An exhibition will open for viewing in the former 7th (Leith) Battalion drill hall in Dalmeny Street, just of Leith Walk, during the period 19 – 24 May 2025 to mark the 110th anniversary of the Quintinshill Rail Disaster on 22 May 1915 in which 216 members of the Battalion and many more injured. The Battalion was travelling from Larbert, where it had been training, to Liverpool Docks to on ships bound for Gallipoli. A local community remembrance service will be held at Quintinshill and Gretna on Thu 22 May 2025 and the annual Regimental memorial service will be held on Sat 24 May 2025 in Rosebank Cemetery, where many of the victims were buried.
Details of the train crash, the worst ever in UK, are at https://www.theroyalscots.co.uk: Heritage (1st World War). Further details will follow in the Upcoming Events.
Pipe Bands of The Royal Scots
The pipe band was an integral part of every Scottish infantry regiment, and without it the regiments would lack a lot of what helps to create and impart the national characteristic and spirit.
Dating back to the earliest era of The Royal Scots, contemporary reports from the 1630s mention a pipe band in Hepburn’s Regiment of some 36 musicians and refer also to ‘the Scotch March’ believed to be the forerunner of Dumbarton’s Drums, the Regimental Quick March, played later by the Pipe Band. The oldest known image of pipers we have is in the painting of the destruction of the Mole at Tangier in 1684 showing four pipers on the Mole.
In the military history of Scotland, the pipes occupy an important and honoured place; they have stirred and inspired Scotland’s brave and gallant sons to great achievements on many a battlefield.
During the First World War in France & Flanders, Palestine, Salonica, and in North Russia pipers from The Royal Scots duly maintained the high traditions of their forebears.
The 1st/7th Royal Scots Pipe Band
Unfortunately, the members of the 1st/7th Royal Scots Pipe Band were involved in the Gretna railway disaster, with the following members being killed and injured:
Killed – Pipe Major Gear, Piper G Smeaton, Piper A Nicol, Drummer J Malone, Drummer R Nicolson, Drummer A Grant, Drummer Simpson, Drummer A Murray, Drummer J Inglis.
Injured – Piper J Pearson, Piper T Clachers, Sergeant Drummer W Wilson, Drummer W Trainor, Drummer M Lawson
As a result, those pipers and drummers that did survive Gretna, and who subsequently went to Gallipoli in 1915 were employed in the ranks.
The 2nd/7th Royal Scots Pipe Band
On the outbreak of war Camelon & District pipe band was attached to the Falkirk Volunteer Training Corps. The band forged a close friendship with that of the 1st/7th Battalion which was encamped at Larbert, and after the Gretna railway disaster the band enlisted in a reserve battalion, with the view of eventually filling the gap created by the loss of the original 1st/7th Battalion pipe band.
After a period of service in home camps, the band was drafted to Egypt and joined the 1st/7th Battalion on its long, weary, and trying march through the Sinai Desert into Palestine.
Sunday, 25 March 1917 will ever remain a red-letter day in the memories of the pipers marking as it did the Battalion’s entry into Palestine to the appropriate tune of “Blue Bonnets Over the Border”.
2nd/7th Royal Scots Pipe Band Photograph:
Rear: Piper William Finlayson (Camelon), Corporal Drummer M Lawson (Edinburgh), Sergeant Drummer W. Wilson, (Leith), Lance Corporal Drummer W. Trainor (Edinburgh), Piper A. Russell (Bainsford), Lance Corporal Piper D. Brown (Camelon).
Middle: Pipe Major McLachlan (Camelon), Piper W Bruce (Stenhousemuir), Piper T Taylor (Camelon), Drummer R. Bow (Camelon), Piper A. Haxton (Camelon) – transferred to Lincolnshire Regiment and served in France, Piper D Sinclair (Camelon),
Front: Drummer A. McLachlan (Camelon), and Drummer J. Taylor (Camelon).
