Below is some genealogy information on the 42nd & 73rd Highlanders, Black Watch and Black Watch 3rd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland of the British army that may help searches for military ancestors.

Theatres of War, Army Regiments, Naval Detachments, RAF

Description: The Black Watch was originally a nickname for the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot but was first officially used in 1881 when the 42nd Regiment of Foot merged with the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot to form The Royal Highland Regiment (The Black Watch). They saw action in the Boer Wars, fighting at Magersfontein, Modder River and Paardenburg. During the First World War they fought across the Western, Middle-Eastern and Balkan fronts at battles such as Mons, Marne, Aisne, the Ludendorff Offensive, the 1st battle of Ypres, Neuve Chapelle, Aubers Bridge, Festubert, Loos, the Somme (1916), the 2nd battle of Ypres, Arras, the Hindenburg Line, Passchendaele, Cambrai, the 1st battle of the Somme (1918), Lys, Selle and Doiran. During the Second World War they fought across the Western, African and Far-Eastern fronts at battles such as the Dunkirk evacuations, the Normandy landings, El-Alamein and the invasion of Italy. In 1931 they were renamed The Black Watch. In 2006 they merged with the Royal Scots, the King's Own Scottish Borderers, the Royal Highland Fusiliers, The Highlanders and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, forming the Royal Regiment of Scotland. Their nickname is The Forty Twas Black Jocks or the Ladies from Hell.

