoon Guards at the start of the First World War in 1914. Described by his fellow Officers as magnificent in Battle.
The Charge.
The 3rd Dragoon Guard Troopers begin to come under enemy fire immediately. Enemy fire and the fast pace of the charge caused the riders to open out. When Lieutenant Vincent gave the Troop the order to charge the horses were fairly well extended.
The German Machine Gunners and Infantry attempt to run into the Copse but many are sabered and shot as they ran.
Twelve German prisoners were taken and four machine guns captured. The right flank of the 14th Division was now secured.
British Infantry rallied behind the success of the cavalry charge and filed into the copse with renewed spirit after the German Machine Guns are captured.
The Infantry advance beyond their original position, enabling the remnants of two Battalions to withdraw from Cugny to Villeselve and reform.
Lieutenant Vincent was awarded a bar to his Military Cross
Citation:
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in a successful charge against the enemy infantry and machine guns, resulting in the capture of a valuable tactical position. he also rendered fine service in obtaining valuable information on numerous mounted patrols during operations."
Valentine's Day 2020
A private of the 2nd Dragoons acting as orderly to a staff officer has caught the attention of young woman. Watercolour by Orlando Norie, 1870s.
Happy Valentine’s Day 2020.
Sweetheart badge and postcard.
A Royal Scots Greys enamel ‘Hands across the Sea’ medal.
Having captured the Standard of the 45th Infantry of the Line at the Battle of Waterloo, images of the Eagle began to appear on regimental insignia. In 1838 the Eagle was officially authorised as a regimental badge and as a cap badge from the end of the 19th century
The ‘Hands across the Sea’ medal was first made in 1915; they were presented to members of an ‘Edinburgh Ladies Work Party’ in appreciation of their services in supplying comforts to the Royal Scots Greys during the First World War (1914-1918). The medal's ribbon is in the regimental colours.
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh
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