#Gretna110 #Camelon&DistrictPipeBand #MilitaryMuseumMonday
7th Battalion The Royal Scots – Imperial Service Volunteers
On the formation of the Territorial Force (TF) in 1908, there was no general obligation for its soldiers to serve overseas. The TF was designed to take the place of Regular Soldiers for the defence of the UK homeland. However, it had been recognised during the 2nd South African War (The Boer War) that the Regular Army needed reinforcements from the TF’s predecessors – the Volunteer Force. Many men from the Volunteer Battalions of The Royal Scots served in the Volunteer Service Companies that were attached to the 1st Battalion. Therefore, members of the Territorial Force both Officers & Men could volunteer for overseas service. These volunteers became known as Imperial Service Men and wore a distinguishing badge on their right breast.
From the battalions of the 7th Battalion The Royal Scots, the 1st/7th Battalion The Royal Scots became the Foreign Service Battalion, and the 2nd/7th Batalion The Royal Scots became the Home Defence Battalion. This prompted the transfer of the non-Imperial Service Men from the 1st/7th Battalion to the 2nd/7th Batalion, and likewise the transfer of Imperial Service men from the 2nd/7th Battalin to the 1st/7th Battalion. These transfers continued right up until the 20 May 1915, two days before the 1st 7th Battalion left for overseas service.
You can read more about The Royal Scots in the Great war on our Website here – 1st World War | The Royal Scots, and more about the Royal Scots Volunteer Service Companies in the Boer War here – AngloBoerWar
#Gretna110 #RoyalScots #MilitaryMuseumMonday
Your stories relating to the 7th Battalion, The Royal Scots wanted!
Despite being most commonly associated with Edinburgh and the Lothians, soldiers from across the country came to serve wearing The Royal Scots cap badge.
On the formation of the Territorial Force (TF) in 1908, there was no general obligation for its soldiers to serve overseas. The TF was designed to take the place of Regular Army for the defence of the UK. Soldiers from the TF could however volunteer to serve overseas, these volunteers became known as Imperial Service Men and wore a distinguishing badge on their right breast – The Imperial Service Badge.
The 8th (Lanark) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry was formed in 1908, based out of Lanark but with company and platoon locations in the Lanarkshire towns of Biggar, Carluke, Douglas, Forth, Harthill, Law, Lesmahagow, Newmains, Shotts, and Wishaw. They mobilised in August 1914 at Lanark, part of the Lothian Brigade, and were charged to defend Scotland’s coastlines.
In order to make the 7th Battalion, The Royal Scots and 8th Battalion, The Royal Scots up to full strength before going overseas two companies of these ‘Imperial Service Volunteers’ from the 8th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry were attached, one company to the 7th Battalion, The Royal Scots and another company to the 8th Battalion, The Royal Scots. Those attached to the 8th Battalion, Royal Scots went to France in 1914 with the battalion, and those attached to the 7th Battalion, The Royal Scots went with the battalion to Gallipoli in 1915.
These 8th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry men were later formally transferred from the Highland Light Infantry to The Royal Scots. Many of them subsequently paid the supreme sacrifice and others received gallantry awards, including the Victoria Cross.
You can read more about The Royal Scots in the Great War on our website here – WW1 Battalions | The Royal Scots, and more about William Angus VC of the 8th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry, here – Gallantry Awards WW1 | The Royal Scots.
#Gretna110 #RoyalScots #HighlandLightInfantry #MilitaryMuseumMonday
PONTIUS PILATES BODYGUARD FOR THE 2025 RS MUSEUM OUTREACH EXHIBITION
PPBG is recruiting again now!
The 2025 RS Museum Outreach Exhibition, commemorating Gretna 110 will be held in the Out Of The Blue community centre in Dalmeny Street in Leith, formerly the Drill Hall of 7th (Leith) Battalion The Royal Scots 19-24 May 2025, with an Act of Remembrance at Gretna on 22 May 2025 and culminating in our annual Service of Remembrance at Rosebank Cemetary on the morning of Saturday 24 May 2025.
As at Dalkeith Palace in 2023 and Tynecastle 2024, PPBG Volunteer Guides are sought, in the same way as previously, for the RS Museum Outreach Exhibition at the Dalmeny Street Drill Hall. All the usual suspects, and others, are cordially invited to register interest by contacting wjblythe@hotmail.com at early convenience.
Watch this space for emerging details.
Up The Royals!
Jim Blythe
Your stories of the 7th Battalion, The Royal Scots wanted!
The three battalions of 7RS.