World War II

6th Battalion

Description: 6th Battalion, The Black Watch was active from January 1940, playing a role in France as part of the 51st Highland Division before transferring to the 12 Infantry Brigade of the 4th Division. They moved to Belgium on 13 May 1940, holding a position on the Seine Canal, giving cover for the withdrawing 3rd Division. On 17 May they withdrew themselves under heavy bombardment. They held the line between Bousbecque and Warneton to the south west of Menin but due to outflanking by the Germans, they became part of the flight to Dunkirk and its evacuation. They remained in England, initially on the Isle of Wight, as part of the home defence. In January 1943 the 6th, in preparation for offensive operations, completed their basic training in Inverary, Scotland. They spent another 14 months in advanced training, drilling and on exercises. Initially based in Camberwell, Surrey they moved quickly to Catterick, North Yorkshire and from there to Stobs Camp just outside Hawick in the Scottish Borders. In reality they stayed in various places near there including Selkirk and Melrose. Despite the busy schedule, the Battalion still found time for relaxation and were involved in a number of football matches. On 30 May 1942 they played the Polish Army at Galashiels, winning 2-1 and on the 16 January 1943 they played 1 Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment at Volunteer Park, Hawick, winning 7-1. Having spent almost a year in training in the Selkirk and Hawick areas of Scotland and as part of 12 Brigade of the 4th Division, they sailed from Liverpool aboard the S.S. Johan van Oldenbarnvelt on 15 March 1943. Disembarking at Algiers, Algeria eight days later and moving up to near the front at Beja, Algeria on 6 April. At that time the Germans were holding up the allied forces, which had landed at Algiers in November 1942, on a line some 45-50 miles west of Tunis. On 10 April the battalion took over a position from the Royal Irish Fusiliers (78 Division) and that night moved further forward to occupy a line of hills called Djebel Rmel held by tanks of the North Irish Horse, who then withdrew. This was some 2 miles ahead of any other British unit and overlooked from higher enemy held ground barely a mile away. Although this resulted in some enemy shelling next day casualties were light. The following day, on 12 April 1943, B company proceeded to change positions with C company during daylight and heavy casualties were suffered from shelling throughout the day. Some who died there are buried at the Djebel Rmel cemetery in Algeria. However, the wounded were actually transported to Salerno, Italy. If they died there they were buried in the Salerno War Cemetary. The battalion was relieved on 19 April by American troops. On 20 April the battalion moved to the area of Medjez-el-Bab to try and take the road junction at‘Peter’s Corner’. On 23 April they failed in an attack on the Germans and settled on ‘Banana Ridge’. After an initial attempt they took the hill of Sidi Mediene before moving to the next hill of Sidi Abdullah. The attack was successful but they were forced to withdraw under attack from the Hermann Goering Division, elite German troops. The battalion moved north of ‘Peter’s Corner’ on 5 May to take part in the final phase of the war in Tunisia. They formed part of a race across the base of Cap Bon during the early May, reaching Korba on the east coast. The Germans and Italians were in full retreat thanks to the 8th Army and were ambushed by the British at Korba, taking groups of prisoners before the Italians surrendered some 1200 men. The fighting in Tunisia was finished. Then, after several months back at Bougie and Djidjelli in Algeria, it moved by sea to Egypt near Suez. The battalion was landed by ship at Naples on 6 March 1944, by which time the Italians had joined the Allies. By time time the 6th arrived, the town of Cassino and the monastery on top of its hill had been reduced to ruins by allied bombing, but two attempts to breach the German defensive line, centred on Cassino, and so open the road north to Rome, had failed, with heavy losses. Allied forces occupied part of the ruins of Cassino town, with the Germans occupying other parts, and both sides on the ground in the town were at some places within feet of each other. On 22 April the battalion took its place in the town, relieving the Coldstream Guards. There were occasional bouts of enemy shelling and on the 24th the Germans succeeded in penetrating the position of one of the forward platoons and taking some prisoners. The battalion was withdrawn from Cassino area in early May and on 13 May they crossed the River Rapido south of Cassino and began an advance. It achieved its objectives and held off counter-attacks before the Germans retreated. Cassino town fell to 10th Brigade on 18 May. The battalion continued westwards towards Aquino airport, but was relieved on the 20th by the 4th Indian Division and pulled back to billets in the villages of Faiccho and Goioa for rest of May. On 5 June the battalion began marching to Florence, through tough terrain, made worse by sporadic but heavy shelling. On 28 July they were involved in the hard battle to drive the Germans from the 2000 feet high Monte Scalari some ten miles south of Florence. The attack was a success. The whole brigade moved back to Foligno, south east of Assisi and Perugia. Following this they tried to break through the German ‘Gothic Line’ in the area near Rimini. Strong opposition was encountered before breaking through. A month later they were involved in the attacks on the town of Cesena and Forli. On 20 October, they were involved in house to house fighting in Cesena and held their positions before advancing to Forli on 7 November. Despite passing straight through the town, the Germans held strong on the other side and fierce house to house fighting commenced for a number of days. This was the last battle fought in Italy. From Forli the battalion moved to Taranto in southern Italy where they sailed to Greece. Greek communist forces (ELAS) were attempting to seize power and had attacked the British Athens. They left Italy on 15 December. Landing on the coast they advanced on Athens. Progress was difficult due to the guerrilla tactics employed, working in small groups, sniper attacks, not to mention hiding amongst the civilian population. By Christmas they cleared a road into Athens and thus began clearing the areas around the city. A political truce signed in Athens on 11 January 1944 and ELAS forces were withdraw behind a line to the north. Greece was garrisoned as a precaution against further unrest. On 18 June 1946, while in Athens, the 6th battalion of the Black Watch was disbanded. Only two officers and 15 other ranks of those who had sailed with the battalion in March 1943 were still on active duty.

• Lance-Corporal Archibald Paterson.

Military actions:

• Boer war: Magersfontein
• Boer war: Modder River
• Boer war: Paardenburg
• WWI: Mons
• WWI: Marne
• WWI: Aisne
• WWI: Ludendorff Offensive
• WWI: 1st battle of Ypres
• WWI: Neuve Chapelle
• WWI: Aubers Bridge
• WWI: Festubert
• WWI: Loos
• WWI: Somme (1916)
• WWI: 2nd battle of Ypres
• WWI: Arras
• WWI: Hindenburg Line
• WWI: 3rd battle of Ypres
• WWI: Cambrai
• WWI: Lys
• WWI: 1st battle of the Somme (1918)
• WWI: Selle
• WWI: Doiran
• WWII: Dunkirk and its evacuation
• WWII: D-Day
• WWII: El-Alamein
• WWII: Invasion of Italy

Websites:

• History of the 42nd & 73rd Highlanders, Black Watch regiments and Black Watch 3rd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland.

Reading materials:

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