The Scottish Regiments 1633-1996

By Patrick Mileham

The men of the Scottish regiments have left a history of battle honors that is unmatched in warfare. Wherever they have fought, the sound of the pipes and the sight of the tartan has struck terror into their enemies. In this comprehensive volume, Patrick Mileham covers all the regiments and every campaign-a stunning tour of military history at the far reaches of the empire in the company of heroes.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1885119240
• ISBN13: 9781885119247
• Release Date: April 1996
• Publisher: Sarpedon
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 2.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.3" x 1.0" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

The legendary Scottish Regiments

Patrick Mileham's "The Scottish Regiments: 1633-1996" is a nicely written survey-level history of the Scottish infantry and cavalry regiments of the British Army. The Scottish Regiments have a long and colorful history of valorous service on the many battlefields of British history down to the present day conflict in Iraq. This edition is a 1996 revision of a book first published in 1988. Its content is particularly poignant in light of the 2004 decision by the UK Ministry of Defense to amalgamate the remaining Scottish battalions into a single regiment. That decision, made on practical grounds of facilitating unit rotations overseas, had the unfortunate effect of obscuring the distinctive identities of some very old regiments and was highly unpopular among regimental veterans. However, as Mileham's history notes, amalgamation and disbandment have been recurring phenomena for regiments down through the years. The book opens with a short introduction on the raising of regimental-size units in the British Army. Mileham then provides a concise narrative of the history of each regiment, to include the various evolutions of naming and numbering. Space limitations restrict the narratives to brief descriptions of postings, major battles, and campaign participation. The record of regimental postings sketches the once vast limits of the British Empire, while the battles and campaigns tour the venues of the Napoleonic and World Wars. For example, the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment, better known as "The Black Watch," has since its formation in 1725 served in Scotland, Ireland, Nroth America, the Caribbean, Spain, France, the Crimea, South Africa, India, North Africa, the Middle East, Italy, and Germany. This book is highly recommended to the reader interested in the military heritage of Scotland and in British military history. While particularly distinctive accomplishments in battle are noted for many regiments, those interested in detailed battle narrative should seek in individual regimental histories. The casual reader without background in British military history may find this book challenging to follow. The book is richly illustrated with paintings, prints, and photographs in color and black and white.

Fabulous and Insightful Book

This is an richly illustrated history of the Scottish regiments that served around the world in the British army. These dozen regiments, which included one cavalry, one guards, and ten infantry of the line, were some of the finest infantry the world has ever seen. Their campaigns spanned much of the globe, and their exploits are told here, much in their own words, lavishly illustrated and many in color. A great addition to any library of any military buff.