7RS was not just one battalion, but three. They were raised and served in different areas, from Galway all the way to Gallipoli. With the evolving nature of the Army during the First World War, including Kitchener’s famous ‘New Army’, battalions would be raised and quickly redesignated to allow for organisation in the rapidly expanding infantry.
7th Battalion (Territorial Force)
The 7th Battalion was formed in 1908 from the 1st Midlothian Rifle Volunteer Corps and was based in Leith. It was mobilised in August 1914, and subsequently redesignated as the 1st/7th Battalion in January 1915. The Battalion was listed for operations in Gallipoli in June 1915, the fateful move which saw the soldiers in headlines in the aftermath of The Gretna Rail Disaster of 22 May 1915. Those remaining in the 1st/7th continued to Gallipoli, before being transferred to Egypt in January 1916 and served there, and in Palestine, until April 1918. They went on to serve on the Western Front from April 1918 until the end of the war. They were reduced to cadre strength in March 1919 and returned home in May 1919.
2nd 7th Battalion (Territorial Force)
Raised in Leith as the 7th (Reserve) Battalion in August 1914, two large recruitment drives bolstered the numbers of this battalion. The first, in September, was held on the Easter Road Football Ground. The second was in October and targeted numerous towns throughout West Lothian. They were similarly redesignated in January 1915 as the 2nd/7th Battalion. During 1915 the Battalion served as part of the Scottish Coast Defences Brigade. Later it moved to quarters in Innerleithen and Walkerburn before joining 65th Division in Larbert in November 1915. It moved to Essex in February 1916 from where it despatched drafts for service overseas. In January 1917 the Battalion moved to Dublin, then to tented accommodation in County Galway and it later transferred to the Curragh. The Battalion’s service ended when it was disbanded in early 1918.
3rd/7th Battalion (Territorial Force)
Raised at Peebles in June 1915, the 3rd/7th Battalion received those members of the 1st/7th Battalion who had been injured in the Gretna disaster who were released as fit for service from hospital. The battalion moved to Innerleithen in November 1915 and then to Stobs Camp, Hawick in May 1916. Shortly afterwards it was absorbed into the new 4th (Reserve) Battalion, The Royal Scots, along with the 3rd/4th, 3rd/5th, 3rd/6th, 3rd/8th and 3rd/9th Batalions.
If you have family members or stories of the men that joined a Battalion of the 7RS, we would love to hear from you.
For more information on the WW1 battalions, please see our website at https://www.theroyalscots.co.uk/1st-world-war/ or contact museum@theroyalscots.co.uk.
#MilitaryMuseumMonday #Gretna110 #Leith #WestLothian
Your stories about the 7th Bn The Royal Scots wanted!
The Royal Scots has a long history with the Dalmeny Street Drill Hall, venue of our upcoming exhibition ‘Gretna 110’, found in the heart of Leith. The 7th Bn The Royal Scots was formed in 1908 with its Headquarters at Dalmeny Street in Leith.
If you have family members or stories of Leithers who joined the 7th Bn The Royal Scots, we would love to hear from you. Please contact museum@theroyalscots.co.uk for more information.
#MilitaryMuseumMonday #Gretna110 #Leith
Your stories wanted!
The Royal Scots has a long history with the Dalmeny Street Drill Hall, venue of our upcoming exhibition ‘Gretna 110’, found in the heart of Leith.
During the 1850s and 1860s numerous Volunteer Units were raised in Scotland, then controlled by the Lord Lieutenants of Counties. In 1888 control was taken over by the War Office and they were grouped with regular infantry units. The Royal Scots expanded to include seven of these volunteer battalions.
One of these, the 5th Volunteer Battalion, had its headquarters and drill-hall in Stead’s Place, Leith, but these were burned down in 1900. In 1902 its new headquarters and drill-hall in Dalmeny Street, Leith Walk, were opened. This battalion also had its own rifle range, up to 1000 yards, at Seafield, near Leith
In 1908 these seven volunteer battalions were converted into seven new territorial force battalions. The 5th Volunteer Battalion thus became the 7th Territorial Force Battalion, with its Headquarters remaining at Dalmeny Street in Leith.
If you have family members or stories of Leithers who joined The Royal Scots, we would love to hear from you. Please contact museum@theroyalscots.co.uk for more information.
#MilitaryMuseumMonday #Gretna110 #Leith
